Tackling climate change at a local level

The Climate Communities government grants program will help to link existing community networks centred around local councils, service clubs, schools and environment groups. It will also encourage and support the establishment of new groups who wish to take environmental action at a local level.

The key objectives are to support local communities to:

• reduce emissions
• build community resilience to adapt to climate change
• trial and/or promote new ideas to help tackle climate change.

The government grant, managed by Sustainability Victoria, supports communities by providing grants of up to $50,000 for community organisations. The Victorian Government has also appointed Climate Communities facilitators to work with local communities across the state. These facilitators will provide information, advice and assistance with grant applications.

Supporting community-based initiatives

There are many different projects that could be receive government grants under the Climate Communities grants program. For example:

• retrofitting a community hall to reduce energy use and using it as a demonstration to promote energy efficiency
• establishing a shared transport scheme such as a bicycle repair and hire cooperative
• offering community gardening workshops to promote drought-tolerant and edible gardening
• providing training for a community leader or volunteer to support the group to operate more sustainably and share knowledge with other members
• setting up a pilot project to reduce waste at a local sports club and encouraging other clubs to adopt the practice.

Government grants are open to community groups committed to tackling climate. Local councils and schools are also welcome to apply if they can demonstrate that they support the community in taking action on climate change. Usually this will be in partnership with a community group. Other organisations such as businesses can participate in Climate Communities by partnering in a project with an eligible organisation.

Application

The first thing to do is to arm yourself with all the available information.

• Download the Grants Kit .
• Have a look at the Grants FAQs.

Then, if you think your project meets all the guidelines, you’ll need to contact the Climate Communities team through Sustainability Victoria to discuss your proposal before submitting an application.

The Climate Communities team can help you develop the project, provide guidance with filling out the application (part of the Grants Kit) and ensure your project meets the grants assessment criteria. They can also help to link you with existing community networks you may wish to partner with for your project.

There are also some useful templates that might help you put together your government grant application:

• Budget template (download as a PDF or Excel document)
• Project plan template (download as a PDF or Word document)
• In-kind information statement (required if you are claiming in-kind contributions in your project budget).
  (download as a PDF or Excel document)

Government Grant Availability
As a guide, up to $70,000 may be available to fund aspects of business case development. Business case development must be completed in less than two years, with a dollar-for-dollar matching contribution from the client.

Government grants may be provided to help generate a robust business case for seeking additional financial investment or informing decisions and implementation of solutions.
The business cases we seek to fund will:

• Be collaborative efforts between organisations such as industry groups, local government and businesses
• Have capacity to transform and strengthen an industry or sector in Victoria
• Demonstrate an optimal life cycle outcome by taking into account impacts across the value chain Business case outcomes will serve as demonstrations of innovative solutions which are able to influence their respective industry sectors and become best practice within five years.

What can be funded?
Government grants are available for business case development, including associated analysis, market studies, risk assessment and mitigation. This can include:

• Industry analysis
• Pilot trials of technologies, products or services new to Australia
• Use of life cycle methods to validate optimal solutions
• Development of legal frameworks required
• Assessment of risks and variability

Proposal requirements

To be supported, proposals for business case development must demonstrate that the proposed solution has potential to provide significant sustainability benefits to the participating organisations and the state of Victoria. The proposed solution may address a market opportunity or a market barrier that is currently prohibiting similar initiatives from being implemented without assistance.
Proposals should integrate life cycle thinking into development of solutions. This entails addressing sustainability impacts at the most appropriate point in the life cycle.
Proposals need to demonstrate reasonable potential for financial and technical viability. While viability will be confirmed and assessed during business case development, we are seeking projects with evidence of probable viability when developed at a scale reasonably expected within five years.
The proposed solution must be able to influence its respective industry sector, with an ability to become sector best practice within five years.
Organisations must demonstrate that they have engaged with key stakeholders in the supply or value chain and must be prepared to communicate outcomes and results to drive broader uptake.

Application process

Please contact Sustainability Victoria to discuss a potential fit with the program. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis (not round-based funding).

Zero Emission Neighbourhoods will showcase innovative water, waste, transport and energy solutions, such as local renewable energy supply, sustainable master planning and design, onsite recycled water and smart meters to help manage energy usage.

Four to six zero emission communities will be developed over four years. Zero Emission Neighbourhoods is supported by the Victorian Government Sustainability Fund, managed by Sustainability Victoria.

Zero Emission Neighbourhoods Funding availability

Funding of $6 million has been committed to the program over four years to support the development of four to six prototype zero emissions communities. Out of the total funding,

• $5 million has been allocated to capital funding for infrastructure projects
• $0.3 million to scoping projects, feasibility studies and business cases
• $0.2 million to independent research (Research Stream).

Sustainability Victoria is accepting Zero Emission Neighbourhoods proposals from project proponents from 17 June 2009. There is no indication of a closing date at this stage.

Firstly, you should contact Sustainability Victoria to discuss the initial Zero Emission Neighbourhoods project proposal.Sustainability Victoria will then assist you in determining whether your project may be considered for funding under the Zero Emission Neighbourhoods program. We encourage developers, councils and all interested parties to approach us with project proposals.

If your project is aligned with the aims of the Zero Emission Neighbourhoods program, we will support you in setting up an Opportunity Assessment Workshop (with Sustainability Victoria and relevant local stakeholders). The aim of the Workshop is to bring together key stakeholders, exchange and brainstorm ideas, identify potential barriers, opportunities, and next steps forward.

The diagram below provides an overview on how Zero Emission Neighbourhoods project proponents can get involved in the program:

If you would like assistance with this grant then please feel free to contact us.

The 2009 Sustainability Fund has now opened with a focus on addressing climate change through Victorian households. The Victorian Government’s Sustainability Fund, managed by Sustainability Victoria, provides funding for projects that drive more sustainable resource use in Victoria.

This year, the Sustainability Fund is focused on addressing climate change through Victorian households. The residential sector contributes to approximately 21% of Victoria’s energy use, impacting significantly on climate change.

$3.5 million has been allocated to support innovative sustainable technologies, services and solutions that directly assist Victorian households to reduce their impact.

A household is defined as a principal place of residence. Projects must:

• Deliver solutions that assist Victorian households to reduce their emissions and/or adapt to climate change.
• Target activity in a principal place of residence.
• Be new/innovative solutions not currently existing in Victoria.
• Have replication potential in other sectors/communities.
• Have strong partnerships.
• Have capacity to deliver the objective, exhibiting strong project management skills.
• Demonstrate a need for the project in its target sector.
• Demonstrate how the project will be evaluated.
• Be able to measure the impacts and benefits derived from the project.
• Have commitment from all levels of your organisation (you will be required to submit a signed letter from your CEO or equivalent senior office holder).

Sustainability Fund applications are encouraged for projects that:

• Focus on existing housing stock.
• Integrate waste, energy and water solutions.
• Partner with local community, government and business.
• Support local community solutions and economies.

Examples of Climate Change and Victorian Households projects:

• Organisation A works with a building owner corporation to develop and pilot a model for reducing emissions in residential apartment blocks.
• Organisation B develops a replicable methodology to measure changes in household resource use beyond the lifespan of a project.
• Organisation C measures a range of new technologies to determine their effectiveness in reducing emissions in the home.
• Organisation D develops a project to reduce household food waste including information about the cost of food waste and how to shop sustainably.

The Sustainability Fund will provide between $1 and $4 for every $1 the applicant can source or contribute to the project. Projects can include cash and in-kind (non-cash) contributions.

Applications for the Sustainability Fund close Wednesday 30 September 2009 at 4.00 pm.

If you would like assistance with this grant then please feel free to contact us.