Caring for our Country Business Plan 2010-11

About the Business Plan 2010-11

How we will invest - different approaches

Caring for our Country will use a mix of investment approaches designed to most effectively deliver on each target and achieve identified outcomes.

It is important that proponents understand the range of ways they can engage with the Australian Government through Caring for our Country.

Caring for our Country provides funding for a broad range of sustainable land management and environmental protection work.

We believe it is important to be flexible in designing how to best deliver on certain targets and in selecting the most appropriate investment approaches to meet the needs of specific stakeholder groups.

We recognise that groups will work at different scales to achieve Caring for our Country outcomes and a variety of investment approaches are required. In some cases a negotiated investment approach is available in order to ensure the best outcome.

The range of investment approaches available will help proponents to direct their efforts and time as effectively as possible when seeking funding.

The investment approach applicable to each target is outlined in Priorities for Investment. For some targets more than one investment approach is available to distribute funding.

The variety in approaches to investment means that closing dates for the submission of applications and expressions of interest will vary depending on the particular approach taken.

The application closing dates which apply to each approach are summarised in How to apply, along with details about how proposals will be assessed.

The different types of investment approaches are outlined below.

Open call for proposals

In the 2010-11 business plan investment proposals are invited through the open call which have a total value ranging from $20 000 to $1.5 million. The exception to the $1.5 million cap is for land acquisition proposals under the National Reserve System where land value is a factor.

This open call is the principal way in which funding for projects can be sought under this business plan and allows a large and diverse number of groups and organisations an opportunity to obtain funding.

For example, proponents can submit open call applications to address targets related to Ramsar wetlands, coastal hotspots, the National Reserve System, coastal community engagement, Landcare and Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge. Proponents are encouraged to plan their own project to meet these Caring for our Country targets.

However, for proposals for more complex acquisitions to the National Reserve System that are underpinned by comprehensive bioregional planning, the strategy supporting the application must be negotiated and agreed with the Australian Government before it is submitted.

Co-investment opportunities

A specific opportunity is provided through the open call for proposals which require matching cash co-investment. This recognises the opportunities which exist for proponents to work with and secure corporate sponsorship to enhance their funding bids and increase the outcomes for Caring for our Country. Proponents must identify corporations or philanthropic organisations who are prepared to co-invest with the Australian Government in specific activities that meet the targets of this business plan. These proposals will require a specific commitment in writing from the co-investors.

Under this approach, Caring for our Country will invest up to $2 million in total through the 2010-11 business plan and is looking to fund up to four proposals that bring with them a matching corporate and/or philanthropic organisation contribution.

We have a particular interest in proposals that address one of the following:

integrate cost-effective mechanisms for linking remnant habitats that are critical for the persistence of threatened species or ecological communities in circumstances where landscape fragmentation or other pressures remain a significant risk
improve the long term persistence of forest-dependent mammals, such as koalas, through retention and restoration of habitat and by management practices on public and private land that protect and extend suitable habitat, including in urban and peri-urban environments
encourage sustainable practices and whole of supply chain activities that are environmentally responsible. This can be achieved through corporate partners promoting and encouraging farmers and fishers to adopt sustainable practices.

Expression of interest approaches

In addition to the open call, expressions of interest are called for sustainable practices proposals against four identified project categories which will improve the resource condition across large geographic areas, or engage large numbers of farmers/fishers across a particular land use type or fishery.

Under this approach Caring for our Country will invest in up to five projects which each have a total value (over three years) of between $300 000 and $1.5 million. For more information see Sustainable practices priorities for investment (Section 2.4).

An expression of interest approach is also used under the Environmental Stewardship Program (see Section 2.2) and the Protecting the Reef - Reef water quality research and development component (see Section 2.3).

This approach will allow the Australian Government to work more closely with proponents where both the outcome and activities being sought for investment are closely defined.

A key advantage of this approach is that proponents will receive early feedback about the viability of their proposal. Investment proposals will still be competitively assessed.

Regional investment

The Australian Government remains committed to providing the identified regional organisations in the 56 natural resource management (NRM) regions with secure base-level funding until 2012-13. Details of this funding are provided in Section 1.3.

Under the 2010-11 business plan regional NRM organisations will submit expressions of interest proposals for their base-level funding. See submitting a proposal for investment (Section 3.1).

Base-level investments must directly deliver on Caring for our Country targets relevant within their regions. Regional NRM organisations can also seek Caring for our Country funding via other investment approaches to achieve further outcomes.

For more information on regional NRM organisations see Section 1.5.

Community Action Grants

Under Community Action Grants, amounts of $5000 to $20 000 are available to environmental, Indigenous and sustainable agriculture community groups for activities which contribute to Caring for our Country national priorities.

It is anticipated that the 2010-11 Community Action Grants round will open for applications in July 2010. For more information on Community Action Grants see Section 2.6.

One-off environment recovery responses

The Australian Government may consider assisting in the recovery of the natural environment from the sudden and extreme impacts of natural disasters, where this aligns with Caring for our Country targets and outcomes and there is the capacity to achieve a positive outcome for the environment.

Arrangements for such assistance would be considered on a case by case basis and would be advised separately as required.

They would not duplicate other programs available to address natural disasters such as under the Natural Disaster Relief Arrangements and would not be available to provide business assistance to affected industries.