Funding Opportunities 2009 - 2010

Current Programs

Community Action Grants program

 

Caring For Our Country (CFOC) is the Australian Government's new natural resource management initiative.

CFOC's Community Action Grants program is open to local community groups, primarily involved in land and resource management issues, to apply for funding from $5,000 up to $20,000 (GST exclusive) to take action to help protect and conserve Australia's environment.

Eligible community groups include:

• groups of farmers or land managers working on sustainable farming or improving natural resource management
• Indigenous partnerships involved in protecting or improving the environment
• community groups involved in biodiversity conservation, environmental protection or managing natural resources
• community groups involved in coastal rehabilitation, restoration and conservation 

Community Action Grants are only available to eligible community groups not individuals.
 
Eligible projects must involve volunteers and communities in activities which work towards achieving outcomes in the Caring For Our Country national priority areas of Biodiversity and Natural Icons, Coastal Environments and Critical Aquatic Habitats, and Sustainable Farm Practices.

Applications are open from 1 October 2009 - 22 October 2009

so don't waste any time in getting an application in.

What to do next

Click here to access the Guidelines

Think about your group’s proposed project using the guidelines

Call Felicity Baker at Namoi CMA on 6742 9214 or 0428 422 678 or email felicity.baker@cma.nsw.gov.au to see what assistance you can get in pulling your application together

Then, log on to www.nrm.gov.au/funding/cag.html  to make an application or call

1800 552 008

 

Soil Carbon Program

Do you want your farm to be more profitable?
Do you want to improve the soils on your farm?
Are you thinking about carbon and how you can become involved?

If you answered yes to these questions, then we can help.

Namoi CMA in conjunction with Grazing BestPrac are holding 3 workshops in the Catchment to provide information and training in Soil Carbon farming.

Topics to be covered include:
• Carbon cycle, carbon sequestration and carbon types
• Organic matter and the role of carbon in soils
• Growing grass and grazing
• Farming carbon
• Carbon audits and trading
• Land management and carbon farming action plans

Workshops are 3 days in length including half a day in the field.

Workshops are Free to landholders in the Namoi Catchment.

Attendance at a workshop is a prerequisite for

on ground carbon farming incentives available late 2009.

 

Narrabri Workshop Wednesday 21st October to Friday 23rd October

Quirindi Workshop Monday 26th October to Wednesday 28th October

Manilla Workshop Wednesday 11th November to Friday 13th November

All workshops run from 8:30am to 5pm each day

Places at the workshops are limited. Lunch and morning tea supplied.
Please contact Simon Turpin, Namoi CMA on 6742 9212 or the Gunnedah Office on 6742 9220 to book your place at these workshops.

This program is fnded by the Australian Government under the

Caring For Our Country program.

Riparian Improvement Program

Namoi CMA is seeking Expressions of Interest for projects to improve the condition of our waterways.

Riparian zones (areas in or around our waterways) in the Namoi Catchment are a vital part of our ecosystem. 

They perform important roles such as-
• trapping and storing water and recharging underground aquifers
• filtering sediment and nutrients from runoff to improve water quality
• providing habitat for fish, wildlife and plants
• slowly releasing water to add moisture to adjacent pastures and crops.

Successful applicants will receive up to a maximum of $12,000 per km of watercourse (or per hectare of wetland) for on-ground works such as:
• fencing rivers/creeks etc to restrict stock access
• installation of alternative watering points
• controlling invasive weeds along watercourses
• protecting wetland habitats
• reducing the impact from pests.

The funding round closes on the 18th September so get in early.

Applications will be assessed on a competitive basis and the applicant’s ability to meet the criteria outlined in the application guidelines. It is important to read the guidelines when making an application.

For more information or for a copy of the Expression of Interest Application Form click here and for Guidelines click here, or speak with your local Namoi CMA office.

Copy of Media Release

Upland Wetland Enhancement Program

Do you have an upland wetland on your property?

If so, Namoi CMA would like to work with you to conserve and manage it better.

Upland wetlands in the Namoi Catchment are a unique type of wetland found primarily above elevations of 700m and mostly on private land around Nundle, Walcha, Bendemeer and towards Kingstown. 

They are normally groundwater fed and when full can seep into rivers and streams.  They occur either as areas of open “grassy” or “heathy” vegetation and can range from temporary bogs and waterbodies to relatively permanent lagoons occupying small areas (0.25ha to 10ha).

Namoi CMA has a small incentive funding program targeted at improving the condition of upland wetlands. Expressions of Interest for this program close on 31 August 2009.

Contact: Nathan Penny (02) 6764 5910 or Adam Downey (02) 6764 5916

Click here for more information on protecting and enhancing upland wetlands

Click here for a copy of the Media Release

 

Biodiversity Conservation and Improvement

Expressions of interest for the 2008/09 Biodiversity Conservation and Improvement Program closed on the 28th of November 2008. Approximately $800,000 was available for on-ground works under this program.

The program aims to deliver the objectives of the Namoi Catchment Nature Conservation Strategy to improve biodiversity conservation in priority areas, restore native vegetation and reconnect native vegetation fragments to form regional corridors.

New funding will be available under this program in July 2009.

Contact: James Hutchinson-Smith (02) 6764 5970

Priority Sub-Catchment Management

In 2008/09 Namoi CMA initiated the Priority Sub-Catchment Management program to tackle natural resource management issues in the Bundella Creek and Eulah Creek priority sub-catchments. A sub-catchment plan will be developed with landholders to identify  on-ground works to improve the landscape.

Namoi CMA chooses which priority sub-catchments to invest in through a whole-of-catchment prioritisation process. Sub-catchments delivering the most benefit at least cost are ranked highly, particularly those that have restoration potential and have native vegetation in good condition.

Expressions of interests are now closed. New funding will be available under this program in July 2009.

Contact: James Hutchinson-Smith (02) 6764 5970

 

Protection of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Sites

Namoi CMA has funds available to help protect Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Sites.

Contact: Shannon Taylor (02) 6764 5936

 

Strategic Partnerships

In 2008/09 Namoi CMA is seeking to develop partnerships with industry groups, local government and non-government organisations. These partnerships may include knowledge development, on-ground works, information sharing, relevant access to internal networks, and investment leverage.

The development and involvement of strategic partnerships is guided by the Namoi CMA Partnership Policy.

Contact: Sally Egan (02) 6764 5925

Training
Namoi CMA offers courses regularly. These courses cover topics such as grazing, soil health, climate variability studies and, assessing and using land within its capability. Non-government, full time land owners, managers and advisers in the Namoi Catchment are normally eligible. Course dates and locations will be announced when sufficient registration numbers are reached. Contact Namoi CMA to find out what oportunities are available.

Contact: Col Easton (02) 6764 5940