Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: From $20,000 to $250,000
- Application opened: 10 September 2024
- Application closed: 24 October 2024
Program objective
The Carbon on Country partnerships initiative aims to:
- Support NSW Aboriginal organisations to successfully own and manage environmental planting projects under the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme
- Deliver carbon abatement alongside co-benefits including cultural, environmental, economic and social outcomes;
- Use a co-design process to ensure projects align with community needs and aspirations
- Provide financial, legal, governance and technical support to enable informed decision-making
- Ensure the principles of Free Prior and Informed Consent and rights to Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property are upheld;
- Create a NSW Aboriginal-led Community of Practice that addresses risks, challenges, benefits and support required for successful participation in the ACCU Scheme
- Develop information products such as fact sheets, case studies and online information sessions to share knowledge
- Inform future carbon focused initiatives for Aboriginal landholders across NSW and identify support for broader Aboriginal participation in Australian carbon markets.
Find out more and download the guidelines at www.energy.nsw.gov.au/carbononcountry
This program is funded and administered by Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Eligibility
Who can apply
NSW Aboriginal organisations including Local Aboriginal Land Councils, Registered Native Title Body Corporates, Traditional Owner groups, Aboriginal Corporations and equivalent Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations with a minimum 5 hectares suitable for an environmental planting project under the Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme.
Who the grant is targeted towards
NSW Aboriginal organisations and Traditional Owner groups that own the land the project will be implemented on.
Types of projects funded under this grant
Environmental Planting projects 5 to 200 hectares on land that has been clear of forest for at least 5 years and is owned by an Aboriginal Organisation.
Projects must comply with the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) scheme requirements for a mixed species Environmental Planting project.
Applicants must be willing to:
- plant between 5 and 200 hectares of native plants, including canopy trees, shrubs and understory plants, with the aim of restoring Country
- maintain the planting to ensure forest cover is established for at least 25 years.
Visit www.energy.nsw.gov.au/carbononcountry for full details
Outcomes for projects funded under this grant
Deliverables include:
- NSW Aboriginal owned and led environmental planting projects that restore Country and earn carbon credits
- Carbon abatement alongside cultural, environmental, economic and social co-benefits
- Build capacity in the indigenous owned land sector around carbon and carbon markets.
- This funding could help you improve the health of your Country, provide opportunities for community participation in caring for Country, and unlock new income streams. Your land could be used to revegetate habitats for threatened or totemic species.
What costs you can apply for
- Site preparation including method (e.g. ripping/augering), materials, and labour.
- Fencing materials and labour for standard stock fences.
- Seeds, tube stock, direct seeding.
- Tree protection material such as tree guards.
- Planting of tube stock, including the installation of tree protection.
- Maintenance costs for the first year, including weed management, materials or labour.
- A maximum of 5% of budget may be allocated to project management/administration costs.
- Monitoring equipment costs including wildlife cameras specific to the project.
Who can’t apply
Individuals are not eligible to apply. Only NSW Aboriginal organisations with suitable land that meets the Environmental Planting method under the ACCU Scheme can apply.
What co-contributions are required
Co-contribution can be made through direct funding or in-kind contributions. A minimum co-contribution of 10% is required
Most recent recipients
What your application needs to include
Prepare your application with this checklist
- Applicants must meet each eligibility criteria detailed in the Carbon on Country partnerships EOI guidelines for NSW Aboriginal organisations available at energy.nsw.gov.au/carbononcountry.
- Applicants must be a NSW Aboriginal organisation that owns the land the carbon project will be implemented on.
- Proposed projects must meet the requirements of the Environmental Planting Project method under the Australian Carbon Credit Unit scheme.
- Applicants must meet insurance and financial viability requirements.
- Applicants must also address merit criteria detailed in the Carbon on Country partnerships EOI guidelines for NSW Aboriginal organisations and upload a budget and map of planting area. Mapping support is available.
Address the eligibility criteria
Each applicant, as part of an application response, must confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria.
Applicants that do not address the eligibility criteria in full may be excluded from the application process at the department's discretion.
Address the assessment criteria
- Eligibility check: This is only open to NSW Aboriginal organisations that own suitable land to implement an environmental planting project. Applications are assessed on eligibility and merit criteria following grant guidelines.
- Merit check: Applicants will be competitively assessed according to 5 merit criterion:
- project effectiveness
- technical and financial capability
- value for money
- strategy to share learnings
- delivery of co-benefits.
Start the application
NSW Aboriginal organisation develops and submits EOI application using the EOI Guidelines and other supporting information and:
- applicant describes project and why it’s important
- applicant uploads map of proposed planting project area
- applicant develops indicative project budget using the template provided
- applicant fills out application form and uploads documents.
Note: If you are a new applicant to SmartyGrants, you will need to register and create a password. If you are already registered, you can log in with your existing username and password.
Apply now
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
- applicant develops and submits the application
- assessor checks the application against eligibility criteria
- assessor informs the applicant if their application is ineligible
- assessor reviews eligible applications against the merit criteria
- assessor informs applicant if their application is successful or unsuccessful
- successful applicants invited to participate in the codesign phase.
Support and contact
NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water - Net Zero land