The Crown Reserves Improvement Fund (CRIF) supports Crown land managers (CLMs) by providing funding for repairs, maintenance and improvements on Crown reserves.
Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: From $1,000 to $1,000,000
- Application opened: 16 October 2023
- Application closed: 17 November 2023, 5:00 pm
Program objective
To be eligible for the funding round, all applications must address one or more of the following CRIF Program objectives:
- Manage and renovate infrastructure and other assets on public reserves to maximise community impact and comply with regulatory obligations, in particular to ensure public safety and work health and safety is maintained.
- Facilitate initiatives that enhance the operational sustainability of the land manager (via reducing ongoing costs, increasing revenue, or improving governance).
- Enhance environmental assets by supporting conservation initiatives and invasive species (pest and weed) control.
- Support renewable energy use, energy efficiency, water efficiency and environmentally sustainable practices that work towards net zero emissions.
- Support the important role that volunteers play in the ongoing management of Crown land.
- Promote greater inclusion of Aboriginal communities and interests through co-management, cultural heritage recognition and education.
- Maintain and develop recreational and tourism facilities for community use and enjoyment.
This program is administered by Crown Lands.
Eligibility
Who can apply
The application must be authorised by the official manager of a Crown reserve. The person entering the online application must be either:
1) an authorised person of the reserve’s Crown land manager (see list below), or
2) an interested party of the reserve (eg: a CLM member not on the authorised list below, or a member of a user group on the reserve).
Statutory Crown land manager board - Chair, secretary, treasurer or appointed administrator
Council Crown land manager -General manager or director
Corporate Crown land manager - CEO, CFO or general manager
Freehold showground - President, secretary or treasurer
Other eg. Government agency, perpetual lease - Crown Lands director or area manager
Commons - Trust board - Board executive position holder, primary contact or administrator registered with the department
For more information, please refer to the Crown Reserves Improvement Fund website
Types of projects funded under this grant
General projects—showgrounds (including freehold), caravan parks, state parks, local parks, commons and other Crown reserves
For more information, please refer to the Crown Reserves Improvement Fund website
Types of projects not funded under this grant
For more information, please refer to the Crown Reserves Improvement Fund website
What your application needs to include
Prepare your application with this checklist
- The project must be on a Crown reserve (as defined by section 12.26 of the Crown Land Management Act 2016), showgrounds on freehold land will be accepted for general applications only.
- The application must relate to a project or activity that has not yet commenced
- It has been prepared by either the relevant Crown land manager of the reserve or a person/organisation authorised by the Crown land manager to apply for funding for projects for the maintenance and improvement of the subject reserve(s)
- Non-council land managers (excl. Commons) must have submitted their 2022-23 annual report to the department by the round closing date via the Reserve Manager portal - CrownTracker Portal (nsw.gov.au)
- No outstanding overdue final projects reports
- All applications must address one or more of the CRIF Program objectives
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
Community Impact - 60%
Demonstrate how effectively the project will contribute to the social, economic, cultural and/or environmental advancement of the community by:
- Maintaining or increasing public access, amenity and use of the reserve
- Supporting social cohesion and participation in community life
- Enabling people with accessibility requirements or living with a disability to be included
- Delivering a service or infrastructure to enable Aboriginal people to access, care for, protect and manage land
- Conserving heritage values and/or natural values, and/or
- Creating employment or business opportunities
Public Safety - 20%
Demonstrate how the project contributes to ensuring public safety and preventing risk to human life
Deliverability and Affordability - 20%
- Value for money – estimated costs through competitive, multiple quotes or a demonstrated procurement process
- Demonstrated capacity and capability to deliver the project
- Any co-contributions from other sources (cash or in-kind)
- Ability to access other funding sources for the project
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: Minister for Lands and Property
All applications will be subject to a rigorous multi-level assessment process. The official Crown land manager should receive written advice as to the outcome of your application via email by May 2024.
Anticipated assessment outcome date is May 2024
Anticipated date for funding deed execution with successful applicants is May - June 2024
Support and contact
Crown Lands & Public Spaces
T 1300 886 235 (option 2, then option 5) | E reservefunding@crownland.nsw.gov.au
Website: Crown Reserves Improvement Fund