This targeted funding to member organisations of the Hunter Regional Weeds Committee helps reduce the impact of weeds through implementation of the NSW Invasive Species Plan and the NSW Biosecurity Strategy.
Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: As allocated to LLS Hunter region by DPI each year
- Application opened: 1 January 2021
- Application closed: 31 December 2022
Program objective
- Reduce the impact of weeds through the implementation of the NSW Invasive Species Plan and the NSW Biosecurity Strategy.
- Meeting actions of the Hunter Regional Strategic Weed Management Plan.
- Assist landholders to meet their General Biosecurity Duty, undertaking activities that highlight weed impacts and management options for landholders.
- Undertake control programs to bring weed infestations within landholder capacity to manage, providing for reasonably practicable weed control.
This program is administered by Local Land Services.
This program is funded by Department of Primary Industries.
Eligibility
Who can apply
Applications are open to member organisations of the Hunter Regional Weeds Committee. These include:
- Australian Rail Track Corporation
- Cessnock City Council
- City Of Newcastle
- Crown Lands
- Defence
- Department of Primary Industries
- DPIE-NPWS
- Dungog Shire Council
- Forestry Corporation of NSW
- Hunter Valley Flood Mitigation Scheme
- Hunter Water
- Lake Macquarie City Council
- Hunter Landcare Connect
- Local Land Services
- Maitland City Council
- Manning Landcare
- Mid Coast Council
- Nature Conservation Council
- NSW Farmers Association
- Nursery and Garden Industry NSW & ACT
- Port Stephens Council
- Transport for New South Wales (RMS)
- Upper Hunter County Council
- Water NSW
Who can’t apply
- Other land managers or organisations not listed above.
- All applications are to be progressed through a member organisation of the Committee or through the Hunter Regional Weeds Coordinator.
Types of projects funded under this grant
- Projects must meet the Weeds Action Program investment priorities, that align to the goals of the NSW Invasive Species Plan.
- Projects must meet any other eligible aspects in the New South Wales Weeds Action Program guidelines 2020-2025.
- A wide variety of projects are eligible and no restrictions, beyond those outlined in these guidelines and New South Wales Weeds Action Program guidelines 2020-2025, are placed on the types of projects, so that innovations may come out of unique project concepts.
What can’t you apply for
Program funds are not available for:
- infrastructure costs
- general reserves, bushland, parks and garden management costs
- capital costs
- administration, management or other costs related to private works or contracting businesses
- costs of controlling or treating weeds (other than with biological control agents) that are:
- widespread
- managed under asset protection objectives in Regional Strategic Weed Management Plans (coordination or capacity building activities for asset protection are acceptable use of funds)
- local priority weeds – species of concern in a local area but not listed as regional priority weeds in Regional Strategic Weed Management Plans
- managed by local control authorities for road safety, fire or road maintenance.
Or any other activities deemed not appropriate by the DPI State Priority Weed Coordinator.
Ineligible Project Costs
You cannot apply for project costs for:
- activities that have already been delivered
- activities that are of personal or private benefit
- activities that do not align with the intended outcomes (skills and knowledge in land management practices and/or building community participation, skills and knowledge within organisations and communities)
- costs relating to depreciation of plant and equipment beyond the life of the project.
Example projects
Eligible project costs include:
- consultant, contractor and or staff wages and on-costs in delivering the project
- chemical and other consumables used in the project
- small one-off costs to cover equipment. For example, knapsack sprayer or hand tools for a volunteer group, shade houses to rear biocontrol. (Items must not exceed $1000 each or over $5000 total)
- development, printing and distribution of weed related publications
- development of Strategic weed management planning tools. For example, species management plans, new incursion and rapid response plans.
- all cost associated with undertaking capacity building such as workshops and training events, accredited or non-accredited.
Most recent recipients
What your application needs to include
Prepare your application with this checklist
All applications should include:
- a clear project scope
- a project plan
- a project budget based on quotes or detailed estimates, reasonable assumptions or previous experience with similar projects
- landowner consent if the land is not owned by the Applicant
- evidence of $20 million Public Liability Insurance in the name of the Applicant
- evidence of project co-contribution.
Address the eligibility criteria
To be eligible for grant funding, an applicant must meet each of the following requirements:
- be one of the following:
- a company incorporated in Australia
- a company incorporated by guarantee
- an incorporated association or co-operative
- a partnership
- be a local council
- be financially viable and ability to demonstrate this if required
- hold or commit to obtaining public liability insurance of not less than $20 million per occurrence or hold equivalent or better self-insurance to the satisfaction of the Hunter Local Land Services, prior to executing a Funding Deed with the Hunter Local Land Services
- provide evidence of their organisation’s maximum co-contribution if successful
- hold all appropriate licences and permits to undertake the desired projects
- seek independent advice on any interactions of the project and other laws or legal requirements.
Your organisation/group must not be subject to an Independent Commission Against, Corruption (ICAC), Local Land Services (LLS), Hunter Local Land Services of Primary Industries (DPI), Local Control Authority or other legal investigation.
Your organisation/group must be able to enter a funding deed with the NSW government.
Address the assessment criteria
All applications are to be progressed through a member organisation of the Committee or through the Hunter Regional Weeds Coordinator.
The Member organisation or the Hunter Regional Weeds Coordinator will discuss the project proposal and critique the application and provide recommended changes if required.
If agreement by the member organisation to the proposal the member organisation will ask for the item to be tabled at the next meeting or be provided out of session for discussion.
The Chair of The Committee may accept an application be progressed out of session via email discussion or out of session meeting.
Otherwise, the proposal will be tabled at the next meeting of The Committee for discussion.
Applications are assessed on how well they demonstrate
- alignment to the Hunter Regional Weeds Management Program
- clear links to either the Invasive Species plan outcomes or Hunter Regional Strategic Weed management plan outcomes
- value for money (including In-kind ratio)
- reduction in biosecurity risk or impact.
Applications may also be held over for assessment or inclusion within another year’s activities under the Hunter Regional Sub Program at the Committees discretion.
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: Local Land Service's General Manager or Senior Managers, Hunter Regional Weeds Committee.
The applications will be assessed and both successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified.