Guidelines

Objectives

The Port Phillip Bay Fund (PPBF) is a grants program that supports projects by community groups and organisations who are working to protect and improve coastal habitats and marine ecosystems for their biodiversity values through partnership and engagement with on-ground activities.

The objectives of the 2021-22 Port Phillip Bay Fund are illustrated below.

2021-22 Port Phillip Bay Fund objectives

1. Value: Improving the appreciation and understanding of Victoria’s iconic Bay and ensuring it is healthy and actively cared for through on-ground actions
2. Conserve & Restore: Conserving and restoring coastal habitat and marine life and enhancing the marine environment
3. Engage: Engaging and involving urban communities in on-ground actions that aim to protect and care for the health of the Bay
4. Partnerships: Improving collaboration and partnerships across a range of interested groups and organisations to protect and enhance the health of the Bay

To be considered, projects need to:

• Meet the objectives of the 2021-22 PPBF
• Be located within the Port Phillip Bay itself or within 5km of the Bay’s high-tide mark (see Attachment 1)
• Demonstrate a clear link and direct benefit to the Bay and its biodiversity
• Meet the eligibility requirements
• Have on-ground activities with community involvement.

Available funding

A total of $1.2 million has been allocated in 2021-22 in the form of competitive grants. This year, there are two types of grants available:

Multiple grant applications may be submitted across streams. Each application you submit must be separate (not reliant on another project) and must not be a scaled version of another funded project.

Building your budget

Stream 1 – Single year project

You must use the Budget and Risk template provided and any modifications to the template will be deemed ineligible.

Stream 2 – Multiyear project

You are eligible to apply for funding up to $100,000 with an annual payment of up to $50,000. You will need to include all the project items in the Budget and Risk Template.

For more information about how to complete the budget and activities spreadsheet please refer to Factsheet 6 - Budget and Risk template instructions.

Key dates

Priority Activities for 2021-22

Note: NaturePrint’s Strategic Management Prospects (SMP) dataset should be used to guide the location of your terrestrial revegetation and weed control activities. Strategic Management Prospects is designed to help biodiversity managers consider and compare which actions to do and where (see Attachment 2 and Attachment 3). To deliver the Protecting Victoria’s Environment – Biodiversity 2037 goals and targets and to try to prevent more species from becoming threatened, we need our management efforts to deliver the most positive change for biodiversity. The online tool can be accessed at www.naturekit.biodiversity.vic.gov.au, we have also included static maps at Attachment 2 and Attachment 3.

Co-contribution

Applicants are required to match their requested funding in a 1:1 funding ratio. For example, if you request $10,000, you need to demonstrate that you have at least $10,000 in matching funding from other sources.

The matched funding can include a combination of:

• volunteer time dedicated to the project (including planning, designing and organising)
• in-kind support (e.g., access to a photocopier, free loan of equipment, donation of materials)
• staff time allocated to completing the project, where the salary comes from another source
• funding from other sources (e.g., donations, philanthropic grant programs, DELWP grant programs).

Example of matched funding:

Calculating the value of your volunteer contribution

All volunteer contributions must be calculated using the rate of $40 per hour and the number of hours per day should be reasonable.

Eligibility Criteria

Who can apply?

The 2021-22 PPBF grants are open to:

• Environmental groups and networks, such as Coastcare, Friends groups and Landcare
• Volunteer-based recreational and community groups with an interest in the Bay, such as diving and naturalist groups, Scouts, Rotary, Lions, senior citizens and youth clubs
• Public Land Committees of Management
• Traditional Owners/custodians (RAP and non-RAP)
• Kindergartens, Primary and Secondary Schools
• Research institutes, Local Government and other non-profit organisations

Who cannot apply?

The following organisations and individuals cannot apply for funding:

• Commonwealth and State government departments.
• Commercial organisations
• Bodies established for profit-making purposes
• Sole traders
• Individuals

Where can projects be located?

Projects must be located within the Bay itself or up to 5km inland of the Bay. See Attachment 1 for a map of the boundary, which shows 5km from the high-tide mark of the Bay.

Additional eligibility requirements

To be eligible for funding, applicants must have $10 million public liability insurance, with enough construction allowance to cover the project and meet one of the following:

• be incorporated through Consumer Affairs Victoria, or
• have an ABN with Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission registration, or
• be a registered scout group, or
• be a kindergarten, primary or secondary school, or
• be a Public Land Committee of Management.

Applicants who don’t meet the eligibility criteria can partner with another organisation who does meet the criteria, known as an auspice.

Do we need an auspice?

You do not need an auspice if your group or organisation meets the eligibility criteria listed above.

You can still apply if your group is listed under the 'Who can apply' section, but does not meet the eligibility criteria. In this case, you’ll need to partner with another group or organisation who does meet the requirements, known as an auspice.

The auspicing group or organisation will enter a contract with DELWP and will be legally responsible for the project. They will receive the money from us and be responsible for reporting and acquittal (they will likely expect you to help or do this, but the legal requirement is theirs).

You will need to include an email or letter from your auspice in your application, showing that they agree to take on this responsibility for you.

Who can act as an auspice, if we need one?

Potential auspicing organisations include:

• Catchment Management Authorities (CMA) – Corangamite CMA for Geelong and the western edge, and Melbourne Water for the rest of the catchment;
• Water corporations and other state government authorities, such as Melbourne Water, Greater Western Water and Parks Victoria;
• Umbrella not-for-profit associations, such as Landcare Victoria Inc;
• Local councils; and
• Other volunteer-based environmental community groups and networks.

Please note that the auspicing group or organisation must meet the eligibility requirements listed above.

Other eligibility considerations

We have a previous PPBF project, can we still apply?

You can still apply if you’ve already received a grant in a previous PPBF round as long as the new project is different or significantly adds value to the funded project beyond its current scope.

Can we apply for more than one project?

Yes, you may submit more than one project. Each project submitted must be separate and clearly different. Projects will not be accepted if:

• they are dependent on another project getting funded, or
• scaled versions of the same project have been submitted.

If one of your projects is funded, preference may then be given to unfunded applicants over your other lower ranking projects.

Eligible expenditure

The Fund will support the following categories of expenditure:

• Materials (e.g. Plants, tree guards, exclusion fencing, seating, and access steps)
• Site preparation (e.g. Equipment hire, security fencing, and for revegetation)
• Personal protective equipment (e.g. Gloves, goggles, and masks)
• Engaging and partnering with your local community, schools, Traditional Owners/Custodians of the project area
• Contractors (e.g. Presenters, surveyors, installers, weed controllers for particularly difficult weeds or sites)
• Communication (e.g. seminars, webinars)
• Equipment hire or purchase (post hole diggers etc.)
• Citizen science monitoring activities
• Promotional costs directly related to funded activities (e.g. Website update, video and interpretive signage)
• Advertising (costs to advertise in newspapers, posters etc.)
• Training and education that supports the project’s activities (e.g. First aid)
• Project management and coordination (e.g. Staff time to manage the project, budget, coordinate volunteers, and secure approvals), and
• Technical specialist and advisers (e.g. Cultural heritage, cultural practices).

Other types of expenditure may be considered if they are well justified and deemed suitable. You will need to demonstrate that all activities and budget items are essential to the success of the project and that the amounts requested are reasonable. There are no caps or limits for eligible items. Value for money will be considered as part of the assessment process.

When developing budgets, you should ensure that activity items (such as equipment, materials and contractor charges) are fully costed. Refer to the Terms and Conditions of the Victorian Common Funding Agreement www.vic.gov.au/victorian-common-funding-agreement-templates for more information.

Ineligible expenditure

The Program will not fund:

• Routine operation or running costs.  These are the costs of resources used by an organization just to maintain its existence (e.g. rent).
• Costs and activities that are already funded through another organisation, program or fund source. Your project can build on the success of past or existing projects but must essentially be new work. The grant must fund additional activities that wouldn’t occur without this funding.
• Activities that were intended to be your in-kind contribution to another funded project.
• Actions or costs associated with native vegetation offset sites or activities. For example, meeting a condition of a planning permit, contract or investment program, Section 173 agreement or offset covenant.
• Any activity involving clearing of native vegetation, unless it is a declared environmental weed in your area. In this instance, a permit for removal of vegetation may still be required.
• Any activity involving the use of firearms, tranquilisers, traps or explosives. Confinement traps are allowed under permit and expert supervision.
• Any illegal activity.
• Purchase of goods for competitions, prizes, giveaways, vouchers or alcohol. (e.g. plastic educational/promotional items, pens, sample packs, keep cups, stickers, bags).
• Barbed wire fencing.
• Computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones.
• Insurance.
• Any action that are part of a land manager’s legal duty of care.
• Activities that are not focused on the environmental health of the bay.
• Any other action or activity determined by the Panel through the assessment process to be an inappropriate or unsuitable use of the funds.

Funding conditions

Funding agreements

Successful applicants must enter into a funding agreement with DELWP. The Victorian Common Funding Agreement is used for funding agreements with not-for-profit organisations and Local Government Authorities. It is recommended that applicants review the terms and conditions before applying. Information about the Victorian Common Funding Agreement is available on https://providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/victorian-common-funding-agreement

The activity does not include using the funding for political campaigning or advocacy activities for political parties.

Legislative and regulatory requirements

In delivering the activity grant recipients are required to comply with all relevant Commonwealth and state/territory legislations and regulations, including but not limited to:

• The Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth)
• The Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic)
• Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004.

Tax implications

Applicants should consult the Australian Taxation Office or seek professional advice on any taxation implications that may arise from this grant funding.

Successful applicants without an ABN will need to provide a completed Australian Taxation Office form ‘Statement by a Supplier” so that no withholding tax is required from the grant payment.

Acknowledging the Victorian Government’s support

Successful applicants are expected to acknowledge the Victorian Government’s support and promotional guidelines (www.delwp.vic.gov.au/grants) will form part of the funding agreement. Successful applicants must liaise with the departmental program area to coordinate any public events or announcements related to the project.

Payments

Payments will be made as long as:

• the funding agreement has been signed by both parties;
• grant recipients provide reports as required, or otherwise demonstrate that the activity is progressing as expected;
• other terms and conditions of funding continue to be met.

Monitoring

Grant recipients are required to comply with project monitoring and reporting requirements as outlined in the funding agreement. This may include progress reports, site inspections, completion reports and acquittal documentation.

Privacy

Any personal information about you or a third party in your application will be collected by the department for the purposes of administering your grant application and informing Members of Parliament of successful applications. Personal information may also be disclosed to external experts, such as members of assessment panels, or other Government Departments for assessment, reporting, advice, comment or for discussions regarding alternative or collaborative grant funding opportunities. If you intend to include personal information about third parties in your application, please ensure that they are aware of the contents of this privacy statement.

Any personal information about you or a third party in your correspondence will be collected, held, managed, used, disclosed or transferred in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 and other applicable laws.

DELWP is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information. You can find the DELWP Privacy Policy online at www.delwp.vic.gov.au/privacy.

Requests for access to information about you held by DELWP should be sent to the Manager Privacy, P.O. Box 500 East Melbourne 8002 or contact by phone on 9637 8697.

Factsheets

The following factsheets will support you in writing your application. The factsheets offer general information that is applicable across all our grant programs and are designed to be read in conjunction with the 2021-22 Port Philip Bay Fund Guidelines.  You can find the factsheets at the links below:

Fact sheet 1 - Building your Application (PDF, 528 KB)

Fact sheet 1 - Building your Application (accessible version) (DOCX., 272 KB)

Fact sheet 2 - Eligibility and required supporting documentation (PDF, 591 KB)

Fact sheet 2 - Eligibility and required supporting documentation (accessible version) (DOCX., 271 KB)

Fact sheet 3 - Applying for funding (PDF, 640 KB)

Fact sheet 3 - Applying for funding (accessible version) (DOCX., 598 KB)

Fact sheet 4 - Auspicing projects (PDF, 436 KB)

Fact sheet 4 - Auspicing projects (accessible version) (DOCX., 269 KB)

Fact sheet 5 - GST and Eligible items (PDF, 422 KB)

Fact sheet 5 - GST and Eligible items (accessible version) (DOCX., 272 KB)

Fact sheet 6 - Budget and Risk template instructions (PDF, 1.1 MB)

Fact sheet 6 - Budget and Risk template instructions (accessible version) (DOCX., 696 KB)

Fact sheet 7 - Mapping instructions for your application (PDF, 2.7 MB)

Fact sheet 7 - Mapping instructions for your application (accessible version) (DOCX., 11.2 MB)

Fact sheet 8 - Aboriginal Cultural Heritage considerations (PDF, 479 KB)

Fact sheet 8 - Aboriginal Cultural Heritage considerations (accessible version) (DOCX., 268 KB)

Fact sheet 9 - Monitoring and reporting requirements if your project is successful (PDF, 413 KB)

Fact sheet 9 - Monitoring and reporting requirements if your project is successful (accessible version) (DOCX., 271 KB)

Fact sheet 10 - Strategic documents and useful resources (PDF, 438 KB)

Fact sheet 10 - Strategic documents and useful resources (accessible version) (DOCX., 276 KB)

Relevant policy and strategic documents

There are a range of policies and strategies relevant to the PPBF, including the:

• Port Phillip Bay Environmental Management Plan 2017-2027
• Protecting Victoria's Environment – Biodiversity 2037
• Marine and Coastal Policy 2020
• Victorians Volunteering for Nature - Environmental Volunteering Plan
• Pupangarli Marnmarnepu ‘Owning Our Future’ Aboriginal Self-Determination Reform Strategy 2020-2025
• Port Phillip and Western Port Regional Catchment Strategy
• Biodiversity Response Planning – Working together for biodiversity in the Port Phillip Region
• Healthy Waterways Strategy 2018-28
• Yarra Strategic Plan
• CoastKit (an online data repository for the community to explore and use Victoria’s marine and coastal information).
• NatureKit (mapping and data exploration tool for biodiversity data integration and decision support).

Assessment criteria

Applications received will be assessed against the criteria outlined in the table below. Generally higher scoring projects will be funded; however, we will also consider the overall mix of project types and locations over the life of the grants program.

Attachment 1

Attachment 2

Attachment 3