Community Clean-up Support Grants

Overview

Status:: Closed
Who can apply:: Government

About the program

The Community Clean-up Support Grants are closed. Thank you to all the council representatives who took the time to submit an application.

The grants were designed to support communities impacted by the June 2021 Flood and Storm to play a leading role in their own recovery.

Funding available

Grants available will support eligible councils to provide funding directly to not-for-profit community groups who are planning or facilitating community recovery clean up initiatives and activities.

Up to $656,667 is available for regional partnership applications. A regional partnership is a partnership between councils to facilitate clean-up efforts across the region.
Up to $218,889 for individual LGAs.

Please note only one application can be submitted per LGA. If applying as part of a regional partnership application, an LGA cannot also submit an individual application.

Program objectives

The key objectives of funding are to:

Cover out-of-pocket expenses.
Build capacity and capability of Community Groups to support their communities.
Support those in need to have reduced financial stress and better mental health outcomes.
Reduce Occupational Health and Safety risks for communities.

Application period
8 March to 29 March 2022

Guidelines

Eligible councils

ERV invites applications from the following councils impacted during the June 2021 Flood and Storm:
- Bass Coast Council
- Baw Baw Shire Council
- Cardinia Shire Council
- Hepburn Shire Council
- Latrobe City Council
- Macedon Ranges Shire Council
- Moorabool Shire Council
- Murrindindi Council
- South Gippsland Council
- Wellington Shire Council
- Yarra Ranges Shire Council.
What can funding be used for?

Funding provided to councils will help community groups working in recovery to cover out-of-pocket expenses (including expenses not yet budgeted for) and could include the rental and leasing of specialist equipment such as portable sawmills, wood splitters, mulchers, chainsaws, trailers, associated fuel and disposal costs and specialist professional support such as arborists (where required).

The Community Clean-up Support grants will allow councils to provide direct support to community groups who are leading community recovery clean up initiatives and activities.

Councils are required to submit a Delivery Plan to ERV as part of the application process, outlining the proposal for delivery and implementation of funds. The Delivery Plan must provide the following:
- financial request
- proposed dates of delivery
- a summary of the delivery approach to support local community groups and implement funds
- whether the program is to be delivered within a single LGA or across several LGAs (regional approach).
For more information, please refer to the program guidelines.
Applications received from councils under the program will be carefully reviewed during a multi-stage assessment and negotiation process.

All applications submitted will be assessed against the following:
- the strength of application’s responses to the key selection criteria
- whether all funding specific requirements outlined under ‘Attachment A - LGA guidance for funding implementation’ have been addressed, and
- whether all mandatory documents and attachments have been provided.
ERV will conduct a detailed merit assessment of the council application and grant Delivery Plan against the key selection criteria before making a recommendation to the Minister for Emergency Services.

All decisions made by ERV or the Minister for Emergency Services are considered final. This includes decisions in relation to any aspect of the funding application and assessment process, any decision to offer or award a grant under this program or to withdraw the offer or cancel the grant funding agreement.

Selection criteria

All applications will be reviewed and assessed against the key selection criteria. Applications will receive a weighted score based on how well the responses provided demonstrate the criteria outlined below.

Selection Criteria	Description	Weighting
Purpose Criteria #1	Councils must provide a detailed description of how the grant will be used to: deliver direct benefits to storm and/or flood-affected community members for clean up recovery demonstrate a need-based assessment approach to ensure fair and equitable outcomes for impacted communities across regions support one or more of the program objectives align to Community Recovery Plans or emerging community priorities identified by community recovery groups, Municipal Recovery Plans and/or related strategic recovery documents.	20%
Community participation Criteria #2	Council must demonstrate how the grant will be used to: support community group involvement in the planning and delivery of community clean-up recovery activities build the capacity of community groups to support their communities and are enabled to take control of their recovery consider the highest value local reuse of fallen timber material as firewood, posts, sawlogs etc.	35%
Location Criteria #3	Councils must: demonstrate that their activities will occur in a flood or storm-affected area in an eligible council (see below) describe how the flood or storm directly impacted that community. Eligible councils: Bass Coast, Baw Baw, Cardinia, Hepburn, Latrobe, Macedon Ranges, Moorabool, Murrindindi, South Gippsland, Wellington and Yarra Ranges.	N/A
Planning, distribution and delivery Criteria #4	Councils must provide a clear explanation on how the grant will be distributed including that: community groups are involved in the planning, preparation and delivery of clean-up initiatives and activities related to the recovery of the broader community proposed clean-up initiatives and activities are supported by realistic delivery timeframes and have a clear anticipated completion date that any initiatives or activities resulting from the grants will be covered by a suitable level of insurance as required for the duration of funding (volunteers are covered by relevant insurances and that contractors have current and adequate insurance, licenses, permits and approvals for all services and/or works) community groups have the skills and training to operate plant and equipment in a safe manner and any skills and training gaps and/or requirements are identified as part of the project delivery any proposed initiatives or activities will identify, plan for and budget appropriately to comply with any applicable legislation (e.g Aboriginal Heritage Act 2008 (Vic), Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010, Native Title Act 1983 etc.), local planning laws and/or cultural and environmental considerations. the community group receiving funding will obtain all permits or approvals required to deliver any project resulting from the funding (with an understanding of the associated timeframes and costs) any initiative or activity delivered by community groups on public land will have the endorsement of the relevant land manager where required (e.g., Local Council, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning etc.) any clean-up initiatives or activities comply with Commonwealth, State or local laws and requirements, including any coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions or health directions.	35%
Budget Criteria #5	Councils must provide a clear and detailed budget for each area of delivery, which demonstrates that costs: are accurate, reasonable and represent value for money have potential to benefit the recovery of the local economy and create local employment opportunities are supported by attached evidence used to develop the budget (e.g costings, quotes, projections etc.) are supported by any contributions from other funding sources or in-kind support (if applicable)	10%

Selection Criteria

Description

Weighting

Purpose

Criteria #1

Councils must provide a detailed description of how the grant will be used to:

deliver direct benefits to storm and/or flood-affected community members for clean up recovery
demonstrate a need-based assessment approach to ensure fair and equitable outcomes for impacted communities across regions
support one or more of the program objectives
align to Community Recovery Plans or emerging community priorities identified by community recovery groups, Municipal Recovery Plans and/or related strategic recovery documents.

20%

Community participation

Criteria #2

Council must demonstrate how the grant will be used to:

support community group involvement in the planning and delivery of community clean-up recovery activities
build the capacity of community groups to support their communities and are enabled to take control of their recovery
consider the highest value local reuse of fallen timber material as firewood, posts, sawlogs etc.

35%

Location

Criteria #3

Councils must:

demonstrate that their activities will occur in a flood or storm-affected area in an eligible council (see below)
describe how the flood or storm directly impacted that community.

Eligible councils: Bass Coast, Baw Baw, Cardinia, Hepburn, Latrobe, Macedon Ranges, Moorabool, Murrindindi, South Gippsland, Wellington and Yarra Ranges.

N/A

Planning, distribution and delivery

Criteria #4

Councils must provide a clear explanation on how the grant will be distributed including that:

community groups are involved in the planning, preparation and delivery of clean-up initiatives and activities related to the recovery of the broader community
proposed clean-up initiatives and activities are supported by realistic delivery timeframes and have a clear anticipated completion date
that any initiatives or activities resulting from the grants will be covered by a suitable level of insurance as required for the duration of funding (volunteers are covered by relevant insurances and that contractors have current and adequate insurance, licenses, permits and approvals for all services and/or works)
community groups have the skills and training to operate plant and equipment in a safe manner and any skills and training gaps and/or requirements are identified as part of the project delivery
any proposed initiatives or activities will identify, plan for and budget appropriately to comply with any applicable legislation (e.g Aboriginal Heritage Act 2008 (Vic), Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010, Native Title Act 1983 etc.), local planning laws and/or cultural and environmental considerations.
the community group receiving funding will obtain all permits or approvals required to deliver any project resulting from the funding (with an understanding of the associated timeframes and costs)
any initiative or activity delivered by community groups on public land will have the endorsement of the relevant land manager where required (e.g., Local Council, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning etc.)
any clean-up initiatives or activities comply with Commonwealth, State or local laws and requirements, including any coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions or health directions.

35%

Budget

Criteria #5

Councils must provide a clear and detailed budget for each area of delivery, which demonstrates that costs:

are accurate, reasonable and represent value for money
have potential to benefit the recovery of the local economy and create local employment opportunities
are supported by attached evidence used to develop the budget (e.g costings, quotes, projections etc.)
are supported by any contributions from other funding sources or in-kind support (if applicable)

10%