Peri-urban Community Deer Grants

Victorian environmental community-based groups and networks that have a focus on environmental conservation work are eligible to apply. Examples include:

• Not for profit environmental organisations
• Aboriginal groups and organisations, land councils, trusts and co-operatives working on-country networks as examples

To be eligible, applicants must be either:

• An incorporated association registered through Consumer Affairs Victoria or other state incorporating agency
• Registered as a not-for-profit organisation with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission
• An incorporated association registered through the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations.

and

• Located in or delivering actions within the peri-urban boundary, in the following Local Government Areas:
  • Whittlesea
  • Nillumbik
  • Manningham
  • Knox
  • Yarra Ranges
  • Cardinia

Applicants must also:

• Hold or ensure insurance sufficient to safeguard volunteers and participants involved in the funded activities, including public liability insurance of at least $10 million or be covered by an auspice organisation for this amount.
• Ensure professional deer control shooters engaged as part of this grant hold appropriate public liability insurance of at least $20 million and WorkCover Victoria insurance, and are engaged only by a sponsor organisation with approved safety systems in place.
• Be financially solvent.

Applicants who do not meet the above requirements can still apply for funding but must operate under the auspices of a sponsor organisation. You will be required to supply written approval (such as supporting letter) from your sponsor (auspice) as part of your application, as that organisation will be legally responsible for the delivery and administration of the grant on behalf of the applicant.

If your application is successful, the sponsor organisation will be required to sign the funding agreement and manage the grant funding.

A sponsor organisation must:

• be either an incorporated association registered with Consumer Affairs Victoria, a Government agency, statutory body or authority, or registered as a not-for-profit with the Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission
• submit a copy of a certificate of insurance sufficient to safeguard volunteers and participants involved in the funded activities, including public liability insurance of at least $10 million
• approve of the project and be willing to take responsibility for the management and safety of all participants including staff, contractors and volunteers involved in the funded activities
• sign the funding agreement and receive the grant payment
• be responsible for the delivery and reporting on the project.

Potential auspice organisations may include:

• Local government
• State government agencies, for example DELWP or Parks Victoria
• Federal government agencies
• Statutory authorities such as game, catchment or water management authorities
• Umbrella not-for-profit associations, for example Landcare Victoria Incorporated.

Applicant organisations who meet all the eligibility criteria on their own do not require an auspice, unless seeking funding for shooting of deer.

Project proposals must meet all of the following eligibility criteria:

• Projects are within the geographic boundary of the Peri-Urban Deer Control Plan - maps can be found in Attachment 1 of the guidelines. An interactive map including the Peri-urban plan boundary, priority investment areas and Strategic Management Prospects (SMP) mapping, which shows areas of high biodiversity cost-benefit for deer control, is available through the Deer Control Program Web Application.
• Works delivered on public and/or adjoining private land, including plantations, are agreed to and coordinated with the land manager.
• Support the goals and objectives of the Victorian Deer Control Strategy and Peri-urban Deer Control Plan.
• Delivered by eligible applicants and approved by public land managers where applicable.
• Project activities must be completed by 31 December 2023.

• Delivery activities will reduce the impacts of deer on biodiversity, agriculture, waterways, wetlands, cultural values and/or public safety.
• Ground shooting will be funded only where it is auspiced by a Local or State Government agency and uses professional or accredited controllers only. Ground shooting on private land or public land will be funded only where written permission from the land owner is obtained, and will only be considered where it is an extension of an adjoining control program currently underway on public land. Controllers must be engaged by an auspice (such as a Local Council) to ensure that appropriate safety systems are in place.
• Fencing of biodiversity and significant values impacted by deer, and value add if a fence or part thereof can be a demonstration fence.
• Safety projects, such as signage or alert fencing.
• Interpretative or educational signage.
• Traditional Custodian led projects, including building local capability and engagement through project delivery.
• Training for deer control, monitoring and associated activities.
• Community engagement and education programs, including field days and other events such as webinars etc.
• Local Community Deer Management Plans consistent with Peri-urban Deer Control Plan priority actions.
• Capital items to assist deer monitoring and management, for example, motion sensor cameras and thermal monoculars)
• Demonstration and trial projects and sites, where identified in Regional Deer Control Plans.
• Monitoring and remote surveillance of deer and/or vegetation impacts.
• Project management or administration costs that collectively total no more than 15% of the total funding requested, noting that project delivery staffing is not limited.
• Other projects may be considered.

Applications open: 28 October 2022

Applications close: 2 pm Monday 5 December 2022

Note: As the Victorian State election will be held on Saturday 26 November 2022. The Victorian Government will assume a caretaker role from 6 pm on 1 November 2022 until such time that either it becomes clear that the incumbent government will be returned, or when a new government is commissioned.

Applications will not be processed during the caretaker period.

In line with the caretaker conventions, the incoming government will determine whether to proceed with this grant process and enter into funding agreement/award the grants after the caretaker period.

Applicants should be aware that all information about this grant process represents the position of the current government only, and is subject to change; and the incoming government may decide to not proceed with this grant process.

To apply click on the Start a new application button below.

To include the required supporting document/s with your application, upload the documents at the 'Supporting Documents' step of the DELWP grants online application process. Attach all required documents and any others you think would support your application.

The supporting documents required may vary depending on the type of project you are proposing.

Required documents to upload:

• Quotes/supporting evidence for capital items and demonstrate a clear need and community benefit for any capital items included in your budget. Capital items will need to become a registered asset of the applicant group or auspice organisation.
• Projects must provide 2 spatial products:
  • a map of the project area with the polygonal boundary shown and
  • a GIS shapefile (or equivalent) of the project area containing the polygonal boundary.

  Refer to the MapshareVic spatial instructions (PDF, 3.4 MB)

• Complete the Budget and Risk template (Excel, 62.1 KB).
• Evidence of registration as a not-for-profit organisation or incorporated association.
• Evidence of confirmation of other funding sources where applicable.
• Written consent from the relevant public land manager/s or an indication of required level of support from private landowner/s to undertake the activity, if activities are to be undertaken on their land.
• Approval for appropriate works permit/s from councils or other authorities.
• Currency of appropriate insurances to cover the nature of the activities undertaken and funded by this grant program, and for the duration of the grant agreement.

Public Liability of at least $10million per occurrence required for the community organisation regarding all activities (except for shooting, professionals only), or provided by an auspice organisation.

Please provide copies of signed certificates of currency that includes:

1. type of insurance cover
2. name of the insurer
3. level of cover (sum insured or limit of liability)
4. period of insurance cover
5. scope of cover, including any joint names or cross liability requirements (note any nonstandard exclusions/limitations).

Note that:

• DELWP supports the self-determination of Traditional Custodians. Successful projects occurring on public land will require evidence of Traditional Custodian support prior to funding agreement approval, and opportunities for partnership sought during project development.
• Supporting documents must be in an acceptable file type, such as Word, Excel, PDF, or JPEG. The maximum file size for each file is 10MB.
• If you have documents to submit that cannot be attached to your online application, you can email them to enviro.grants@delwp.vic.gov.au quoting your application number. Attach all documents to one email, zipping the files if required.

Receipt of your application will be acknowledged via a Grants Online system generated email to your registered email address.

You can also login to delwp.my.site.com to access your draft and submitted applications.