Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate
ACT Environment Grants
The ACT Environment Grants fund community-based projects that support on-ground environmental activities consistent with the ACT Government’s policies. They have been available to the community since 1997.
Recipient | Project Purpose | Amount |
---|---|---|
Southern ACT Catchment Group | This project aims to rehabilitate four degraded dams on Amberley Farm to restore ecosystem function for supporting a range of native species by providing greater habitat complexity and connectivity corridors for birds. | $9,050 |
UCA | This project aims to rectify major erosion damage and re-establish a degraded access path to allow safe access to the Murrumbidgee river by community groups visiting the Greenhill’s Conference Centre and Camp Cottermouth. | $16,438 |
SACTCG | This project is designed to address weed infestations across two properties along the Murrumbidgee River complimenting work Undertaken by Parks and Conservation staff and its effect on Box Gum Woodland along the Murrumbidgee River corridor. | $10,480 |
ACT Wildlife | The Project will identify wombat habitats in the ACT and select one area in which to carry out a mange treatment and eradication research program. | $19,830 |
GACR | This project aims to engage the community to restore species-rich native grasslands in areas currently dominated by grasses and weeds using an effective technique for restoring exotic perennial grass, phalaris. | $21,165 |
GACR | This project aims to engage the community to propagate and plant the Endangered Murrumbidgee Bossiaea (Bossiaea grain) in the lower Molonglo catchment. | $14,025 |
Molonglo Catchment Group | The project aims to involve Ngunnawal people in an understanding of and caring for a key pathway in the Ngunnawal landscape and enable cultural knowledge and land management practices to be shared, applied and integrated with non-Aboriginal NRM practices, in on-ground applications. | $23,187 |
GACR | The project aims to link and restore the landscape through the protecting of farm dams and connecting them to riparian, corridors, wetlands remnant vegetation. | $28,200 |
Ginninderra Catchment Group | This project aims to restore and enhance two nationally threatened ecosystems (Natural Temperate Grasslands and Box-Gum Woodlands) of the Ginninderra Catchment through better management of these ecosystems by the community, including a new Aboriginal Landcare Group. | $22,625 |
Southern ACT Catchment Group | This project will undertake a partnered approach with SACTCG, rural lessee at Kerrabee the National Equestrian Centre and adjacent ACT Government land managers, to control infestations of significant invasive weeds, Blackberry and Serrated Tussock, to enhance the biodiversity values of adjacent Yellow-box Gum Woodland. | $20,000 |
ACT Rural Grants
The ACT Rural Grants program was initiated by ACT Natural Resource Management in the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate through funding provided under the National Landcare Programme. Under the grants program, ACT rural landholders are supported to undertake activities on their farms which:
- improve groundcover, native vegetation, soil health and/or water quality
- minimise off-site impacts of farming activities
- protect biodiversity
- improve biosecurity
- demonstrate coordinated regional or landscape-scale partnerships to address priority issues including weed and pest animals issues
- prepare for climate variability and climate change.
Recipient | Project Purpose | Amount |
---|---|---|
Rural landholder – Symonston | Construction of electric fencing for grazing and habitat management and construction and installation of 70 native tree guards to protect trees growing in box gum woodlands from kangaroo and rabbit predation. | $2,950 |
Rural landholder – Coree | Installation of fencing and woody weed control to protect and enhance riparian zones along Swamp Creek. | $9,700 |
Rural landholder – Booth | Construction of subdivision fencing to divide a paddock according to land class to improve grazing management, groundcover and pasture composition. | S10,000 |
Rural landholder – Tharwa | Second year of support for cropping of forage crops to address infestations of African Lovegrass, improve farm production and reduce fire risk. | $6,711 |
Rural landholder – Kambah | Construction of subdivision fencing and provision of water supply infrastructure on a horse agistment property to reduce erosion and trampling by horses at gates and feed areas, improve groundcover and reduce erosion and sedimentation of waterways. | $,7812 |
Rural landholder – Paddys River | Construction of fencing and stock water infrastructure to support the introduction of a rotational grazing system to improve grazing management, groundcover and pasture composition. | $5,975 |
Rural landholder – Booth | Construction of fencing to subdivide land according to capability to improve grazing management, groundcover management and pasture composition. | $10,000 |
Rural landholder – Cotter | Construction of subdivision fencing and provision of water supply infrastructure on a horse agistment property to reduce erosion and trampling by horses at gates and feed areas, improve groundcover, reduce erosion and sedimentation of waterways and improve pasture composition and diversity. | $10,000 |
Rural landholder – Naas | Construction of subdivision fencing to divide a paddock according to land class to improve grazing management, groundcover and pasture composition and support improved biodiversity. | $10,000 |
ACT Heritage Grants
The ACT Heritage Grants Program is an annual funding program administered by the ACT Government to assist the community to conserve and promote the heritage of the ACT.
Recipient | Project Purpose | Amount |
---|---|---|
Tidbinbilla Pioneers Association | Rock Valley Homestead Conservation Works | $4,500 |
Southern ACT Catchment Group | Theodore Aboriginal Artefact Grinding Site | $6,000 |
Kingston and Barton Residents Group Inc. | Conservation of Pillar Signposts in Heritage Precinct | $6,620 |
Institute of Foresters of Australia | Signage at Yarralumla Forestry Heritage Precinct | $12,380 |
National Trust of Australia (ACT) | 2017 Heritage Festival Open Day | $11,900 |
St John the Baptist Anglican Church Reid | Conservation of Lychgates. | $16,874 |
Anglican Parish of Manuka | Replacement of St Paul’s Western Doors. | $5,000 |
Reid Uniting Church | Roof restoration works RUC. | $9,498 |
National Trust of Australia (ACT) | 2017 National Trust Urban Polaris. | $8,750 |
Australian National University | Oral History Project. | $2,250 |
Australian National University | Heritage Landscaping at Mount Stromlo Observatory. | $22,600 |
Australian Railway Historical Society | Upgrades to Canberra Railway Museum Platform. | $28,178 |
Tuggeranong Arts Centre | Violet’s Park artwork and interpretive signage. | $10,000 |
Molonglo Catchment Group | Black Mountain Woodland Walk interpretive signage. | $15,478 |
Ainslie School | Oral history project. | $9,940 |
Greening Australia Capital Region | Cultural tree mapping and knowledge sharing. | $33,742 |
Hall School Museum and Heritage Centre | Digitisation of Lyall Gillespie Collection. | $7,500 |
Canberra and District Historical Society Inc. | Reprinting of the Jefferis and Whelen Journal. | $5,000 |
Canberra Archaeological Society | Interpreting and Promoting Red Hill Aboriginal Campsite. Install two interpretive signs at the Red Hill Aboriginal Camp. | $5,000 |
Canberra Croquet Club | Update Conservation Management Plan. | $4,840 |
Bruce Gibbs | Cuppacumbalong Homestead Conservation Works. Undertake conservation works to the heritage listed Cuppacumbalong Homestead, Tharwa. | $10,000 |
Next Generation Energy Storage Program
The Next Generation Energy Storage program aims to support the installation of up to 36MW of battery storage systems in ACT homes and small businesses by 2020. This program was an outcome of a detailed assessment of various ways to support energy storage on our network, to reduce costs for all ACT electricity users.
Grants to households and businesses are provided via eight battery installers who were selected through a competitive process. This ensures the best value for money for the Territory and that batteries are only installed by skilled and accredited tradespeople. The current grant price is $825 per kilowatt (kW) of Sustained Peak Output.
Recipient | Project Purpose | Amount |
---|---|---|
8 ACT Battery Installers | To support the installation of energy storage systems in ACT homes and businesses. | $2,600,000 |
Renewable Energy Innovation Fund Direct Grants Program
The Renewable Energy Innovation Fund (REIF) direct grants program provides flexible, early-stage funding to support a diversity of new and emerging technologies and ventures with the potential to support the development of the ACT as an export-oriented hub for renewable energy innovation.
Seven ACT renewable energy businesses have been awarded funding in a recent REIF Direct Grants round to a value of up to $1.1 million, subject to the successful conclusion of grant negotiations.
Recipient | Project Purpose | Amount |
---|---|---|
Renewable energy businesses | To support a diversity of new and emerging technologies and ventures with the potential to support the development of the ACT as an export-oriented hub for renewable energy innovation. | $1,100,000 |
Innovation Connect Renewable Stream
The Innovation Connect Renewables Stream aims to support commercial opportunities within the renewable energy and cleantech sectors and complements the existing Innovation Connect proof of technology funding streams. Both funding streams provide matched-funding of up to $30,000 as well as business mentoring and accommodation at the Renewables Innovation Hub, to assist local start-ups and entrepreneurs. Three renewable energy businesses have been awarded funding in a recent Innovation Connect Renewables Stream round to a total value of $97,000.
Recipient | Project Purpose | Amount |
---|---|---|
Renewable energy businesses | To assist early stage businesses and entrepreneurs to accelerate the development of their innovative products and services. | $97,000 |
Commissioner for Sustainablity and the Environment
In-kind support is more common than the provision of direct funding. Staff in-kind support is in the form of student internships to undertake course-related projects, professional placements and support for student research groups at universities. However, particularly for well-established community events and projects, direct funding is sometimes provided.
Another important facet of support is the preparation and provision of materials, as well as the promotion of local sustainability endeavours and events through our website and social media platforms.
Youth Advocacy and Community Engagement
Recipient | Project Purpose | Amount |
---|---|---|
Parliament of Youth on Sustainability | Sponsorship for student prizes and support in lead up to the event, including the development of a factsheet and presentation on the ACT ecological footprint to assist teachers with the subject matter. | $1,000 and In-kind staff time |
Australian National University (ANU) Light Rail Project | Students from the ANU studying Complex Environmental Problems in Action worked with the Office to undertake a project in relation to the 2016 Auditor General’s Report, The Initiation of the Light Rail Project. Professional mentoring and support for the duration of the project (half the university semester) was provided by the Office. | In-kind staff time |