Protecting our Places

The Protecting our Places program encourages and empowers Aboriginal communities to protect, conserve and restore landscapes and waterways important to them.

This program is currently closed to applications. A call for applications is expected in mid-2019.

Purpose

This program is designed to empower and provide opportunities for Aboriginal organisations to undertake projects that:

  • contribute to ongoing sustainable management of significant Aboriginal cultural landscapes in NSW
  • contribute to healthier environments and communities
  • develop the project management capabilities of Aboriginal groups
  • encourage new collaborations and positive relationships with other organisations, government and stakeholders.

Project stages

Each project will have 2 stages:

  • stage 1 – planning – 6 to 12 months
  • stage 2 – implementation – 18 to 24 months.

Projects don’t automatically progress from stage 1 to stage 2. After stage 1 they are assessed against the criteria for stage 2 to see if they should progress.

See the 2018 program guidelines (PDF 559KB) for more information.

Funding available

Grants of up to $60,000 are available over the 2 stages:

  • planning – up to $10,000 for project planning
  • implementation – up to $50,000 to complete the project works.

For each grant recipient, we will coordinate and deliver face to face workshops to two key staff at the beginning of Stage 1. These workshops will provide:

  • project specific training
  • mentoring and advice
  • understanding of the Trust’s reporting requirements.

Matching funding

You don’t have to contribute matching funds but if you can you’ll be more likely to get a grant. You can make:

  • financial contributions – money from your organisation or project partners
  • in-kind contributions – donations of goods, services, staff time, expertise, or use of facilities or equipment.

Types of activities funded

The 2018 program guidelines (PDF 559KB) explain what we’ll fund.

Different activities are eligible in each stage – planning and implementation. No on-ground works will be funded during the Planning stage.

Support available

In the planning stage of the project, we can help you:

  • identify your project key stakeholders
  • determine what permits, licenses, approvals you may need
  • prepare a project implementation plan (which includes how to monitor and evaluate your project).

We can provide:

  • project management and training developed specific to your project
  • support to help you develop your project implementation plan
  • access to online tools, resources and support for continued help over 12 months
  • periodic project management support and advice over the life of the project.

At any time during the project you can ask us for advice about managing the project.

The following NSW Aboriginal community organisations/groups can apply:

  • NSW Local Aboriginal Land Councils
  • NSW Aboriginal Corporations registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006
  • NSW-registered Native Title groups.

Unincorporated Aboriginal organisations and groups can still apply but will need to be supported by another organisation (a project administrator). See the 2018 program guidelines (PDF 559KB) for more details.

Who can’t apply?

We won’t fund applications from:

  • non-Aboriginal groups or organisations
  • individuals
  • industry joint ventures
  • profit-distributing corporations (limited by shares).

If you’re unsure if your organisation can apply, contact us.

Who can be involved in the project?

All projects must be led by an Aboriginal organisation. However, you should consider partnering with relevant groups or individuals. These could be:

  • other Aboriginal groups
  • local councils
  • state agencies (e.g. Local Land Services, the Office of Environment and Heritage, the Department of Primary Industry)
  • non-government organisations
  • local community groups
  • universities
  • private businesses
  • landholders.

You must show that all partners have a real role in the project.

For more information about partnerships, see page 13 of the 2018 program guidelines (PDF 559KB).

If you can’t find partners, your organisation can still apply for a grant as long as it is eligible.

Applying for a second grant

You can apply for a grant even if you already have an active project funded under the Protecting our Places program.

If your first project is still active, we’ll assess your ability to manage and deliver more than one project at a time.

If your first project is completed, we’ll consider how well you managed and delivered it.

This program is now closed for applications. The forms and guidelines below are for information only.

We assess all applications against specific criteria. See pages 16–17 of the 2018 program guidelines (PDF 559KB) for details.

Applications are assessed by an independent technical review committee with members from the general community, industry and government. Most members of the committee are Aboriginal.

Before you submit your application, check that it answers these questions:

  • What is the environmental outcome you want to achieve?
  • What types of activities do you intend to carry out?
  • What planning processes will you carry out?
  • How will you monitor implementation and project risks?
  • Does your project represent good value for money (that is, acceptable expenditure to achieve a realistic environmental benefit)?
  • Do you have the support of the community and other stakeholders in the project?

Planning

Getting the planning right at the beginning will help you deliver your project, report on its progress and demonstrate how it improves the environment of NSW.

Your grant application will cover much of the information you’ll need to consider in your planning, so use that as a starting point.

If we give you a grant you’ll have to attend project management workshops. At these we’ll help you further develop your project implementation plan and carry it out.

Your project implementation plan will set out the monitoring and reporting activities you’ll have to carry out during your project. See page 14 of the 2018 program guidelines (PDF 559KB) for details.

Progress reports and final report

As you move through your project you’ll have to submit progress reports. These will outline what you’ve achieved and what you’ll do next.

Progress reports are reviewed by technical experts who ensure you’re on the right track and give you feedback or advice. After your report is reviewed and accepted we’ll pay your next grant instalment.

When your project finishes you’ll have to submit a final report that says what it has achieved.

Financial reports

When you complete stage 1 of your project (the planning phase) you’ll have to submit a stage 1 financial report (DOCX 49KB). We must approve this before you can start stage 2 of your project (the implementation phase).

You also need to submit an audited financial report as a part of your final project report. We’ll set aside $1,000 of your grant money for this purpose.

If you need to rearrange your project’s budget, you must apply for a budget variation.

See the financial reporting page for more details.

Other documents

You may also have to submit some other documents or evidence. They’ll be listed in the grant agreement we’ll send you if your application is approved.

Where to send reports

Email reports and other documents to info@environmentaltrust.nsw.gov.au (50MB limit).

Acknowledgement requirement

Please acknowledge the funding you’ve received from the Trust in all publications and materials related to your project. We ask that you say:

This project has been assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environmental Trust.

You also need to use the New South Wales Government logo. See Funding acknowledgement and logos for details.

If your organisation is unincorporated, or you need help managing your grant, you can use another organisation as the project administrator

The project administrator becomes responsible for overseeing the financial management of your grant. Your organisation remains the lead applicant for the grant (the grantee).

The project administrator must be an incorporated or registered organisation.

If we give you a grant and you use an administrator:

  • the administrator signs the grant agreement with us (the Environmental Trust) on your organisation’s behalf
  • we make the grant payments to the administrator
  • the administrator prepares all the financial reports and makes any payments related to the project
  • your organisation is still responsible for carrying out the project.

Aboriginal land and cultural heritage

NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC)

NSWALC can tell you about:

  • the land your project is on
  • how to develop your project in conjunction with local Aboriginal communities and organisations.

NTSCORP and the National Native Title Tribunal

These bodies can tell you if the location of your proposed project is affected by native title.

Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH)

OEH can provide information about a number of aspects of Aboriginal cultural heritage.

Conservation and rehabilitation

Local Land Services (LLSs)

Your Local Land Service can tell you about:

  • natural resource management priorities
  • sources of project funding
  • broader regional programs.

Local councils

Your local council can tell you about:

  • its local environmental plans
  • successful environmental projects in your district.

Australian Association of Bush Regenerators

Greening Australia

Landcare

  • contacts for local Landcare groups
  • information to help with restoration and rehabilitation

Education projects

The organisations below can help you:

  • develop your project
  • reach your target audience
  • contribute to wider projects for Aboriginal communities
  • use Indigenous language correctly
  • document oral history.

Aboriginal Educational Consultative Group (AECG)

Federation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Languages (FATSIL)

FATSIL can

  • help you develop community-based educational programs
  • provide resources for community language programs.

NSW Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee

The Council:

  • offers information on interpretation projects it has funded in NSW
  • can advise on how to register and protect heritage items.

The most recent round of the program was in 2018. In this round we:

  • received 30 applications requesting a total of $1,622,020
  • awarded grants to 11 projects totalling $594,770.

Project summaries

We have all our contestable grants programs independently evaluated from time to time. Inca Consulting evaluated the Protecting Our Places program in late 2015. The evaluation focused on the delivery of the program, and the projects it funded, during 2009–2014.

We considered and accepted the final evaluation report (PDF 766KB) in March 2016.

The report raised many issues, and we developed an administrative response (PDF 365KB) to address them.

In 2017 we made changes to the Protecting Our Places program, including changes to the funding model.