The successful project – Refreshing River Management: New partnership and stewardship pathways for improving river health was selected from a competitive field during a two-stage application process. The project will be led by the Murray Local Land Services in collaboration with 14 project partners.
Purpose of the River Connections Grant Program
River Connections aims to assist community and government organisations to contribute to new approaches to integrated river management that can deliver improved health outcomes for inland rivers at a landscape scale in New South Wales.
This program is designed to co-fund large scale, long-term collaborative partnerships to tackle river and aquatic degradation at the landscape scale. The successful project will investigate and analyse the barriers, threats and opportunities to integrated river management, identify and include diverse user values and trial new innovative approaches and/or techniques to river management that can deliver improved river health outcomes.
Funding
The program provides $9 million over 10 years. It is expected the funding will value-add to existing activities and significantly leverage existing co-contributions. To maximise the impact and longevity of the program, one large scale project, at landscape scale is being funded.
Who was able to apply?
Community groups and organisations, incorporated associations, non-profit organisations, non-commercial cooperatives, Trusts and government entities.
What is the timing of the program?
The program will be delivered in three stages.
Stage 1
Expressions of interest closed on Monday 25 March 2019.
Stage 2
October 2019 – February 2020. Shortlisted applicants were supported with seed funding of up to $30,000 awarded to develop a detailed business plan for consideration in Stage 2.
March – May 2020. The Environmental Trust's Aquatic Subcommittee assessed the Stage 2 Business Plans and made recommendations to the Environmental Trust board for final approval of grant funding.
Stage 3
January 2021 onwards. Implementation and evaluation of the successful project.
Guidelines and information
This program is now closed for applications. The guidelines are for information only.
- 2018 Program Guidelines (PDF 711KB)
updated on 27 September 2019 with information about Stage dates
Regional workshops were conducted in November 2019 at Wagga Wagga, Albury, Tamworth and Dubbo to provide program information to potential applicants and provide an opportunity for these communities to network ideas.