ZERO EMISSIONS NOOSA (ZEN) Inc. ALLIANCE AGREEMENT · Attachment 7 ZEN Inc. Alliance Agreement Annual Report 2025

                        A. How Alliance funding has Helped ZEN Inc.
Running ZEN Inc. is like running a small business. These paid roles are crucial in assisting volunteers with
of ZEN Inc’s. programs/projects and the internal organisation and operations by:
                   i.      It is now necessary to pay people to do roles that have previously been done by
                           volunteers e.g. the ZEN Inc. project manager role for the Expo, and assistance with
                           communications and marketing.
                  ii.      Getting dedicated volunteers to commit the hours required for ZEN Inc. to function
                           as an organisation, as well as to do project work, is getting very difficult (as it is for
                           many organisations).
Following the Alliance Partnership Funds being raised to $125,000 per year for years 2 & 3 of the
agreement from July, 2024, this enabled ZEN Inc. to:
                  iii.     these paid roles have helped take the majority of admin. work and some project
                           work from the volunteer ZEN Inc. Chair, (who still works as the volunteer CEO for
                           40 – 50 hours per week) and the Treasurer (who also works 30+hours per week in
                           the Treasury role) to lead projects and prevent volunteer “burn out”.
                  iv.      Provide ongoing staffing support compared with the need to reply for funding every
                           year and having an “on again, off again” staffing model, that interrupted project
                           implementation.
                  v.       This additional funding will supplement what we currently have to assist ZEN Inc. to
                            continue to do what we do including:
                           1. Large projects
                           2. Community Engagement
                           3. Community Education and Awareness Raising
                           4. Policy development & advocacy and
                           5. Work with Stakeholders that:

assists Council to implement the Climate Change Response Plan & many other plans through behaviour
change to help move the Noosa Shire Community closer to net zero greenhouse emissions.

   B. Practical Funding Challenges
The 4 – 5 month time lag in receiving Alliance Partnership Funds in Years 2 & 3 (July 2023-2024 &
2024 – 2025 financial years) when it was received in mid to late Oct. in 2024 & 2025, means:
    i.     ZEN Inc. had to fund the above roles by juggling expenditure out of yet to be spent grant funding
          from other grants and then reimbursing them, and/or using reserves from previous Expos.
          earmarked for the next Expo if sponsorships/exhibitor fees/donations were ess than budgeted
          expenses.
   ii.    It gives the illusion of substantial funds at bank at the end of a calendar year (also the end of
          ZEN Inc. financial year), when in fact it was funds meant for the previous 6 months.

   iii.     This funds the majority of funding for the following calendar year, i.e. in 2025, funding for
            Alliance Partnership Funds Year 2 was used to close to the end of the 2025 calendar year,
                                                                                                                      12
  Zero Emissions Noosa Inc. | Operational Report 2025 · Page Zero Emissions Noosa Inc. | Operational Report 2025 · Page
                                Zero Emissions Noosa Inc. | Operational Report 2025 · Page