2019-02-12 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                 12 FEBRUARY 2019


Multi-year Environment Collaborative Project Grants will be advertised outside of the normal
Community Grants process, upon the adoption of the Environment Strategy, anticipated to be in
May 2019.
All three grants will be funded out of the 2019/20 budget. This will done on a proportional basis
with the final split to be determined as part of the annual budget process. An indicative split for the
2019/20 financial year would be;
    Environment Project Grants – 30% ($75,000 based on a $250,000 budget)
    Environment Alliance Organisation Grants – 20% ($50,000 based on a $250,000 budget)
    Multi-year Environment Collaborative Project Grants – 50% ($125,000 based on a $250,000
      budget)
Any extra funding provided above this level will be put towards Multi-year Environment
Collaborative Project Grants, unless otherwise specified during the budget process.
Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation Grants
Noosa Council has previously provided funding to the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation for a
grants program and for environment projects. In the 2018/19 financial year, $125,000 was allocated
for projects that align with the principal purpose of the trust.
For the remaining period of the current funding deed (due to expire June 30, 2021), the deed states
the ‘NBRF will need to lodge applications with Council for projects to be funded from the
Environment Levy. Such applications will be assessed against other applications received and in
consideration of the total amount allocated towards grant projects from the Environment Levy’.
Future project funding for the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation will be subject to application
processes as described in the Environment Grants Policy and associated guidelines, and will be
assessed against other applications from other community groups.
Community Grants Policy
The Noosa Council Community Grants Policy has had some minor revisions, partly as a result of
the creation of a new Environment Grants Policy. These revisions are;
    removal of reference to environmental grants;
    further clarity on who is and isn’t eligible, to ensure consistency between policies;
    the Regional Arts Development Fund now includes businesses as being eligible;
    assessment criteria for Community Projects has been revised and now includes
      contributions, financially or in kind, toward the project (rather than value for money);
    changes to the three year agreement application process, if Council decides to continue with
      the program, renewal of agreements will be negotiated three months prior to their expiry; and
    Alliance Grants now states if Council decides to continue with the program, renewal of
      agreements will be negotiated three months prior to their expiry, and if funds allow, invite
      expressions of interest from eligible not for profit community organisations.
Previous Council Consideration
Ordinary Meeting, 19 July 2018, Item 7, Page 8
That Council note the report by the Principal Environment Officer to the Planning & Environment
Committee Meeting dated 10 July 2018 and repeal the current Environment Levy Policy and adopt
the revised Environment Levy Policy provided as Attachment 2 to the report, authorising the CEO
to make minor amendments as necessary.




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