2022-06-07 Planning & Environment Meeting Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                        7 JUNE 2022


Previous MCEC Grants
MCEC grants were last called in November 2019 and awarded February 2022. They are “out of
step” with Environment Organisation Alliance 3 year funding round, and will be called in February
2023 for ongoing funding. The following table outlines existing recipients of MCE Grants, which
have been committed funding for FY22/23.
 Application #   Organisation              Project                      Funding Amount Committed
                                                                        for 22/23
 MECR1002        Noosa District Landcare   Keep it in Kin Kin           $85,000 pa
 MECR1004        MRCCC                     Find a Frog in February      Nil – funding ended this FY

 MECR1005        Tourism Noosa             Plastic Free Noosa           $61,800 pa
 MECR 1007       Eastern Beaches           Coastal Connect 2 -          $75,000 pa
                 Bushcare Collaborative    Revegetation
                 with NICA
 MECR 1014       MRCCC with Landcare       Hinterland Rural Extension   $35,000 pa
                 and Country Noosa         Program
                                           TOTAL                        $256,800

The budgeted pool for Environment Grants is $375,000 annual, and residual funds available for
awarding Environmental Project Grants and Environment Organisation Alliance Grants available
for FY 22/23 is $118,200.
Considering the number and value of submissions received in Round 17, the “out of step” nature
of the committed funding makes wholistic assessment of the value of different grants from the
overall funding pool difficult, particularly moving forward if MCEC funding may be reduced
(following assessment of merit).
It is a recommendation of this report that Council rectifies the sequence of Environment funding
rounds to correct this situation, by granting the Environment Organisation Alliance funding for one
year only. This will allow groups to reapply for FY23/24 to avail themselves of the full funding pool
allocation (notionally $375,000).
Assessment
Applications for the Environment Grants opened on 16 February 2022. The original closing date
of 30 March 2022 was extended by seven days to 6 April 2022 due to an unprecedented flooding
event within the Shire. This extension was in respect to a number of community groups and Council
staff who assisted with response and recovery efforts.
Promotion for the grants included:
   An advertisement in Noosa Today
   E-newsletter to 300 not-for-profit community groups
   Specific email to all non-for-profit community groups on the database of the Community
    Development team
   Direct conversations with NRM Groups to ensure awareness
   Details published on Noosa Council’s website
All promotion was concurrent with the Community Grants Program and the Regional Arts
Development Fund.
Ten (10) applications were received under the Environment Project Grant category to a total value
of $129,414.
Eleven (11) applications were received under the Environment Organisation Alliance Grant
category to a total value of $345,148.
The 21 requests totalled an amount of $474,562 of an available funding pool of $118,200.
The applications were checked for eligibility against the relevant Noosa Council Grants Policy and

                                                                                      Page 63 of 83