Community groups with innovative ideas on ways to protect and improve the Goulburn Broken Catchment’s natural resources are invited to apply for funding through the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (CMA) annual Expression of Interest (EOI) process.
Community groups with innovative ideas on ways to protect and improve the Goulburn Broken Catchment’s natural resources are invited to apply for funding through the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (CMA) annual Expression of Interest (EOI) process.
Goulburn Broken CMA CEO Chris Norman said during the past 15 years the Goulburn Broken CMA had successfully secured funding for a range of activities that improved the resilience of the Catchment’s water, land, biodiversity and people.
“The Goulburn Broken CMA bids for and receives funding, primarily from the Victorian and Australian government, to undertake and co-ordinate natural resource management activities that help achieve the objectives of the Goulburn Broken Regional Catchment Strategy (RCS),” Mr Norman said.
The RCS guides efforts for the next six years and beyond to protect and improve the Catchment’s natural environment.
“The EOI process enables the CMA to align projects with RCS priorities and helps to co-ordinate and match the ideas of organisations and community groups with government funding availability,” Mr Norman said. “The annual EOI call process also recognises that the community is best placed to identify any new NRM issues, priorities and approaches as they emerge.”
Mr Norman encouraged interested groups to read the full 2014-15 Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority EOI Priorities and Guidelines Document, which is available on the website www.gbcma.vic.gov.au
“The document details the priorities for activities in the four key areas of biodiversity, land health, water and people, links to further useful information and lists contacts for staff who can help develop an EOI bid, ” he said.
Advice on applying for Small Community Action and Education (maximum $5000) and SoilCare Small Project grants (maximum $10,000) is also included in the document.
Mr Norman stressed it was important for groups to be aware that there was no guarantee of project funding.
“While the Goulburn Broken CMA has a good track record in securing funds, there is always a tension between the number of good ideas to address priorities and the funding available,” he said.
EOI’s must be lodged with the Goulburn Broken CMA by 5pm, Wednesday, February 12, 2014. All forms and lodgement details are available on the website www.gbcma.vic.gov.au or phone 5820 1100 for more information.