The City of Stirling is committed to building a sustainable future for the community and we recognise the valuable role that community groups, organisations and individuals can play in driving sustainability and protecting and enhancing our natural environment.
Overview
The City of Stirling is committed to building a sustainable future for the community and we recognise the valuable role that community groups, organisations and individuals can play in driving sustainability and protecting and enhancing our natural environment.
Sustainable Communities grants aim to equip and enable the community to take action to enhance and protect the natural environment and foster sustainable practices by encouraging community participation.
The Sustainable Communities funding stream aims to support the achievement of the objectives in Sustainable Stirling 2022-2032, specifically to:
- Transition to net zero emissions
- Conserve and protect water resources
- Connect with nature and improve biodiversity in the City
- Reduce waste generation and divert waste from landfill.
The Sustainable Communities funding stream seeks proposals for projects, programs or activities that will:
- Re-establish, conserve and enhance floral and faunal biodiversity, native vegetation, green spaces and green linkages within the City
- Provide education and implementation of waste management initiatives
- Reduce water use and/or protect/improve water health
- Reduce energy use and/or increase use of renewable energy
- Build capacity for conservation volunteering groups to operate effectively, safely and collaboratively with the City
- Raise community or school awareness, by involving the community or students in environmental activities
- Encourage, empower and support the City’s community to live in an environmentally sustainable manner.
Eligibility
| Eligible applicants | Ineligible applicants |
|---|
| A not-for-profit organisation or incorporated association | Current employees or elected members of the City of Stirling |
| Registered conservation volunteer groups | Federal, State and local government agencies and bodies |
| An individual or unincorporated group (eligible for quick response grants only) | Political parties or organisations aligned to a political cause |
| Registered schools | |
| A small business based in Stirling with an ABN matching the request for support | |
| Have not received other funding from the City for the same activity this financial year | |
| Have fulfilled the conditions of a previous City of Stirling grant by the due date and no overdue debts with the City | |
| Have adequate public liability insurance | |
| Located within or service the Stirling community | |
| Located within the City of Stirling or provide outcomes that are delivered in the City of Stirling local government area | |
Quick response grants
Quick response Grants are for small amounts up to $2,000 and will be quickly approved. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that the proposed activity/event/project benefits the City of Stirling community.
Quick response grants may include but are not limited to:
- Expenses associated with becoming incorporated – Up to $1,000
- Public Liability Insurance – Up to $500
- Funding for administrative and operational requirements for incorporated conservation volunteer groups – Up to $1,500.
For grants over $2,000, please refer to the information below.
What will we fund?
This list is not exhaustive, and we recommend discussing your project with a grants officer prior to submitting an application.
- Community garden projects – please refer to the Community Gardens Policy for the full process to establish a new community garden
- Conservation projects of critical importance in sustaining natural ecosystems and improving biodiversity such as revegetation and weed control
- Financial support for the operation of recognised conservation volunteering groups within the City of Stirling , whose primary objective is the management and improvement of conservation and biodiversity values within the City’s conservation reserves
- Biodiversity protection – including projects such as revegetation, strategic weed control
- Waterway health – includes projects such as lake or creek foreshore revegetation, projects to improve water quality
- Coastal management and protection - includes projects such as strategic erosion and access control, revegetation, and weed control
- Education and capacity building - includes the development of information materials and training and workshops
- Other activities which address the objective or scope of the funding stream.
What won't we fund?
This list is not exhaustive, and we recommend discussing your project with a grants officer prior to submitting an application.
- The purchase of significant assets such as renewable energy systems and rainwater tanks is not generally supported unless a broad benefit with significant sustainability outcomes can be demonstrated
- Capital expenditure including major capital equipment purchases and new building projects
- Special events that show or in the past have shown significant profit
- Funding for initiatives specific to an individual household
- Projects that are part of the organisation’s annual or regular program activities, for example, end of year performance
- Programs which have already commenced, unless the proposed activity substantially increases the impact of the existing program
- Donations or fundraising activities that support the recurrent operations of the applicant
- Events over 100 people, if you wish to hold an event for over 100 people please apply under the ‘Vibrant communities’ category
- Faith-based activities of religious organisations, this includes worship activities of a religious entity or group such as preaching, delivery of sermons, prayer services and rituals
- Ongoing or recurring recurrent staff salaries or costs