Australian Government Water Fund Community Water Grants

Australian Government’s Community Water Grants As part of the Australian Government’s $2 billion Australian Government Water Fund, $200 million will be available over five years for community grants of up to $50,000 to save and protect water resources through practical on-the-ground work.

What sorts of projects will be funded?
It will be important that projects:

• are community orientated and have public benefits;
• involve practical on-ground works; and
• comply with relevant planning, health and environmental regulations and or guidelines.

Grants will be available for projects in the areas of:

• Water savings/efficiency
• Water reuse/recycling
• Surface and Groundwater Health

Our website (www.nrm.gov.au/water-fund) provides examples of demonstration projects to be funded in 2004-05 to highlight the types of projects and organisations the community water grants will support.

Who will be eligible to apply?

Grant recipients may include local government, community-based organisations such as volunteer groups, schools, sports clubs, the community-care sector including hospitals, nursing homes, childcare centres, natural resource management regional bodies and non-government organisations.

How can I apply for a grant?

The first open call for grant applications is expected in June 2005. A communication campaign to advertise the first open round of community water grants is currently being developed. Grants will be assessed on a nationally competitive basis.

If you would like to receive a copy of the Round 1 Guidelines and Application Form as soon as they become available, you can register your postal details via the online registration form at http://www.nrm.gov.au/ or free call 1800 780 730.

Further Information

The opening of the grant round will be publicly advertised. Further information will be made available on the Australian Government Natural Resource Management website http://www.nrm.gov.au/ as it becomes available.

Further enquiries can be directed by email to cwg@deh.gov.au or free call 1800 780 730