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Sustainable Management Fund

The 2010/11 funding round will open later this year (for projects commencing 1 July 2010).

The Ministry for the Environment wants to work with you to help make a positive difference to the environment.

The Sustainable Management Fund (SMF) provides funding to support community groups, iwi/hapū, businesses and local government in taking practical actions that produce long-term environmental benefits, as well as encouraging proactive partnerships and promoting community action.

If you have a great idea for a practical community-driven environmental project that directly supports one or more of the Ministry’s priorities we would like to know about it.

You may apply for a minimum of $10,000 and up to a maximum of $200,000 per financial year, for projects that start on 1 July 2010.  There is no limit to the number of applications you may submit.
Applicants who can clearly demonstrate the successful completion of another project using public funding may apply to the SMF for funding for up to three years.

Timeline for the 2010/11 funding round

Date Event
Later this year Funding round opens (applications invited)
2010 Funding round closes (deadline for applications)
2010 Application assessment period
2010 Successful applicants notified to proceed to stage two (letters posted)
Unsuccessful applicants notified (letters posted)
2010 Final approval by SMF assessment panel. Agreement developed
1 July 2010 Commencement of successful projects

Please note these dates are indicative only and may be subject to change.

Application form and guide for 2010/11 funding round

The Application Form and related Guide for Applicants will be available on the website when the fund opens later this year..  If you wish to be contacted when the funding round opens please email funds@mfe.govt.nz or call the SMF funds team on (04) 439 7400.

Purpose of the SMF

The purpose of the SMF is to support community groups, iwi, businesses and local government in taking practical actions that produce long-term environmental benefits.  The objectives of the fund are to make a positive difference to the environment by funding projects that:

  • Support the Ministry’s priorities*;
  • Encourage pro-active partnerships; and
  • Promote community action.

*The Ministry’s priorities in relation to the SMF 2010/11 funding round will be outlined later this year when the fund opens.

Funding may be used for the following expenses:

Categories

Description

Personnel (wages / salaries) The employment costs of all the people directly involved in the project.
Administration (rent / lease offices etc) Includes office expenses, rents, insurance, postage, couriers, etc. Only include costs not covered by the personnel costs above, and only those that relate specifically to the project.
Consultants and contractors Third parties you have sub-contracted to work on the project eg, environmental consultancies; crown research institutes.
Rental and leasing of equipment Includes cost of renting or leasing equipment eg, digger hire.
Travel and accommodation Specific travel and accommodation costs related to the project eg, mileage allowance, air travel, hotel accommodation and out-of-pocket expenses.
Promotion and distribution Expenses that relate to production, printing and publication of articles, documents and videos, providing workshops, seminars, field days and associated costs such as advertising.
Financial / Legal expenses Financial expenses incurred solely in relation to project costs and costs relating to legal expenses.
Other Any other expenses associated with the project which do not fit under any of the categories listed above. Not that these costs must not be for the purchase of capital equipment.

Note: 
The SMF is regularly oversubscribed.  For example in 2008, 130 applications requested a total of $21m over three years against an available annual funding amount of $3.84m.  All applications will be assessed against the SMF funding criteria and objectives, the Ministry’s key priorities for the 2010/11 financial year, and their merit compared with other applications. 

Who can apply

The Ministry welcomes applications from community groups, iwi/hapū, businesses and local government who are legally registered New Zealand entities.  To be considered for funding you must be able to answer yes to the following:

  • Your organisation is a legally registered New Zealand entity such as an incorporated society or charitable trust, registered New Zealand business or local government authority.  Funding is not available to individuals or non-legal entities.
  • Your application will demonstrate adequate capability to deliver a successful project through:
    • strong project management and technical skills
    • access to necessary resources to successfully complete the project (such as office space, internet access, email, telephone and staff skills and experience).
    • Your application is able to demonstrate strong support and involvement from other organisations.
  • Your application encourages and promotes practical community action for the environment.
  • Your application is strictly for the period commencing 1 July 2010. This means that the SMF will not cover any expenses incurred before this date. 
  • Your application directly supports the Ministry’s priorities.

Funding available

Funding is available for up to three years (for a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $200,000 per financial year), for projects that start on 1 July 2010. 

The SMF will fund a percentage of the total project costs with the balance secured by your organisation which may be from cash or in-kind contributions.  Therefore:

  • for community / iwi the SMF will fund up to a maximum of 80% of your total project costs
  • for local government the SMF will fund up to a maximum of 60% of your total project costs
  • for businesses the SMF will fund up to a maximum of 50% of your total project costs.

Funding is not available for

The SMF is unable to consider applications that include any of the following funding restrictions:


Research

  • Academic costs or research aimed at supporting the attainment of a qualification.
  • Duplication of demonstration projects or pilot studies.
  • Fundamental or strategic research.  (The SMF may pay for the development and implementation of existing knowledge.)

Reports / websites / toolkits
  • Costs associated predominantly with the development of a report, for example, Iwi Management Plans; best practice documents and Codes of Practice.  (Proposals that include their practical implementation are acceptable.)
  • Funding that is wholly or predominantly for the development of a website or toolkit.

Capital expenditure
  • The purchase of capital items.  (Lease expenses will be eligible for support.)

Support from other Government agencies
  • Projects that are clearly the responsibility of government agencies.  This includes project outputs to be used specifically for the development of central government policy.
  • Statutory duties of local government (ie, activities which councils are required to do by law), for example, local government planning, resource consent approval, or monitoring functions.

Retrospective costs
  • Retrospective / backdated costs (ie, costs incurred before an Agreement being signed, or 1 July 2009, whichever is the latter).

Financial profit
  • Venture capital or commercial development such as setting up or developing business activities, marketing a new idea or making a financial profit.
  • Projects that financially benefit private landowners.

Operating costs
  • Normal operation costs (ie, funds to meet an organisation’s ‘normal’ responsibilities for the sustainable management of resources under their control.  This includes buying materials and equipment that are normally part of an organisation’s responsibility for managing their property/day-to-day business.

Other
  • Patents / copyright (ie, products / outputs which will not be freely available for public use for non-profit purposes).
  • Set-up costs (ie, registration charges, legal fees and recruitment costs).
  • The SMF will not fund the same project for more than three years in duration. 

Tips for writing a good application

When applying for funding, a well presented application, which strongly aligns with the funding criteria and is written in a way that is clear and concise, will stand the best chance of success. Tips for writing a good application to the SMF fund provides information to ensure you get the best out of your application.

Resources to help you plan your project

The following on-line resources may be useful when applying for funding, seeking further support or helping you plan your project. 

Community Resource Kit
www.community.net.nz
Phone: 04 916 3300 		The Department of Internal Affairs and Family and Community Services have developed the Community Resource Kit to help small or emerging community and voluntary groups, especially those just setting up for undergoing change.  This comprehensive kit includes information on 12 topics from planning to governance, through to financial management employment and information technology. 
Funding Information Service
www.fis.org.nz
Phone: 04 471 8900		 The Funding Information Service is New Zealand’s leader in funding information for voluntary organisations, iwi and community groups. 
Keeping it Legal E Ai Ki Te Ture
www.keepingitlegal.net.nz
Phone: 04 385 0981		 The NZ Federation of Voluntary Organisations and the Office for the Community & Voluntary Sector have developed this free resource to help community groups understand and meet their legal obligations. 
Grants Online
www.cdgo.govt.nz
Phone: 0800 824 824 		Grants Online enables visitors to complete online applications to Community Organisation Grants Scheme (COGS) and/or Lottery Grants Board.  The site offers helpful prompts to ensure information is easily understood and applications are quickly and efficiently completed.
The Directory of Aotearoa New Zealand
http://www.dev-zone.org/directories/anzngo/ 		Comprehensive directory of non-governmental organisations working in the field of international development.
Local Government
http://newzealand.govt.nz/browse/government-local-central-regional/ 		Find government information fast! This site is where you can find information, images and resources from all New Zealand government agencies and government funded sites.  It also has an A to Z of government agencies in New Zealand.
The Fundraising Institute of New Zealand
www.fundraising.org.nz 		The Fundraising Institute of New Zealand is the professional body for people working in fundraising and is dedicated to promoting philanthropy and excellence in ethical fundraising. 
New Zealand’s central government portal
http://newzealand.govt.nz/ 		Connecting you to New Zealand central and local government services. 
The Clearing House
www.communityresearch.org.nz 		Provides research and other resources to people and organisations involved in tangata whenua, community and voluntary sector research.  It builds a strong, vibrant research community by registering to share research and find resources or researchers with similar interests.
Technology New Zealand
www.biz.org.nz 		For more general advice on running a business, visit the Business Portal. This site has been developed by the New Zealand government to provide business information online about a range of government agencies and departments.

Funding from other Government departments

The following table lists other funding resources available from other government departments.

Department of Conservation  

DOC’s Nga Whenua Rahui fund supports conservation projects by tangata whenua groups.  Enquire at kaitakawaenga@doc.govt.nz

The Biodiversity Advice Fund focuses on information and advice to land managers. It funds projects which inspire landholders or groups to better protect indigenous species on their land, such as workshops, field-days, and publications.  Enquire at http://www.biodiversity.govt.nz/land/nzbs/pvtland/condition.html

The Biodiversity Condition Fund aims to improve and maintain the condition of areas of indigenous vegetation, species and habitats. The fund seeks to broaden community effort in the management of indigenous biodiversity. Suitable projects may include fencing or pest control on private land.  Enquire at http://www.biodiversity.govt.nz/land/nzbs/pvtland/condition.html

The Nature Heritage Fund (NHF) is an independent contestable fund established by the Government in 1990 for voluntary protection of nature on private land.  Enquire at http://www.biodiversity.govt.nz/land/nzbs/pvtland/condition.html

The Community Conservation fund has been established for 2 years and is available to fund community groups to undertaken restoration projects on public land.  The first funding round is currently open.  Applications close at 3pm on Wednesday 5 November 2008.  Enquire at http://www.doc.govt.nz/communityfund or 0800 862020. 

Department of Internal Affairs Information on community funding administered by the Local Government and Community Branch is available on the Department of Internal Affairs website www.dia.govt.nz or www.cdgo.govt.nz. 
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) EECA administer a number of funding schemes and programmes for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. For more information refer to www.eeca.govt.nz
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry MAF’s Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF) supports projects that contribute to the economic, social and environmental viability of farmers, growers, foresters and their wider rural communities. SFF's 2010 funding round is now open. For more details see www.maf.govt.nz/sff 
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry The Sustainable Farming Fund - Climate Change portfolio is an initiative under the Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change Plan of Action.  Funds are available for farmer, forester and grower led projects that advance the climate change objectives of mitigation, adaptation and/or business opportunities. For more information see http://www.maf.govt.nz/sff/apply/sffcc-description.htm
Ministry of Culture and Heritage The Commemorating Waitangi Day Fund is to support events which commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi and promote nation building and community building. It is designed to encourage a wider spread of communities participating in Waitangi Day events.  For more information see http://www.mch.govt.nz/awards/waitangi/index.html
Ministry of Fisheries The Ministry of Fisheries has funding for fisheries management plans that can be accessed through its Pou Takawaenga officers.  Enquire at www.fish.govt.nz/en-nz/Maori/Extension+Service+Team/default.html
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) NZTE offers a wide range of services and programmes for businesses, from start-ups to established groups of exporters.  These services include training, mentoring, funding, and business and market development assistance.  For more information see www.nzte.govt.nz
Enterprise Development Grants (Trade and Enterprise) The Enterprise Development Grants programme (EDG) aims to assist New Zealand businesses and entrepreneurs to gain additional skills and abilities to pursue their business development goals by building capability and supporting development initiatives.  The Enterprise Development Grants programme consists of two components, a Capability Building component (EDG-CB) and a Market Development component (EDG-MD).  For further information see http://www.nzte.govt.nz/section/12577.aspx
Growth Services Fund (Trade and Enterprise) The Growth Services Fund offers support for high growth potential firms to purchase external advice, expertise, and market development services. For further information see http://www.nzte.govt.nz/section/11964.aspx
Te Puni Kokiri TPK is the government’s principal adviser for Maori affairs.  The website outlines Maori funding assistance from government and non-government organisations, including iwi authorities and professional associations.  Enquire at www.tpk.govt.nz
The Foundation for Research, Science and Technology FRST invests in research, science and technology (RS&T) on behalf of the New Zealand government.  For a list of the current funding available go to http://www.frst.govt.nz/funding/search

Contact Us

Business and Communities
Ministry for the Environment
Environment House
23 Kate Sheppard Place
PO Box 10-362
Wellington 6143

Tel (04) 439 7400
Email funds@mfe.govt.nz

Last updated: 23 January 2009