National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16

NOVEMBER 2015

ii National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16Programme guidelines

© Commonwealth of Australia 2015.

Ownership of intellectual property rights

Unless otherwise noted, copyright (and any other intellectual property rights, if any) in this publication is owned by the Commonwealth of Australia (referred to as the Commonwealth).

Creative Commons licence

All material in this publication is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia Licence, save for content supplied by third parties, logos and the Commonwealth Coat of Arms.

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia Licence is a standard form licence agreement that allows you to copy, distribute, transmit and adapt this publication provided you attribute the work. A summary of the licence terms is available from creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/deed.en. The full licence terms are available from creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/legalcode.

Cataloguing data

This publication (and any material sourced from it) should be attributed as Department of Agriculture and Water Resources 2015, National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–2016: Programme Guidelines, Canberra. CC BY 3.0.

Internet

National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–2016: Programme Guidelines is available at www.nrm.gov.au/agsmallgrants

Contact

Programme Secretariat National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants

Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

Telephone 1800 283 940 Email landcare@agriculture.gov.au Web www.nrm.gov.au/ agsmallgrants Postal address GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601

Inquiries about the licence and any use of this document should be sent to copyright@agriculture.gov.au.

The Australian Government acting through the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources has exercised due care and skill in preparing and compiling the information and data in this publication. Notwithstanding, the department, its employees and advisers disclaim all liability, including liability for negligence, for any loss, damage, injury, expense or cost incurred by any person as a result of accessing, using or relying on any of the information or data in this publication to the maximum extent permitted by law.

1 Programme overview 1

2 Programme objectives 1

3 Programme evaluation 2

4 How the grant programme will operate 2

5 Programme dates 3

6 Who is eligible to apply for funding 3

7 What qualifies for funding 5

8 How to apply for funding 7

9 Conflict of interest 7

10 False and misleading information 8

11 Confidential information 8

12 Freedom of information 8

13 Privacy statement 9

14 Correcting inaccuracies in applications 9

15 How applications are assessed 10

16 Notifying applicants of funding decisions 14

17 Grant agreement 14

18 Publishing information about successful applicants 15

19 Management of grant agreements and evaluation 15

20 Handling applicant complaints 15

21 Financial and legal consequences of accepting grants 16

22 Contacts 16

Contents

FIGURE 1 Small Grants Round 2015–16 Process Flowchart

Applicant prepares an application using programme guidelinesand information pack.

Applicant submits application.

Department sta use programme guidelines to assess eligibility. State-based assessment panels assess eligible applications on merit.

The National Moderation Panel �nalises a recommendedranked merit list of applications.

The National Moderation Panel provides the department with a �nal reporton the recommended applications and the department briefs

the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources.

The minister makes a �nal decision on successful applicantsand the department advises applicants of the decision.

The department and successful applicant negotiate a grant agreement,which both parties sign.

Applicant undertakes activity, completes milestones, provides reportsand acquits funds against expenditure as agreed in funding agreement.

Department evaluates programme outcomes usinginformation provided by applicants.

1National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16 Programme guidelines

1 Programme overview Sustainable agriculture is the efficient production of safe, high-quality agricultural products using farming techniques that protect or improve the natural environment, social and economic conditions of farmers, their employees and local communities and safeguard the health and welfare of all farmed species.

The National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16 (Small Grants Round) is an element of the National Landcare Programme. It has been designed to complement the implementation of the Australian Government’s Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper (the White Paper). Total funds available to the Small Grants Round is $2.2 million (GST inclusive), with funding to be allocated and paid to successful grantees in the 2015–16 financial year.

The grants will increase the knowledge and capacity of farmers and fishers, and facilitate the adoption of productive management practices that will maintain or enhance the natural resource base.

Farmers, fishers, farming systems groups and other eligible interested community or production-based groups are invited to apply through a competitive, open-call process for grants of between $5 500 and $55 000 (GST inclusive). Projects may relate to agricultural production, including cropping, livestock, dairy, horticulture, mixed farming, pastoral, agroforestry (farm forestry) aquaculture and fisheries. Projects can be of up to 18 months duration and should be completed by 31 December 2017.

Applicants must address at least one of the two primary objectives of the Small Grants Round as outlined in Programme objectives.

2 Programme objectives The purpose of the Small Grants Round is to safeguard the overall resilience, competitiveness and productivity of Australian agricultural and fishing industries. This will ensure greater profitability at the farm gate, while maintaining or enhancing the natural resource base.

Applications may relate to, but are not limited to, new farming techniques, new technologies, new production techniques or post-harvest product management.

Objective 1: Increase the capacity and knowledge of farmers and fishers to productively and sustainably manage Australia’s natural resources

Applicants must increase the capacity of farmers and fishers by improving access to and sharing of best-practice information (including knowledge, data and techniques) on emerging threats or opportunities in sustainable production and land management.

2 National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16Programme guidelines

Objective 2: The adoption of appropriate management practices that will increase production or improve product quality while maintaining or enhancing the natural resource base

Applicants must outline how the adoption of the relevant management practices will increase production and/or increase productivity and/or improve product quality.

Applicants must also be able to demonstrate how their proposal will maintain or improve at least one of these natural resource conditions:

• soil

• water quality and availability

• native vegetation (where it also contributes to sustainable resource use).

3 Programme evaluation The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources will administer the grant round and projects in accordance with its usual grant management process. The programme will be evaluated after the activity period has ended (December 2017). Evaluation will be supported by successful applicants meeting the requirements outlined in the grant agreement, including the reporting requirements.

4 How the grant programme will operate 4.1 Payments to successful applicantsAll grants will be paid in full to successful applicants once grant agreements have been executed. Successful applicants must not undertake funded activities until the grant agreement has been executed. All activities under the Small Grants Round should be completed by 31 December 2017.

4.2 Support provided by the department to applicants Before developing their project or completing a Small Grants Round application form, applicants should see Frequently Asked Questions and the Consideration of Public and Private Project Benefits which are available at www.nrm.gov.au/agsmallgrants.

3National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16 Programme guidelines

5 Programme datesTABLE 1 Programme dates

Milestones Anticipated dates

Applications open Thursday 5 November 2015

Applications close 2.00pm, (AEDT) Monday 7 December 2015

Grant agreement finalised May 2016

Activity period for the programme ends 31 December 2017

6 Who is eligible to apply for funding To be eligible for funding under the Small Grants Round, applicants must be an individual or an organisation that is a legal entity, or be an entity that is sponsored by a legal entity. A legal entity is capable of entering into a legally binding and enforceable grant agreement with the Commonwealth.

Entities that are able to apply for the Small Grants Round include, but are not limited to the following:

• individuals who are able to enter into a legally binding agreement

• companies incorporated under the Corporation Act 2001 (Cwlth)

• Indigenous corporations incorporated under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cwlth)

• body corporates created under state or territory legislation

• legally constituted partnerships, provided all partners sign or authorise the signing of the grant agreement

• an individual or organisation specified above who is acting in its capacity as the trustee of a trust.

Groups or organisations that are not otherwise eligible to apply for the Small Grants Round (for example, non-incorporated bodies) must seek an eligible project sponsor. A project sponsor can be an individual. The project sponsor must agree to enter into the grant agreement with the Commonwealth and be legally responsible for meeting the contractual obligations of the grant.

4 National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16Programme guidelines

Applicants applying as individuals must provide a valid tax file number (TFN). All other applicants must provide a current Australian Business Number (ABN) or Australian Company Number (ACN).

Individuals and groups that are encouraged to apply for the Small Grants Round include, but are not limited to the following:

• farming systems groups

• community groups

• corporate farming entities

• Indigenous organisations such as Aboriginal Land Councils

• farmers, farm foresters, aquaculture operators and fishers.

6.1 Eligibility criteriaTo be eligible, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

• Applicants must address at least one of the two Small Grants Round objectives (see Programme objectives, page 1).

• Total funding sought must be between $5 500 and $55 000 (GST inclusive).

• Funded project activities are planned to be completed by 31 December 2017.

• The project or activity must be undertaken in Australia and its territories and must have benefit for Australia.

• If the application includes a project sponsor, the sponsor must agree to enter into a grant agreement with the Commonwealth and manage the contractual obligations of the agreement on behalf of the applicant.

6.2 Who is ineligible to apply for fundingThese organisations or groups are ineligible to apply for the Small Grants Round:

• Commonwealth statutory authorities

• state or territory governments, such as agencies of a state or territory government

• local Governments

• regional natural resource management organisations

• Rural Research and Development Corporations and universities.

These entities can participate in the Small Grants Round as co-contributors.

6.3 Who is ineligible to apply for or sponsor projectsOrganisations, groups or individuals who are ineligible to apply for or sponsor any Small Grants Round projects are:

• Political parties or lobbyists (as defined by the Australian Government’s Lobbying Code of Conduct)

• Any employee of the Commonwealth.

5National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16 Programme guidelines

7 What qualifies for funding 7.1 Eligible activities Proposed activities must comply with all of the requirements set out in any applicable Commonwealth, state, territory and local government laws. All necessary planning, approvals and/or permits must be in place before the project starts.

Examples of eligible activities include, but are not limited to the following activities:

• field days, workshops or conferences

• demonstration events or workshops

• training or skill development sessions

• community information or education sessions

• development of decision-making tools

• development of new information channels within the current knowledge system

• conducting surveys.

7.2 Eligible budget itemsProject activities and budget items relevant to the project include:

• materials, equipment hire and labour

• expert advice, such as consultancies

• essential and project-specific administration support, such as phone and internet bills and costs associated with legally required documents, to a maximum of 10 per cent of the total grant funding sought

• if a similar or related activity has already started, an applicant must demonstrate in the application that the proposed activity is different (additional) to what has or is already being undertaken

• if an applicant has already received funding from the Australian Government for this or a similar activity, their application must demonstrate how the proposed activity differs from what has or is already being funded.

7.3 Ineligible activities and budget items These activities and budget items will not be funded under the Small Grants Round:

• on-ground activities outside Australia and its territories

• purchase of major capital items; which are defined as building improvements and items of machinery, equipment, furniture and vehicles

• computer hardware and software and media equipment and the like with a useful life of three years or more and worth more than $500

• infrastructure construction—except for earthwork activities where the applicant can demonstrate that this will deliver sufficient outcomes to justify its costs against alternative options for erosion control, such as revegetation and stock exclusion fencing

• activities with potential to adversely impact on any matter of national environmental significance as identified under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

6 National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16Programme guidelines

• activities that are primarily for the purpose of beautifying or improving an amenity

• activities that would be considered part of a landholder’s responsibility to manage their property, such as standard boundary fencing or weed and pest projects

• activities that are the legislative or regulatory responsibility of others (such as state and territory governments), including managing or controlling certain weeds and pests

• introduction of plants, animals or other biological agents known to be, or that could become environmental or agricultural weeds and pests

• activities that are the core responsibility or business of the applicant

• activities that are primarily for political lobbying

• potential or direct subsidisation of commercial activities, business start-up or other activities where the primary purpose is for commercial gain or to raise revenue for the individual or group

• purchase, lease or acquisition of land

• undertaking a devolved grants round

• food, alcohol or other accommodation expenses

• international travel

• project administration costs totalling more than 10 per cent of the total grant funding sought

• salaried positions related to the normal operations of an organisation or an individual’s commercial operation

• labour supplied by a sponsor or third party—unless directly related to project activities

Any funding for activities that are currently being, or have previously been funded by the Australian Government cannot be used to demonstrate a co-contribution.

Applications must consider all aspects of the project and ensure they include all relevant costs, such as those associated with lease/hire of equipment. Additional funds are not available to meet costs that have increased after the application has been submitted.

8 How to apply for fundingApplications will be assessed only on information provided in the Application (including any supporting documents).

Ensure the application addresses the requirements outlined in the guidelines. The department is not obliged to contact you for missing information or to clarify unclear details.

Follow these steps to apply for funding under this programme:

1. Read the guidelines and the Frequently Asked Questions.

2. Ensure you meet the eligibility criteria (page 3).

3. Download the application form and follow the instructions. Attach any supporting documentation that the applicant thinks will add to the strength of the application. If an applicant cannot download the application form, they can contact the Programme Secretariat (see page 16).

4. Applications and supporting documentation should be submitted to the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources by 2.00 pm (AEDT) Monday 7 December 2015.

7National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16 Programme guidelines

8.1 Submitting an applicationPlease email applications to: landcare@agriculture.gov.au

Emailed applications are preferred however if it is not possible to submit electronically, applications can be posted in hard copy. If so, the executed hard copy of the application form and copies of all supporting documentation must be received by the department by the due date.

Do not submit your application by both email and post.

Please send to:

Programme Secretariat National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grant Round 2015–16 Department of Agriculture and Water Resources GPO Box 858 CANBERRA ACT 2601

Failure to follow the steps described in this section or submit requested information may affect the assessment.

Late applications will not be accepted unless extenuating circumstances can be demonstrated and an alternative deadline has been agreed with the department before the closing date.

The department will not accept responsibility for any misunderstanding arising from an applicant’s failure to comply with the guidelines or arising from any discrepancies, ambiguities, inconsistencies or errors in an application.

8.2 Submitting multiple applicationsApplicants must download and complete a new application form for each project. Applicants should keep a copy of each submitted Small Grants Round application.

Sponsors may choose to sponsor more than one applicant, but a separate application form must be submitted for each project.

Successful applicants or sponsors where applicable, must enter into a separate grant agreement with the Commonwealth for each successful application.

9 Conflict of interestA conflict of interest is where a person makes a decision or exercises a power in a way that may be, or may be perceived to be, influenced by personal interest (financial or non-financial) or personal associations.

If you are aware of actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest in relation to your application, you must make full disclosure in your application.

If the conflict arises after you have submitted your application, email the Programme Secretariat immediately and outline the steps you will take to resolve or deal with the conflict.

The department reserves the right to reject an application if it is not satisfied that arrangements are in place to address or manage a perceived or actual conflict of interest.

8 National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16Programme guidelines

The department will maintain a register of notified conflicts of interest throughout the application and assessment process. The register will list applicants’ conflicts of interest and those of the state-based assessment panels, the National Moderation Panel and departmental officers.

Those involved in the assessment process must:

• sign and keep up-to-date conflict of interest declarations to ensure identification and management of any conflicts of interest

• comply with the Public Service Act 1999 and the Australian Public Service Code of Conduct.

10 False and misleading informationApplicants should be aware that intentionally giving false or misleading information is an offence under the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cwlth).

11 Confidential informationApplicants must identify information in their applications or in any supporting documents that they want treated as confidential and provide reasons for the request. The department reserves the right to accept or refuse requests to treat information as confidential.

The department may publish or share information that applicants have not marked or had accepted as confidential by the department.

Confidential information may be released as required by law or parliamentary privilege.

12 Freedom of informationAll documents in the possession of the department, including those in relation to the Small Grants Round applications and projects, are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cwlth) (‘FOI Act’).

The FOI Act creates a general right of access to documents held by the department. Unless a document falls under an exemption provision, it will be made available to the public if requested under the FOI Act.

For more information about the FOI process or to make an FOI request, see accessing information held by the department.

9National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16 Programme guidelines

13 Privacy statement‘Personal information’ means any information or opinion about an identified individual or an individual who is reasonably identifiable.

‘Sensitive personal information’ is a subset of personal information and includes any information or opinion about an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinion or association, religious beliefs or affiliations, philosophical beliefs, sexual preferences or practices, trade or professional associations and memberships, union membership, criminal record, health or genetic information and biometric information or templates.

The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources collects your personal information, as defined in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cwlth), to assess your application and for related purposes. If you fail to provide some or all of the personal information requested in this form, the department will not be able to process your application.

The department may disclose your personal information to relevant authorities and other Australian Government agencies, persons or organisations where necessary for these purposes, provided the disclosure is consistent with the Privacy Act 1988 and other relevant laws. Your personal information will be used and stored in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles.

See the department’s Privacy Policy to learn more about accessing or correcting personal information or making a complaint. Alternatively, telephone the department on +61 2 6272 3933.

14 Correcting inaccuracies in applicationsIf an applicant discovers any material inaccuracies (discrepancy, ambiguity, inconsistency or errors) in their application, they must email the Programme Secretariat immediately. Material inaccuracies are those that may affect the outcome of the assessment process.

The department may request clarification from an applicant and allow them to remedy any material inaccuracies in an application. The department may consider information submitted by an applicant after the closing date for the purpose of resolving any material inaccuracies in an application provided that no new information has been added, which has not been referred to in the original application. The department’s decision will be final.

10 National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16Programme guidelines

15 How applications are assessed Applications will be assessed against the eligibility criteria (page 6) and assessment criteria (page 11).

Eligible applications that meet the assessment criteria to a high level are more likely to be funded. Each eligible application will be assessed by one of the four state-based assessment panels and scored on its own merit against the five assessment criteria. All criteria will be weighted equally.

Eligible applications must receive a minimum score of five out of ten in assessment criterion one by the relevant state-based assessment panel in order to be deemed suitable and for the remaining assessment criteria to be assessed. Applications that do not meet the minimum score for assessment criterion one can only be deemed ‘unsuitable for further consideration’ if the majority of the relevant panel members agree.

The state-based assessment panels will then rank their suitable eligible applications against all other suitable eligible applications assessed by that panel based on merit. The reports by the four state-based assessment panels will then be provided to the National Moderation Panel for further consideration.

To be considered suitable to progress to the National Moderation Panel for further assessment, applications must score a minimum of 25 out of a possible 50 points. All assessment criteria will be considered when determining overall value for money.

The National Moderation Panel will consider the suitability of applications for funding in the context of the stated objectives (see Programme objectives, page 1). The National Moderation Panel will also consider:

• additional considerations outlined in the assessment criteria

• the total programme funding available

• the balance of projects, ranging across agricultural industries, including cropping, livestock, dairy, horticulture, mixed farming, pastoral, agroforestry (or farm forestry), aquaculture and fisheries, relative to the size of the industry and the extent of natural resource use

• the distribution of projects across Australia, relative to each agricultural industry.

Final scores for applications will be agreed by the National Moderation Panel who will determine the rank of each suitable eligible application in order of merit against all other suitable eligible applications received.

The National Moderation Panel will provide a final Assessment Report that will include:

• applications recommended for funding based on the final merit ranking, including the basis for why eligible applicants should receive funding

• any changes to the level of funding that should be offered to successful applicants, including a justification for the decision.

A list of recommended applications will then be submitted to the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources for approval.

11National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16 Programme guidelines

15.1 Assessment criteria and other considerationsAssessment and ranking will occur based on five criteria:

Criterion 1: Alignment with objectives (worth 10 points)Projects:• must align with at least one of the two programme objectives (see Programme objectives,

page 1); applicants that demonstrate alignment with both objectives, where possible and appropriate, may be preferred

• should deliver clear and measurable achievements based on the requirements of the objective/s

• should use approaches that build on existing knowledge of best-practice, and

• should demonstrate the appropriateness of the scale of the proposed activities.

Criterion 2: Capacity of applicant to deliver the project (worth 10 points)The applicant must demonstrate:• any previous experience in project delivery

• relevant expertise of the applicant/s and/or sponsors where relevant, including technical expertise where appropriate

• the inclusion of a sound project methodology, and

• the ability to manage the project in an accountable way, including identifiable project roles and responsibilities of all parties involved in the project.

Criterion 3: Risk management (worth 10 points)The applicant:• must identify risks to the delivery of the project, including the risk of failing to

achieve the stated project aims, and

• must include a risk management plan showing appropriate management of identified project risks, including the risk of activities not being able to proceed as planned or the risk of project failure. This risk assessment may include considering the level of planning undertaken, proposed resources, time, expertise and delivery mechanisms, the likelihood of receiving all necessary planning approvals and/or permits, including the permission from private landholders if required and Work Health and Safety risks to staff, contractors and volunteers.

Criterion 4: Value for money (worth 10 points)Value for money will be determined by consideration of all aspects of an application, including timeliness, relevance, quality and scope of the project, as well as the potential value and benefits of the proposed activities.

The application should also:• contain a budget that is reasonable and relevant to the eligible project activities,

recognising the project value and the sense of scale identified in the application

• include a total project budget that is comparable with the expected outcomes of the overall project

12 National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16Programme guidelines

• contain an adequate level of detail to determine what the project will deliver for its budget

• include expenditure related to eligible activities, with reference to eligible budget items, and

• include total administrative costs of not more than 10 per cent of the total grant funding sought.

Criterion 5: Public benefit (worth 10 points)The application should: • demonstrate the public benefit/s of the project and activities

• identify whether the applicant has leveraged additional funding to support the project

• identify any and every source of additional project funding, including co-contributions secured by the closing date for receipt of applications, and

• demonstrate a level of co-contribution that is appropriate for the actual or future private benefit received from the project.

As a guide, if a project includes an activity that has a high private benefit either now, or is expected to have a high private benefit in the future, the project budget should include a co-contribution of at least 50 per cent of the total value of the grant.

Project co-contributions must not include funding from other projects under the National Landcare Programme or any other previous or current Australian Government programmes, such as funding obtained through regional natural resource management organisations.

Additional considerationsThe Australian Government seeks to support delivery models where the outcomes of the Small Grants Round can be more effectively delivered by parties working together in partnership or groups, or where projects are able to leverage funding from other sources (including co-contributions).

Applicants with a project sponsor should consider how their relationship with the sponsor will operate administratively and practically.

In the quantitative assessment of each application, assessment criteria will be scored using the ratings identified in Table 2.

TABLE 2 Assessment ratings

Rating Description Level of risk Score

Excellent Exceeds requirements in all ways Very little or no risk 9–10

Good Meets requirements in all ways; exceeds them in some Little risk involved 7–8

Satisfactory Meets requirements and is workable Acceptable risk 5–6

Marginal Nearly meets requirements; workable but may be deficient or limited in some areas

Higher than acceptable risk

3–4

Poor Stated or demonstrated non-compliance, poorly addressed criteria or insufficient information to assess

Unacceptable risk 0–2

13National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16 Programme guidelines

In the qualitative assessment of each eligible application, assessors must score and comment on all assessment criteria assessed. Criteria comments may be grouped for this purpose, with comments made in relation to more than one criteria.

15.2 Who selects suitable applicants

Eligibility assessmentEligibility of applicants will be determined by officers from the department, as per the eligibility requirements outlined in Section 6 of these guidelines (page 3).

State-based assessment panelsThe comparative assessment and ranking of applications will be undertaken by four state-based assessment panels representing:

• Queensland

• South Australia, Northern Territory and Western Australia

• New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory

• Victoria and Tasmania

Each panel will be made up of community and departmental representatives, with the majority being community representatives.

All community representatives will have relevant natural resource management knowledge and experience.

National Moderation PanelThe National Moderation Panel will have three members with appropriate skills and experience in natural resource management. Membership will include two community representatives, one of whom will be the chair, and one senior representative from the department. The National Moderation Panel will consider the state-based assessment panel reports and finalise project scores, determine the final ranking of applications and prepare recommendations for the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources for approval.

The state-based assessment panels and National Moderation Panel will be supported by the Programme Secretariat, a team within the department’s Sustainable Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Division.

The department has appointed a probity adviser for this assessment process. The probity adviser will provide advice to the department on probity matters to assist the assessment and ranking of applications, ensuring that all applications are assessed fairly, uniformly and transparently. The probity adviser will report to the Programme Secretariat.

14 National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16Programme guidelines

16 Notifying applicants of funding decisions The department reserves the right to negotiate with applicants on any aspect of the grant before signing the grant agreement. The department may decide to support fewer projects/activities, offer less funding than the amount applicants applied for or seek further outcomes.

Successful applicants will receive a letter of offer outlining the grant and the amount of funding to be allocated. The letter of offer does not constitute a grant agreement. Successful applicants must not begin a project until a grant agreement has been executed by the department and the successful applicant.

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing by the department. Applications will not be reviewed. See Handling Applicants Complaints (page 15) for information about lodging a complaint. For feedback on unsuccessful applications, please contact the Programme Secretariat (see page 16).

17 Grant agreementSuccessful applicants will be required to sign a grant agreement with the Commonwealth based on the template of the Commonwealth low-risk grant agreement, which contains the terms and conditions of the grant.

Applicants should read the draft before submitting their application and seek independent legal advice before entering into a grant agreement. No legally binding relationship exists until a grant agreement is executed.

17.1 Reporting requirementsReporting requirements for the Small Grants Round are:

• final report on project activities, outcomes and achievements—this can include qualitative and quantitative information, such as surveys, monitoring of attendee numbers at public information sessions or the use of photo-point data to show improvements in the condition of natural resources.

• case study of project achievements—to demonstrate project achievements.

• financial statement to acquit the project—this must be accompanied by a signed statutory declaration (if an individual) or a financial statement signed by the chair, treasurer or chief financial officer (if a group or organisation). The financial statement must include details of how the grant funding was spent against the budget and if the project involved cash or in-kind co-contributions, details on how this was spent/used must be included.

For more details about the reporting requirements, see the draft grant agreement.

If a grant recipient fails to comply with any requirements in the grant agreement, they may be required to repay some or all of the grant money received.

15National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16 Programme guidelines

18 Publishing information about successful applicantsThe department will publish information about awarded grants on the its Grants reporting requirements web page, in accordance with Commonwealth Grants Rules and Guidelines. Information includes:

• name of the person or entity receiving the grant

• project title and purpose

• amount of funding received

• term of grant

• funding location.

By submitting an application for funding under this grant programme, the applicant consents to the department publishing this information.

Sponsors who have agreed to sponsor an applicant also consent to the department publishing this information, should they be awarded funding under the Small Grants Round.

19 Management of grant agreements and evaluationThe department will manage grant agreements and department delegates will make decisions about variations during the life of the agreement. Department officials and others may contact grant recipients during or after the grant as part of programme evaluation.

20 Handling applicant complaintsThe department does not have an appeal mechanism for unsuccessful applicants. Applications will not be reviewed.

If an applicant is dissatisfied with the way an application has been handled by the department, they can email the Programme Secretariat and lodge a complaint. The complaint will be reviewed by one or more independent areas of the department.

If no resolution is achieved, the applicant can contact the Commonwealth Ombudsman. The Ombudsman will usually not investigate a complaint unless the matter has first been raised with the department and the department has been provided with a reasonable opportunity to respond.

16 National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16Programme guidelines

21 Financial and legal consequences of accepting grantsReceipt of funding from this programme may result in an applicant’s business being ineligible for support from other government programmes. Applicants are advised that funding may have taxation implications and that they should seek independent taxation and financial advice from a suitably qualified professional before submitting their application. GST is payable on grants and the grant agreement will include GST where applicable. Applicants should seek advice on the legal implications of their acceptance of a grant.

22 ContactsProgramme Secretariat National Landcare Programme—Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16 Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

Telephone 1800 283 940 Email landcare@agriculture.gov.au Web www.nrm.gov.au

Postal address GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601

www.nrm.gov.au