Applications Now Open - Community Grants Program 2024-25
As of Thursday, October 10, 2024 the Responsible Wood 2024-25 Community Grants Program is open for applications. The funding available per project is between $2,000 and $15,000.
Applications close on Friday, November 22, 2023, and successful projects are required to be completed by 30 June 2025.
This is the program’s fifth year, following the successful 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 programs.
About Our Community Grants Program
The Responsible Wood Community Grants program supports regional and rural Australian communities in creating and completing local forest-based projects that suit both communities and the forests’ needs. Funding can be used for many different types of forest based projects, and may include; the construction or upgrade of recreational facilities, interpretive signage, forest rehabilitation or habitat improvement projects, bushfire-related commemorations, and forest based art installations and other events.
Responsible Wood encourages groups such as registered charities, Landcare or local environmental organisations, Men’s sheds, locally incorporated groups, sporting clubs, art groups, councils, education institutions, registered bike or bushwalking clubs and or Indigenous organisations to apply with creative ideas about how to better access or enjoy forests and submit a grant application.
The funding available per project is between $2,000 and $15,000. Applications close on Friday, November 22, 2024, and the project must be completed by 30th June 2025.
Application process
- Check your eligibility by downloading and completing the Eligibility Checklist.
- Seek support from your local Responsible Wood certified forest manager or certified Chain of Custody supplier for your project. Click here to search the list of Responsible Wood certified organisations.
- If your project is eligible, please download and complete the Application Form.
- Submit your application by emailing both the completed Application Form and the Eligibility Checklist to [email protected] by November 22, 2024.
Please Note: Not all eligible grants can be funded. Grants are awarded based on merit by a panel of judges. You may download and view the Judging Rubric.
If you have questions regarding your project application, please review the FAQ, and if still unsure, contact Responsible Wood at [email protected]
FAQ
What are the aims and objectives of the Responsible Wood Community Grants program?
- Supporting communities undertake projects or activities that better enable physical connection of people and forests or wood products.
- Providing an opportunity for communities to leverage funding from a variety of sources to complete forest access or timber utilisation projects that otherwise would not be possible.
- Supporting certified forest growers and chain of custody producers to build their relationships with their local communities.
- Linking community with Responsible Wood certified forest growers or timber product producers who have Responsible Wood Chain of Custody certification.
- Providing an opportunity to promote to local communities the value and benefits of sustainably managed certified forests and wood products.
- Supporting the forest industries through promotion of Responsible Wood certification.
Is there a Key Selection Criteria?
Key Selection Criteria
- Project idea – What is your idea?
- What value does your idea bring to your group or the wider community?
- What is the name of the local certified forest that you want to access, support, improve or promote?
- Has the local Responsible Wood certified forest grower or Chain of Custody producer supported this project? If so, please describe their support.
- Why do you want to undertake this project?
- Are you able to complete your project by June 30th 2025?
- Is your project likely to develop any Intellectual property or products?
- How will you promote the project to your community and beyond?
- Budget – Please list all budget items for the project.
- Are you working with any other community groups to deliver this project? If so, please describe.
- Is this grant part of a co-contribution from another funding source? If so, please describe it.
How will my application be judged?
Is there an eligibility checklist?
What are the Terms and Conditions of the project?
How are any conflict of interests managed?
A judge who declares a potential conflict is excused from assessing that application as well as the group discussion of that applicant. Where this occurs, the final combined score will be based on the average score of the remaining judges and weighted accordingly so that the applicant will not be disadvantaged.
Who owns any Intellectual Property or other property which is created from the prize?
Are projects that can attract funding from other sources encouraged?
What can’t be funded?
What happens if I don’t have the support of the local Responsible Wood certified Forest Grower or Chain of Custody certificate holder?
Are there any additional requirements that successful applicants must adhere to?
Any intellectual property or actual property / items created through the program will remain the property of the group or individual and not Responsible Wood. Responsible Wood will reserve the right to promote the project and market any project outcomes.
Any promotion of the project must acknowledge Responsible Wood and the certified forest grower or chain of custody certificate holder.