Nature-based Learning Grant

Each grant application is assessed on the following:

• Completeness and quality of the application, including supporting documentation (70%)
• Demonstrated need for financial support to deliver the proposed activity (30%)
• Please note, Council reserves the right to allocate grant funding on a needs basis.

To be eligible to apply for this grant , applicants must:

• Be for a school based within the boundaries of the Cairns Regional Council
• List the parents / school’s financial contribution toward excursion costs
• Provide evidence of activity costs, including quotes
• Provide evidence of adhering to the school’s risk management procedures.

Examples of eligible excursion types:

• National Parks / Marine Parks / Great Barrier Reef
• Sustainable Agriculture farms / Community Gardens
• Wildlife Parks / Environmental Education Centres
• Habitat restoration / tree planting sites
• Waste / Recycling and Water / Wastewater facilities
• Bus hire for nature-based excursions.

Ineligible application types that will not be considered include:

• Applications from a school that has not previously acquitted a Council grant satisfactorily
• A school with overdue payments to Council
• A retrospective funding request
• a request for support for general operating costs, catering or staff wages.

1. Submit the application form and supporting documents to grants@cairns.qld.gov.au. Please note submissions will only be accepted between 1 June and 31 July annually.
2. Following the closing date, applications will be:
   1. reviewed by the grants team for completeness and eligibility.
   2. assessed by a panel of Council officers.
3. The grants team will inform successful and unsuccessful grant applicants via email. Please note: The assessment process can take up to two months to complete, so please factor that into your project timeline.
4. The grants team will communicate with successful grant applicants to finalise their funding agreement and distribution of funds.

Grant recipients will be required to:

• Sign a Funding Agreement
• Submit an invoice for the agreed amount.
• Complete the project within 12 months of the approval date
• Notify Council in writing of any changes to the approved activity that will alter the level of Nature-Based Learning outcomes to that declared in the application
• Submit the grant acquittal documents within two months of activity completion date
• Reimburse Council with any unspent Grant funding
• Acknowledge the support of Cairns Regional Council in any public communications regarding the excursion. Use of Council’s logo in marketing and communications materials relating to the program must comply with Council’s brand standards and be endorsed by Council’s Marketing and Communications unit.

Grant recipients will be required to acquit (i.e. close-out / finalise) the grant funding within two months of the activity completion date. This is done by completing the Grant Acquittal Template, supplied by the Grants Team as part of the Funding Agreement process.

The Acquittal Report must include:

• Evidence that the activity took place (e.g. group photo while on excursion); and,
• If requested, evidence of grant funding expenditure (e.g. copy of receipts).