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NSW and Vic grant opportunities

A number of resource recovery sector grants are currently open in NSW and Victoria.

NSW grants

GrantProject RequirementsFunding per Applicant
Circulate IndustrialEcology Program

Applications close 12 February 2021
Projects must:
– Involve the business-to-business transfer of materials previously sent to landfill (or plastic and mixed paper/cardboard stockpiled due to China National Sword)
– Result in diversion of materials from landfill (or stockpiles) that would not have occurred without Circulate funding
– Relate to material from the C&I or C&D sector
– Divert a minimum number of tonnes
– Be completed by 30 June 2022 

Projects that have outcomes that sit higher on the waste hierarchy will be prioritised for funding.
Between $20,000 and $150,000, depending on scale, duration and likely impact

What will be funded?
– Staff time, consultant time
– Sampling, testing and monitoring
– Transportation (first 20% of tonnes)
– Equipment hire (short-term)
– Equipment purchase (50% co-contribution required)

What will not be funded?
– Ongoing operational costs
– Land acquisition
– Completed/commenced works
-Admin costs associated with licensing/ DAs
– Energy from waste projects
Civil ConstructionMarket Program

Applications close 12 February 2021
Projects must:
– Divert C&D waste from landfill and/or use post-consumer recyclate sourced from MRFs
– Process material into product(s)
– Return product(s) to civil project(s)
– Divert 2,000 tonnes from landfill in SMA (or 400 tonnes in Regional areas)
– Run for between 6 months and 3 years 
Up to $250,000
– Transportation of materials
– Max. 50% of salaries (consultant time fully funded)
– Equipment purchase and/or hire
– Monitoring and evaluation

 What will not be funded?
– Ongoing admin and operational costs (post-completion)
– Programs funding devolved grants
– One-off information events
– Commenced/ completed projects

Victoria grants

GrantProject RequirementsFunding Per Applicant
Recycling Victoria Business Support Fund
Stream 1: Identification Grants

Applications close Friday 12th March 2021

Project must be completed by 30 June 2022
Project should focus on at least one of these areas: 
Feasibility studies to apply or adapt circular economy business opportunities and approaches to business or supply chains
Business case development to support the implementation of a circular economy business opportunity or approach
Materials efficiency and flow assessments (e.g. to identify waste reduction or prevention opportunities) in businesses or across supply chains
Access to business advisory and support services to support the development of circular economy business opportunities and approaches 
Pilot projects and trials of circular economy business opportunities and approaches.

Other requirements:
– At least 50% of project activities must be in Victoria. 
$75,000 to $200,000 per project
– Co-contribution is required ($2:$1 (SV:Applicant) as a minimum)

What will be funded?
– Research and design to adapt or apply circular economy approaches
business case development and feasibility studies
materials efficiency and flow assessments
– Circular economy business advisory and support services
pilot projects and trials
– Capital purchases for small-scale demonstrations / pilots (for example, equipment)
– Marketing, advertising, promotional costs of new products, services, models or markets established through the grants
– Consultancy or contract work required for the project/dedicated project management costs.

What will not be funded?
– Projects focused on implementation 
– Projects that seek to develop a new idea (for example, not based on a known approach or opportunity)
– Projects focused on existing recycling solutions (e.g. composting, waste recovery (e.g. waste to energy), bioenergy, solutions for household kerbside collections
Recycling Victoria Business Support Fund
Stream 2 
Implementation Grants

Applications close 3pm Friday 12th March 2021

Project must be completed by 31stDecember 2022

Project should focus on at least one of these areas: 
– Set up a new circular economy-based establishment
– Extend an existing circular economy-based establishment
– Diversify the output of an establishment into new additional circular economy-based products, services, models or markets
– Improve circular economy-based outcomes within existing establishments.

Project must also achieve at least one of these targets:
– Reduce generation of product or material waste by >750 tonnes per year
– Reduce the materials intensity of a product, service or model by >750 tpa 
– Redistribute materials or products (to prevent waste) by >750 tpa
– Reuse, remanufacture, or upcycle materials or products by >750 tpa
– Increase capacity to prevent waste or to re-use, remanufacture, redistribute, or upcycle materials or products >2,500tpa 
– Increase capacity to recycle materials or products currently wasted, through new and innovative solutions, by >2,500 tpa

Other requirements: 
– At least 50% of project activities must be in Victoria.
$100,000 to $500,000 per project for individual applicants 
$100,000 to $1 million 
per project for collaborative partnerships
– Co-contribution is required ($1:$1 as a minimum)

What will be funded?
– Capital purchases (e.g. infrastructure or equipment)
– Circular economy business opportunities and approaches
– Materials efficiency and productivity
– Increasing the lifecycle or value or material or product currently wasted
– Leasing/financing of equipment (during the project only)
– Marketing, advertising, promotional costs of new products, services, models or markets established through the grants
– Consultancy or contract work required for the project/dedicated project management costs

What will not be funded?
– Projects focused on identifying an opportunity 
– Projects that cannot demonstrate a clear and robust understanding of the circular economy opportunity or approach, backed by evidence
– Projects that do not meet regulatory or planning requirements
– Pre-construction (site preparation) such as site clearing, earthworks or site accessibility works
– Projects focused on existing recycling solutions (e.g. composting, waste recovery (e.g. waste to energy), bioenergy, solutions for household kerbside collections.

Recycling Victoria Innovation Fund
Stream 1:
Food Innovation

Applications close 3pm Monday 15th February 2021

Projects must start by August 2021 and be completed by May 2024
Projects are to identify, develop and/or scale-up innovative circular economy business models and practices.

Projects may deliver:
– Improved capacity and investment in circular economy initiatives
– Implementation of circular economy business models
– Improved take-up and adaptation of digital technologies
– Design-led changes to achieve circular outcomes
– Material efficiency and productivity

Projects in Stream 1 must deliver at least one of the following:
– Reduce food waste (for example, ingredients, food products)
– Redistribute food to people to prevent waste
– make new products from food waste (for example, plant-based textiles, vitamin supplements, ingredients and meals, animal feed).

Other requirements: 
– At least 50% of project activities must be in Victoria.
Co-contribution is required ($1:$1 as a minimum)

What will be funded?
– Expenses directly related to project such as capital purchases (e.g. infrastructure or equipment), dedicated consultancy/project management costs, business case development and feasibility studies, research, design, and/or development, demonstration, trials and pilots, collaboration- and capability-building activities, project evaluation, other project execution costs.

What will not be funded?
– Projects that focus on waste to energy proposals, waste recycling (e.g. composting or other established organics solutions, waste reprocessing infrastructure projects), solutions for kerbside collections, waste recovery or large-scale waste reprocessing infrastructure projects, household-focused interventions, community-focused share or repair initiatives, development of specifications and standards.
– Permit, licensing and approval costs, existing staffing costs, operating costs, travel and conferences, and marketing, advertising, promotional costs.
Recycling Victoria Innovation Fund
Stream 2:
Collaborative Innovation

Applications close 3pm Monday 15th February 2021

Projects must start by August 2021 and be completed by May 2024

Projects are to identify, develop and/or scale-up innovative circular economy business models and practices.

Projects may deliver:
– Improved capacity and investment in circular economy initiatives
– Implementation of circular economy business models
– Improved take-up and adaptation of digital technologies
– Design-led changes to achieve circular outcomes
– Material efficiency and productivity

Other requirements: 
-At least 50% of project activities must be in Victoria.

Co-contribution is required ($1:$1 as a minimum)

What will be funded?
– Expenses directly related to project such as capital purchases (e.g. infrastructure or equipment), dedicated consultancy/project management costs, business case development and feasibility studies, research, design, and/or development, demonstration, trials and pilots, collaboration- and capability-building activities, project evaluation, other project execution costs.

What will not be funded?
– Projects that focus on waste to energy proposals, waste recycling (e.g. composting or other established organics solutions, waste reprocessing infrastructure projects), solutions for kerbside collections, waste recovery or large-scale waste reprocessing infrastructure projects, household-focused interventions, community-focused share or repair initiatives, development of specifications and standards.
– Permit, licensing and approval costs, existing staffing costs, operating costs, travel and conferences, and marketing, advertising, promotional costs.

MRA has submitted more than 200 grant applications to date, winning more than $60m in funding for our clients.

We can provide a one-stop shop to maximise your chances of success and can assist by: 

  • Preparing grant proposals on your behalf;
  • Reviewing grant proposals; 
  • Source equipment providers;
  • Provide costings on infrastructure;
  • Prepare the business case; and 
  • All of the necessary financial feasibility analysis requirements.

If your organisation is interested in any of the above grant programs, please contact Emma Yuen on emma@mraconsulting.com.au or on 0416 474 642 or info@mraconsulting.com.au or on (02) 8541 6169.



 

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