Community Environment Fund
Supporting Information for Applicants
Open Contestable Funding Round 8
April 2016
Disclaimer
While every effort has been made to ensure that this supporting document is as clear and accurate
as possible, the information it contains is general guidance only, and does not constitute legal advice.
In the event of any uncertainty, the applicant should obtain independent legal advice. The Ministry
for the Environment, its employees and agents accept no responsibility or liability to any person
whatsoever for any loss or damage resulting from any error or omission in this document or arising
from reliance on this document.
Published in February 2016 by the
Ministry for the Environment
Manatū Mō Te Taiao
PO Box 10362, Wellington 6143, New Zealand
ISBN: 978-0-908339-29-7
Publication number: ME 1230
© Crown copyright New Zealand 2016
Contents
Introduction
4
Overview of the Community Environment Fund funding process
Check eligibility criteria
Stage I – Apply for funding
Stage II – Develop a project plan
Due diligence and reference checks
Intellectual property
Sign deed of funding
Start project
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
6
Application Part 1: Project Proposal and Governance
Legal entity status
GST
Project objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs)
Project key tasks and activities
Risk management
Project governance and financial management
Health and safety
Conflicts of interest
7
7
7
7
12
12
14
15
15
Application Part 2: Project Financial Spreadsheet
Project budget (question 16)
External funding (questions 17 and 18B)
Cash funding from your own organisation (question 18A)
Community Environment Fund contribution you are requesting (question 18C)
Funding sources summary (question 18)
What the Community Environment Fund will cover
What the Community Environment Fund funding does not cover
Estimated in-kind contributions
Example of a completed project financial spreadsheet
17
17
18
18
18
19
19
22
23
24
When your application is complete
27
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 3
Introduction
This document provides additional supporting information for completing an application for the 2016
Community Environment Fund funding round. It provides an overview of the full funding process,
and focuses on Stage I of the application process.
Further information will be provided to applicants who are invited to Stage II.
You are welcome to contact the Community Environment Fund team if you have any questions, by
emailing cef@mfe.govt.nz or phoning 0800 499 700.
Overview of the Community Environment Fund
funding process
A successful application will go through each of the stages in the Community Environment Fund
shown in the funding process diagram below.
The Te Mana o Te Wai funding process
The Community
Environment Fund process
Assessment and
recommendations
Eligible to apply è
Check
eligibility
Apply for
funding
è
Project selection è
Minister
Approval
Stage I
Funding approval è
Develop
project plan
Sign
funding
deed
Start
project
Stage II
Check eligibility criteria
As part of the application you will need to confirm your project’s eligibility. Projects that do not meet
all of the eligibility criteria will be declined.
Stage I – Apply for funding
Applicants complete the Community Environment Fund application form – part 1 and part 2 – and
submit it to the Ministry. Applications that do not meet all of the eligibility criteria or are incomplete
will not be assessed and the applicant will be sent a decline letter.
Submission dates
Submission period OPENS
9.00 am
Monday 18 April 2016
Submission period CLOSES
Two weeks
12 noon
Monday 2 May 2016
Application preparation time: three months – (1 February – 2 May 2016)
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 4
Applications are assessed by a review panel (the panel) against the Community Environment Fund
assessment criteria and general government ‘value for money’ criteria, on their merit compared to
other applications. The panel makes recommendations for funding. The Minister for the Environment
makes the final funding decision. Successful applicants are then invited to Stage II.
Stage II – Develop a project plan
Applicants invited to Stage II will need to work with the Ministry to refine and confirm their project
details and agree to the terms and conditions of a deed of funding.
On occasion the Minister may decide to grant less funding than requested. If this occurs the scope
and scale of the project may need to be reviewed and amended as part of Stage II. The Minister may
decide to grant funding subject to a number of conditions being met. Information about any
conditions of funding and the process for Stage II will be provided to applicants at the beginning of
Stage II.
Due diligence and reference checks
The Ministry will undertake independent third party due diligence and reference checks on
the applicants invited to Stage II and their projects at the same time the deeds of funding are
being prepared.
Intellectual property
Under the terms and conditions of the deed of funding, the funding recipient owns all intellectual
property created through their project as long as they permit the Ministry to the created materials
without any royalties. Ministry use includes making available for any purpose any material created
through the project, as well as any pre-existing intellectual property used to create or incorporated
within such material. This requirement applies indefinitely, beyond the term of the deed of funding.
The licence to the Ministry is non-exclusive. This means the funding recipient may still sub-licence
their intellectual property for use by others.
If you have specific concerns about intellectual property related to your project these can be
addressed on a case-by-case basis if you are invited to Stage II.
Sign deed of funding
Applicants successful in completing Stage II will be required to enter into a deed of funding with the
Ministry, which details all funding obligations and rights of the contracting parties including:

health and safety management

project duration (maximum of three years)

project description

approved funding

funding conditions
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 5

milestones, tasks and deliverables, and performance measures

intellectual property

liability

funding obligations and payment conditions.
The standard terms and conditions of the deed of funding will be available during the Stage II of
the funding process. The Ministry may add additional terms or conditions where this is considered
necessary.
IMPORTANT: Community Environment Fund funding is not confirmed until a deed of funding
has been signed by the contracting parties.
Start project
Once a deed of funding has been signed by the contracting parties you will be able to begin
your project.
Successful applicants begin work on their projects and report on milestones as they are met.
IMPORTANT: Applicants awarded funding through Community Environment Fund Round 8 –
April 2016 are unlikely to have a signed deed of funding and be able to begin their projects
before October 2016.
The Ministry monitors and assesses each project against the agreed performance measures and
conditions within the deed of funding. In accordance with the deed of funding, payments will be
made in arrears, once milestone activities are completed and all deliverables have been provided to a
standard satisfactory to the Ministry.
IMPORTANT: The Community Environment Fund funding instalments can only be paid after
funding is approved, a deed of funding has been signed, and agreed milestones are achieved.
Community Environment Fund funds are not available in advance, or for activity which
occurs before the deed of funding has been signed by both contracting parties.
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
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Application Part 1: Project Proposal and Governance
Part 1 of the application form contains questions 1 to 15. Questions 16 to 19 are in Part 2 (Project
Financial Spreadsheet). Both parts must be completed. Incomplete applications will not be assessed.
Legal entity status
To receive funding from the Community Environment Fund, applicants must be a legal entity with the
capacity to contract with the Ministry. Types of legal entities are listed below.
You will be required to submit proof of legal entity status if your application is invited to Stage II.
Type of entity
Proof of legal status
Incorporated society
Certificate of Registration with the Companies Office under the
Incorporated Societies Act 1908
Charitable trust
Certificate of Registration with the Companies Office under the Charitable
Trusts Act 1957
Limited partnership
Certificate of Registration with the Companies Office under the Limited
Partnerships Act 2008
Māori trust board
Declared by any enactment to be a Māori trust board within the meaning
of the Māori Trust Boards Act 1955
Limited liability company
Certificate of Registration with the Companies Office under the Companies
Act 1993
Cooperative company
Certificate of Registration with the Companies Office under the
Co-operative Companies Act 1996
Territorial authority
No proof of legal status is required
Individual person
Copy of driver’s licence or passport
GST
Government funding is a taxable activity. If you are conducting a taxable activity and your annual
income exceeds $60,000 per annum, your organisation MUST be registered for GST.
If you are not registered for GST, you will bear the full cost of GST on goods and services you
purchase for the project.
For more information, see www.ird.govt.nz/gst or phone the Inland Revenue Department on
0800 377 776.
Project objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs)
Here are some tips on how to set objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) for your project,
and ensure that monitoring and reporting of progress are well planned.
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 7
Clear and achievable project objectives, KPIs and evaluation are critical to meeting the Community
Environment Fund assessment criteria and ‘value for money’ criteria for government funding. If your
application is invited to Stage II, they are also crucial to crafting a deed of funding that effectively
supports achievement of your project goals. We therefore recommend that you take extra care in
crafting them.
Categories
Guidance
Think of your
audience
 Think about what you would tell a stakeholder as tangible proof of your success, or
think about what your bank manager or investors would want to see in a business plan.
What is the logical or causal chain effect of your project?
 Plan how you want to use the results for maximised benefit to you, your stakeholders,
and those you want to influence in the future. How do you want to celebrate, inform or
defend your project?
 Consider including the deliverables of how you will communicate your results in your
project plan (eg, presentation to stakeholders). The information should be:






What is
‘SMART’?
clear
based on facts and not vague claims
scalable to the size of your project
relevant
available
usable.
If objectives and KPIs are ‘SMART’ you can clearly demonstrate progress toward meeting
your goals.
‘SMART’ in this context means Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound.
 Specific – objectives should specify what they want to achieve
 Measurable – you should be able to measure whether you are meeting the objectives
or not
 Achievable – the objectives should be achievable
 Realistic – you should be able to realistically achieve the objectives with the resources
you have
 Time-bound – when you want to achieve the set objectives.
Baseline
measures
To measure progress, you have to be able to show a ‘before’ to compare against an ‘after’.
It is very important that you capture a baseline measure to compare progress against.
Make sure the baseline information is available before you commit to a KPI. You will need
to find data that is relevant, timely (ideally less than five years old), and that can be
updated (either by another source, or by you) by the end of your project.
Key
performance
indicators
(KPIs)
KPIs are concise statements that answer the ‘so what?’ question about the reason for
doing the project. They provide the key benefits you expect the project to achieve, and
how this will be done, and are an indicator of your project’s success. They are measurable
and have defined scope and timeframe.
 Each objective for your project must have at least one corresponding KPI.
 Identify what information you will need to measure your progress and success.
 KPIs must be based on tangible (observable and measurable) evidence rather than
picking a number out of the air.
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 8
Categories
Guidance
 KPIs are separate from individual project tasks/activities, additional benefits, and the
measures themselves.
 As a general rule, aim for three to six KPIs
 ‘must-have’ KPIs: one for each project objective, to measure the project’s success
 optional KPIs: additional social, economic, cultural benefits and milestone
deliverables such as a bundle of project activities or tasks.
 Examples of KPIs are on the following page.
Evaluation
Regular and accurate reporting is required to all relevant stakeholders, and is usually
undertaken at different levels. This ensures there are no surprises as the project
progresses.
Examples of evaluation measures include:
 impact measures you can see immediately, including your KPIs such as before and after
photographs, water quality measures, number of participants, survey of participants to
measure their before/after levels of support for and understanding about project issues
and activities
 measures of activities or efficiency of delivery such as delivery to timeframes/within
budget, customer or staff feedback on quality, levels of satisfaction or number of
complaints
 visual presentation to stakeholders using graphs, case studies, photographs
 progress reports to governance group, to ensure there is no slippage on the milestones
and that the project is operating within budget
 media release, highlighting the key points
 economic contribution in dollars to the local economy, and number of new jobs
 internal lessons learned, brainstorming session(s)
 milestone reports and the final evaluation report to the Ministry.
Baseline
information
sources
 Include in your application any activities that you will need to undertake to collect the
necessary information.
 Qualitative data (eg, asking for information in a survey, interviews, or focus groups).
This information can be useful to evaluate before and after changes in levels of
awareness, participation, support, and behaviour change.
 Quantitative data (eg, current water quality data or indicators, existing infrastructure
such as existing fencing, number of trees, wetlands in an area). This hard data
information can be useful to evaluate efficiency, immediate impacts and end/longerterm impacts.
 Online tools (eg, www.surveymonkey.com is a free/cheap website allowing you to
design and roll out an online survey. It includes common questions and survey
templates).
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 9
Question 5 Project objectives in Part 1 of the Community Environment Fund Application Form
Objective
Describe the tangible results
your project is trying to achieve
Key performance indicators (KPIs)
KPIs are concise statements about key
benefits of the project and how they will
be achieved
Source of measure
Expected outcome
How will you measure your progress
against the KPIs? What evidence will
show that the objective has been
achieved?
What is the expected benefit
from this objective being met?
How does this contribute to the
purpose of your project?
Baseline information
Describe the current
situation, using the data you
have available
Examples
Effectively prevent livestock
from accessing the upper
Waitewaewae Stream
Fence off 2 km of riparian area along
both sides of the upper 1 km of the
Waitewaeware Stream in 8 wire
batten fences
Photos before and after of fence
lines
Improved water quality
The area is currently being
grazed by cattle and sheep
and there are no fences
along the stream
Revegetate the riparian
area of the upper
Waitewaewae Stream with
native species
Plant 2,000 trees of which 80% thrive
Photos before and after of
planting sites
Habitat for native fauna over
the longer term in the
Waitewaewae Stream
The area currently has no
native plants
Educate and involve
children from Pukeko
Primary School in the
Waitewaewae restoration
programme
Ten workshops will be held per year
as part of the curriculum developed
with the school and a minimum of
200 native trees will be planted by the
school students
Number of workshops run, number
of trees planted, photos of the
area before and after planting
Increased understanding and
ownership of ecological
restoration in the community
No school children are
currently involved in the
restoration programme
Improve accessibility to
three waterways in the
Happy Forest area by
undertaking clearance
activities
4 km of waterways are cleared of
willows, poplars and waste
(specifically 1.6 km of clearance
activities at Cheerful Stream, 2.2. km
of clearance activities at Bubbly
Stream and 0.2km of clearance
activities at Sparkling Stream)
Visual survey and before and after
photographs show that there is no
obstruction of the waterway in the
project areas
Clearance of obstructions
from the waterway banks
and channels will allow the
waterways to flow more
freely, support native fish to
migrate, and reduce the risk
of flooding for local
businesses and communities
The three waterways are
currently congested with
willows, poplars and
dumped waste such as
cars and tyres
Count of trees planted and
percentage that are thriving after
each of two years of planting
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
The distance completed will be
measured by the contractor and
verified through the contractor’s
invoice.
Page 10
Objective
Describe the tangible results
your project is trying to achieve
Develop a collaborative
action plan for improving
coastal ecosystem health
and biodiversity in the
Whanganamu area
Key performance indicators (KPIs)
KPIs are concise statements about key
benefits of the project and how they will
be achieved
Identify common ground between
residents, iwi, local commercial and
recreational fishers, agencies and the
university on their aspirations and
information gaps, and future
management options
Keep the Whanganamu community
fully informed and give regular
opportunities for feedback
Build household
competence in reducing
local winter air emissions
from woodburners in
Riccarton
Develop a self-sustaining
bicycle recycling and bikeshare resource for the
Maraehou community
Source of measure
Expected outcome
How will you measure your progress
against the KPIs? What evidence will
show that the objective has been
achieved?
What is the expected benefit
from this objective being met?
How does this contribute to the
purpose of your project?
Record of working party
(recruitment, meeting minutes)
Reports from the working party
and external research providers
Newsletter and record of
community engagement
Final draft action plan
Work with 50 volunteer households in
Riccarton over two years, grow
knowledge and skills and address
barriers, and measure their attitudes
and activity in reducing air emissions
from their own woodburners
Record of engagement with and
surveys of volunteer households
Over three years develop a bicycle
repair/ refurbishment workshop in
shared premises, train 10 unemployed
people in bicycle repair skills, and
design and implement a successful
bike-share and safe riding awareness
programme with the local council
Records of communications and
meetings
Number of regional council clean
air action toolkits distributed
Record of clean fuel and insulation
kit vouchers redeemed
Before and after photos of
workshop and bike-share depots
Stories and photos of trainee
bicycle technicians
Uptake of free bike-share passes
Results of user satisfaction surveys
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Baseline information
Describe the current
situation, using the data you
have available
Improved understanding
between stakeholders of
common ground and an
action plan that can be
implemented collaboratively
to improve coastal ecosystem
health and biodiversity in the
Whanganamu area
This is a new initiative. We
are not aware of any
documentation of previous
action of this type in our
region
Increased community interest
and action to reduce
emissions from household
woodburners and thus help
reduce impacts on respiratory
health
There is no community
outreach programme to
households to share the
regional council’s toolkit
and monitor uptake
Greater availability of
bicycles for local transport
and reduced waste of bicycles
This is a new initiative
Ten new jobs created for
community
Enhanced ability of citizens to
take personal action to
reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and improve their
health
(Data from similar
programmes in other
communities will not assist
measurement of our
programme but will assist
effective design)
Page 11
Project key tasks and activities
An example of key tasks and activities for a project in chronological order:

establish a project steering group and develop terms of reference

hold a meeting with the key stakeholders

develop a communication plan

develop a health and safety plan for the project

promote the project through website and local media

hold first volunteer restoration day at the site

improve process if necessary, and hold four more restoration days at the site

document work done by volunteers (photos before and after).
Risk management
A risk is something that may affect the completion and success of your project. We are asking you to
identify actions or events that if they occur, or do not occur as predicted, will adversely affect the
achievement of goals or objectives.
Issues are different from risks. Issues are immediate problems that need to be resolved, while risks
are usually ‘unknown events’ which don't have any effect at the moment.
Risks must be linked to an activity and accompanied by consequences and likelihood of occurrences.
Some examples are provided on the following page.
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
12
Level of risk
Impact on project
Consequence on
project
Strategy to reduce risk
Low, medium
or high
Describe the impact the risk would have
on the project
Minor, moderate
or severe
Describe the process you will use to
minimise and manage the risk
Winter rains lower than predicted
Medium
Planting season is shorter, or must be
postponed to the following year
Moderate
Have a flexible plan, including shorter
planting modules
Not enough volunteers are recruited
Medium
Size or timing of project work must be
scaled down
Severe
Work will be designed in modules that can
be completed with fewer volunteers
Local goat and deer populations are not
successfully controlled or eradicated,
despite regional council plan
High
The riparian margin being created by the
project will be compromised and
improved water quality outcome may not
succeed
Severe
All fences will be at least goat proof, and
in areas with deer threat deer netting will
be used
Length estimates of stock exclusion
fencing are incorrect
Medium
Stock may not be able to be fully
excluded, especially with higher stocking
rates, and plantings may be damaged
Moderate
Estimates will be made as accurate as
possible with use of best available tools
(GIS and ground truthing where possible)
Potential risk
Identify the potential risks to your project
Examples
Underestimates could impact the budget
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 13
Project governance and financial management
Project governance is about the direction, leadership, accountability and responsibilities for strategic
decision-making across the project. It may also include processes for auditing, monitoring and
reviewing the project.
Good governance is essential to a successful project. What counts is the quality of decisions, the
accountability of decision-makers and fund managers, and oversight appropriate for the nature of
the project. Large projects with substantial budgets and/or projects involving considerable risk or
complexity will need greater control and oversight than smaller and more straightforward projects.
A governance group should be separate from the project manager (who reports to the governance
group), and should include key stakeholders where relevant. It should:

be the body that ‘owns’ the project and is responsible for ensuring it has the resources and
direction needed to be successful

assess key opportunities and risks and confirm ways to realise or mitigate these

review project performance

give overall guidance to the project.
A governance group can be an existing structure such as a board or committee or a subcommittee of
such a structure with appropriate membership changes (additions and removals) for the purpose of
governing the particular project.
Examples
 A steering committee or project board (including responsibilities, members and terms of reference, and
frequency of and/or criteria for meetings)
For example: project committee meets every month at local community centre to talk about the progression of the
project. Minutes and financial reports are presented for discussion and all parties have the opportunity to express
their opinion. Decisions are made by the Committee and recorded in the minutes.
 Governance arrangements with sub-contractors or partners
 Processes for procurement of services
For example: All services required by the project need to have a health and safety component including health and
safety plan and proper safety equipment. Contractors are asked to provide their health and safety procedures/plan
before the work.
The service needs to be approved by the Committee as part of a project which has been previously budgeted for.
Three quotes are required to prepare the initial budget. The final decision is made by the Committee.
Service costs need to be aligned with the initial budget at the time of purchasing the services.
At completion of the service, an invoice is sent to the treasurer and project coordinator for coding and reporting
purposes.
 Processes for monitoring and auditing the project
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 14
Health and safety
It is important that your organisation has the necessary health and safety policies, resources and
expertise to safely undertake and complete your project. If invited to proceed to Stage II, you may be
asked to submit a health and safety plan for your project.
Does your organisation
have a health and safety
policy?
Describe what health and safety policies your organisation has and the process
you have to keep these updated and communicated to employees, contractors,
subcontractors and volunteers.
Has your organisation
been issued with any
notices, warnings,
orders or convictions
under the Health and
Safety in Employment
Act?
An infringement offence is any offence described in section 50(1) of the Health
and Safety in Employment Act 1992. It includes most breaches of the legislation.
Disclose if your organisation has received any of the following:
 a written warning from a health and safety inspector
 an improvement notice
 a prohibition notice
 an infringement notice
 a conviction for an offence under the Health and Safety in Employment
Act 1992
 a hazard notice
 a compliance order.
Is there currently a
health and safety plan
for the project?
Confirm whether you have a health and safety plan for the project and what it
covers (eg, hazard register, site emergency plan, fire plan).
You will be asked to provide a copy of your health and safety plan if you are
invited to Stage II.
If you do not have a health and safety plan, you will be required to develop one.
This will be required as one of your deliverables that must be met to receive the
first progress payment in the first year of the project.
Who will be responsible
for health and safety for
the project?
Identify who is responsible for health and safety for the project, their title, and
skills and experience in this area.
Conflicts of interest
Definition
Put most simply, a conflict of interest can arise where two different interest overlap. In the context
of a Crown-funded project, a conflict of interest can arise where a project manager or project
governance body member has an interest which conflicts (or might conflict, or might be perceived to
conflict) with the purposes for which the Crown funding has been granted. Perception of a conflict of
interest is as important as an actual conflict.
The key question to ask when considering whether an interest might create a conflict is: does the
interest create an incentive for the person to act in a way which may:

not be in the best interests of the project, or

result in actual or perceived uses of Crown funds for purposes other than those for which the
grant of funding was intended?
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 15
If the answer is ‘yes’, a conflict of interest exists. The existence of the incentive is sufficient to create
a conflict of interest. Whether or not the appointee would actually act on the incentive is irrelevant.
Types of conflict of interest
A conflict of interest may take a number of forms. It may be financial or non-financial. It may be
direct or indirect. It may be professional or family related. A conflict of interest may arise from:

directorships or other employment

interests in business enterprises or professional practices

share ownership

beneficial interests in trusts

existing professional or personal associations with the project governance body

professional associations or relationships with other organisations

personal associations with other groups or organisations

family or iwi relationships.
A conflict of interest may be more perceived than actual. Perception is a very important factor in
the public sector. The processes of government, including the use of government funding provided
to third parties, must be fair and ethical, and must be very clearly seen to be so.
In identifying potential conflict of interest, those involved should focus on interests that are specific
to the project manager or project governance body member, rather than generic in nature. Generic
interests are those held in common with the general public or a significant sector of the general
public (eg, where the project relates to an agency in the transport sector and the project manager or
project goverance member owns a car, or the project relates to an agency in the education sector
and the project manager or project goverance member has school age children). Interests that are
solely generic are not relevant and should be disregarded.
If you think a potential conflict of interest might exist (or might be perceived to exist), please err on
the side of caution and include it.
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 16
Application Part 2: Project Financial Spreadsheet
Part 2 of the application form contains questions 16 to 19. Part 1 of the application form (Project
Proposal and Governance) contains questions 1 to 15. Both parts must be completed. Incomplete
applications will not be accepted.
Project budget (question 16)
Before you begin to fill out the budget table of your application (question 16), we recommend you do
most of the budget planning separately. This will enable you to work out how much the project is
going to cost, based on the key tasks and activities that will need to be undertaken to successfully
complete your project. These key tasks and activities should be included in the table for question 6 of
your application.
Funding will only be reimbursed if used for purposes identified within the project budget.
Categories of funding which can and cannot be covered by the Community Environment Fund are
listed on pages 19 to 22.
Provide a breakdown of all the estimated, project-related costs (expenditure) for all the applicable
years of your project, exclusive of GST. Ensure that sufficient detail is provided in the first column
such as a breakdown of how amounts were calculated.
The total project budget in question 16 MUST match the total of all funding in question 18.
Shared costs
If your organisation is involved in other activities or projects in addition to the Community
Environment Fund project and shares resources (eg, administration, electricity), you may claim a
proportion of costs equivalent to the time your organisation will devote to the project. It is important
that you are able to explain this breakdown at the project planning stage.
Total costs
The project budget table (question 16) should include the total cash cost of your proposed project,
not just the costs that you are seeking Community Environment Fund funding for.
The Community Environment Fund assessment criteria encourage shared funding. Sometimes
funding can be obtained from other sources for project costs that are not covered by the Community
Environment Fund. If this is the case for your project and you want to include those activities in your
project budget, please clearly identify these budget lines as not included in the Community
Environment Fund funding contribution (for example, adding a note in brackets). This will assist in
project reporting if you are invited to Stage II.
Budget calculation documentation
It is important that you keep a record of all your budget calculations so you are able to explain the
breakdown of costs across each year if you are invited to Stage II.
Be sure that you set out the details of how the cost is calculated.
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 17
Example
 Jane Bloggs, Project Manager, 20 hours per week at $X per hour.
External funding (questions 17 and 18B)
The information we are seeking is any funding that you will receive or anticipate receiving towards
your project other than from your organisation or the Ministry for Environment. Do not include
funding from your organisation, the amount you are requesting from the Community Environment
Fund, or any in-kind contributions from any party. Question 17 asks for details about individual
funders, and question 18B asks you to divide the total external funding into the years of your project.
The spreadsheet will automatically total Year 1, 2 and 3, so do not fill in the total box in question 18B.
Do check however that the totals in questions 17 and 18B are the same. If they do not match the
grand total box will show red instead of green and your application will be incomplete.
Examples
 Pending offer and the expected decision date.
 Confirmed offer (approved) and the date that payment of this funding is expected.
If your application is invited to Stage II, you will be asked to provide proof that all funding sources
have been confirmed (eg, a signed letter of confirmation).
All amounts must be exclusive of GST.
Cash funding from your own organisation (question 18A)
Provide the cash amount your organisation will contribute to the project across the year(s) that
Community Environment Fund funding is sought. The spreadsheet will automatically total Year 1, 2
and 3.
An in-kind contribution is not cash and is not to be included.
All amounts must be exclusive of GST.
Community Environment Fund contribution you are requesting (question 18C)
The minimum amount of Community Environment Fund funding is $10,000 per project and a
maximum of $300,000 per project, over the lifetime of the project.
Specify the amount of funding sought from the Community Environment Fund for all applicable years
of your project. The spreadsheet will automatically total Year 1, 2 and 3.
All amounts must be exclusive of GST.
An example of a completed form is shown on pages 24 to 26.
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 18
Funding sources summary (question 18)
The total cost of project box in question 18 will turn from red to green when all figures add correctly.
That box must turn green before you submit your application.
If it does not total correctly, check that:

your total project budget (question 16) matches the grand total in question 18

your total other external funding for your project (question 17) matches the total in
question 18B

your organisation’s funding contribution and the CEF funding you are requesting together make
up the shortfall between the totals in questions 16 and 17.
All figures MUST be exclusive of GST.
What the Community Environment Fund will cover
The Community Environment Fund will pay for reasonable costs relating to the following categories:

personnel

administration

consultants and contractors

venue and equipment

travel and accommodation (only domestic travel and accommodation can be covered by
Community Environment Fund funding)

promotion and dissemination of information

financial, legal and information technology (IT) service expenses

health and safety equipment and training

purchase of capital assets and other capital costs

other miscellaneous costs.
Use the following cost category table to help you estimate your costs.
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 19
Cost category
Includes...
Example
Personnel
 wages/salaries of all the people directly involved in the project
You will need to employ a part-time coordinator to
work 20 hours per week, at a rate of $25 per hour
over 12 months. The estimated cost would be
$26,000.
 staff recruitment and training
Administration
Administration expenses that are directly related to the project
Notes:
Cost of stationery, insurance, postage, phone calls
and couriers
 The cheapest option should be used for making phone calls
 Personal calls are not covered
 Phone calls that are charged to hotel bills are often extremely expensive and
should be avoided where possible
Consultants and
contractors
Third parties you have sub-contracted to work on the project (eg, environmental
consultancies, Crown research institutes)
Note: sub-contractors be may need to be approved by the Ministry before being
engaged
Venue and
equipment
 venue hire
 rent
A consultant may quote $129 per hour (exclusive of
GST) for working 10 hours per week for 10 weeks.
The estimated cost would be $12,900.
You may need to hire or lease a vehicle or trailer,
pay rent on an office space
 rental and leasing of equipment for the project
Promotion and
dissemination of
information
Expenses for promoting the project (eg, the production of brochures, advertising
costs, seminars)
You may need to publish a brochure. The costs of
designing, printing, and distributing need to be
researched to calculate the estimated cost.
Financial, legal and
information
technology (IT)
expenses
 financial or legal expenses incurred solely in relation to the project
You may need the services of a lawyer or accountant
Health and safety
 purchase fire fighting equipment
 accounting services
 IT support
 health and safety training
An effective health and safety plan for your project
may require additional equipment and training
 first aid kits
 personal protective equipment
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 20
Cost category
Includes...
Example
Purchase of capital
assets and other
capital costs
Expenditure that is essential for the project, including the cost of bringing the new
asset to working order, or any associated labour and lease expenses
Building a shade house to propagate native
seedlings
Travel and
accommodation
Specific travel and accommodation costs for the project:
 Four flights from Wellington to Auckland at $500
return (exclusive of GST). The estimated cost
would be $2,000
 A return road trip from Auckland to Hamilton,
at a total distance of 252km with mileage at
74 cents per kilometre. The estimated cost would
be $194.04
 mileage (this may be charged at 74 cents1 per km for a private vehicle)
 taxis/parking (costs may be claimed on receipt, for the purpose of the project)
 domestic air travel
 hotel accommodation (up to $160 per night for accommodation in New
Zealand, exclusive of GST)
 meals (actual and reasonable expenses on receipt, for meals and other
incidental expenses while on out-of-town business for the purpose of the
project may be claimed)
Notes:
 The Ministry encourages the purchase of the cheapest fares unless there are
valid reasons for not doing so
 International air travel is not covered by funding
 Where alternatives to travel are available, these should be used (eg, video
conferencing, teleconferencing)
 Mini bar charges are a personal expense and cannot be charged back to the
Ministry as part of the accommodation bill
 Where mileage is undertaken in a private vehicle, the person travelling is
responsible for insurance coverage. The Ministry will not be liable for any costs
incurred in the event of an accident under these circumstances
Other
1
Anything else that is not covered above (eg, plants, traps, trap bait, field
equipment such as flagging tape and tag pens)
–
This is the most recent rate proved by Inland Revenue, and may be amended in future www.ird.govt.nz/technical-tax/op-statements/os-review-milage-rate2015.html.
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 21
What the Community Environment Fund funding does not cover
The following categories of expenditures are not eligible for Community Environment Fund funding.
Category
What funding does not cover
Research
 Academic costs or research to support the attainment of a qualification
 Duplication of demonstration projects (for example, model organic farm)
or pilot studies
Other funding sources,
including government
agencies
 Projects that would be more appropriately funded by other funding
sources
 Projects that are clearly the responsibility of other funding sources, (for
example, government agencies). This includes project outputs to be used
specifically to develop central government policy
 Statutory duties of local government (activities that councils are required
to undertake by law, for example, local government planning, resource
consent approval, or monitoring functions)
Retrospective costs
 Retrospective or backdated costs (costs incurred before a deed of funding
is signed by the contracting parties)
Projects that are for
financial profit
 Venture capital or commercial development such as setting up (new) or
developing (existing) business activities, marketing a new idea, or making a
financial profit
Business as usual operating
costs

Other
Costs relating to an organisation’s ‘normal’ activities. This includes but is
not limited to:

buying materials and equipment that are a normal part of an
organisation’s responsibility for managing their property and day-today business

the maintenance and running costs of vehicles (including warrant of
fitness and registration)

the purchase and/or maintenance of buildings
 Attendance at conferences
 Patents or copyright (products or outputs that will not be freely available
for public use, for non-profit purposes)
 Compliance with planning regulations and other legal compliance costs
 Making/challenging a resource or building consent application
 Alcohol, entertainment, gifts or social expenses
 Costs associated with supporting a political party or movement, running a
political campaign, or lobbying against the Government
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 22
Estimated in-kind contributions
An in-kind contribution is a cash-equivalent form of support that is donated and assists with the
project costs. It is not the same as a cash contribution, and does not count towards the total costs of
funding. Many organisations obtain in-kind support for their projects. The Community Environment
Fund recognises the value of donated resources and/or the time of volunteers and professionals who
help to deliver a project.
The assessment panel assesses how much community involvement the project has, by considering
the number of volunteer (unpaid) hours estimated for the project as well as the total level of in-kind
contributions. Preference will be given to projects that have strong community involvement.
An in-kind contribution does not include time spent negotiating commercial arrangements unless
the goods or services being negotiated are being provided free of charge. The in-kind contribution
may be necessary for the completion of the project; however, no cash is exchanged for the service
or goods.
In your application you are required to provide information about the predicted in-kind contributions
for the project. Provide the estimated amounts based on a realistic amount of in-kind contribution
that your project will receive during the timeframe of the requested Community Environment Fund
funding.
Examples of estimated in-kind contributions
Examples of total estimated inkind contribution
Description examples
(Exclusive of GST)
 A lawyer draws up a contract for a subcontractor you intend to engage and provides
three hours free of charge. This can be claimed
as an in-kind contribution.
 3 hours x $140 per hour
(actual hourly rate) = $420
estimated in-kind contribution
 Dr Derek Bird provides professional freshwater
quality testing (250 hours at a normal hourly
rate of $75).
 250 hours x $75 per hour
(actual hourly rate) = $18,750
estimated in-kind contribution
Use/donation of
equipment
 A local hire company provides your
organisation with a rotary mower free of
charge. They normally charge $300 per day for
the rental. You use the mower five times over a
period of 12 months.
 Mower borrowed five times
x $300 per day (actual rental
charge) = $1,500 estimated inkind contribution
Community
volunteer
(unpaid) time
 Someone spends 240 hours keeping the books
for your project without charge but they are not
an accountant.
 240 hours x $30 per hour
= $7,200 estimated in-kind
contribution
 Volunteers attend four community planting
days (40 volunteers spend three hours planting
native trees on each of the four planting days
for the project. Total hours calculated as
40 people x 3hrs x 4 days = 480hrs).
 480 hours x $30 per hour
= $14,400 estimated in-kind
contribution
Professional
services and
goods
Calculate
professional
services using the
actual hourly rate
usually charged
by the
professional
Calculate at a
rate of $30 per
hour
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 23
Examples of estimated in-kind contributions
Examples of total estimated inkind contribution
Facilities
provided
Description examples
(Exclusive of GST)
 A local company provides your organisation
with office space. This would normally be let at
$450 per month (lowest possible market rate);
however, the company is providing the space
free of charge for a period of 12 months.
 12 months x $450 per month
= $5,400 estimated in-kind
contribution
IMPORTANT: In-kind contributions should not be included in the project budget.
Example of a completed project financial spreadsheet
COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT FUND APPLICATION FORM
2016 Contestable Funding Round
Part 2 of 2: Project Financial Spreadsheet
For office use only
Community Environment Fund (CEF) - NO.
Abundance Bay Community Trust
Organisation name
Restoration of the Whakakotahi River Catchment
Project name
SECTION THREE: Financial information
All figures MUST be exclusive of GST.
To improve your chance of success, please refer to Supporting Information for Applicants before completing this form.
16. Project budget
Provide a breakdown of all the estimated project-related costs (expenditure) to the best of your knowledge, for each year of your project (as applicable). All costs must be exclusive of
GST. Ensure that sufficient detail is provided in the first column (that is, a breakdown of how amounts were calculated).
See page 18 of the Supporting Information for Applicans before completing this.
Personnel – estimated breakdown of cash costs
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Project manager - $35hr x 20 hrs wk x 40 wks annual
$28,000.00
$14,000.00
$14,000.00
Project admninistration - $25 x 12hrs x 40 wks annual
$12,000.00
$6,000.00
$6,000.00
Project team - 3 workers at $18hr x 15 wk x 40 wks annual
$38,400.00
$19,200.00
$19,200.00
$78,400.00
$39,200.00
$39,200.00
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Phone - $16 wk x 40 wks, annual
$640.00
$320.00
$320.00
Office space - $20 wk x 40 wks, annual
$800.00
$400.00
$400.00
Stationary - $6 wk x 40 wks, annual
$240.00
$120.00
$120.00
$1,680.00
$840.00
$840.00
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Wages, salaries, recruitment, training etc, including estimate of number of hours (for example, Joe Brown’s salary at $25 per hour
for 20 hours).
Total estimated cash costs for personnel for each project year
(exclusive of GST)
Administration – estimated breakdown of cash costs
Stationery, insurance, postage, phone calls, courier etc.
Total estimated cash costs for administration for each project year
(exclusive of GST)
Consultants and contractors – estimated breakdown of cash costs
Environmental consultancies, Crown research institutes etc.
All provided in kind - no cash cost
$
Total estimated cash costs for consultants and contractors for each project year
0
$0.00
$
0
$0.00
$
0
$0.00
(exclusive of GST)
Continued on next page
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 24
Example of a completed Project Financial Spreadsheet, continued
Venue and equipment – estimated breakdown of cash costs
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Hall hire - $120 a day x 20 days annual
$2,400.00
$1,200.00
$1,200.00
Tool hire - assorted for planting programme - $130 wk x 20 wks annual
$2,600.00
$1,300.00
$1,300.00
$5,000.00
$2,500.00
$2,500.00
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Project management -$ 0.65 / km x 245 km wk x 40 wks annual
$6,370.00
$3,300.00
$3,070.00
Project administrator - $0.65c / km x 125km x 20 wks annual
$1,625.00
$1,000.00
$625.00
Three team members - local; $0.65 / km x 30km x 40 wks
$2,340.00
$1,200.00
$1,140.00
$10,335.00
$5,500.00
$4,835.00
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Annual cost of community communications for recruiting volunteers
$1,000.00
$1,000.00
$1,000.00
Total estimated cash costs for promotion and dissemination of information for each project year (exclusive of GST)
$1,000.00
$1,000.00
$1,000.00
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
$800.00
$800.00
$800.00
$800.00
$800.00
$800.00
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
$800.00
$800.00
$800.00
$800.00
$800.00
$800.00
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
$4,000.00
$4,000.00
$5,600.00
$850.00
$450.00
$400.00
$4,000.00
$4,000.00
$5,600.00
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Educational resources - all mediums
$2,500.00
$1,250.00
$1,250.00
Web site development and management - annua
$1,200.00
$600.00
$600.00
2 x permanent water quality monitoring units @ $3800 ea, annual
$7,600.00
$4,000.00
$3,600.00
Site water testing x 24 @ $235 ea, annual
2 xx SHMAK
permanent
@ $3800
ea, annual
6
andwater
waterquality
qualitymonitoring
testing kits units
@ $186
ea, annual
$5,640.00
$3,000.00
$2,640.00
$1,116.00
$558.00
$558.00
Aquatic species monitoring - 12 sites @ $350 ea, annual
$4,200.00
$2,100.00
$2,100.00
$23,150.00
$8,400.00
$7,000.00
$45,406.00
$19,908.00
$17,748.00
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
$147,421.00
$74,548.00
$73,323.00
Venue (hire or rent), equipment (rental or leasing) etc.
Total estimated cash costs for venue and equipment for each project year
(exclusive of GST)
Travel and accommodation – estimated breakdown of cash costs
Only domestic travel and accommodation expenses incurred solely in relation to the project could be eligible for Community
Environment Fund funding.
Total estimated cash costs for travel and accommodation for each project year
(exclusive of GST)
Promotion and dissemination of information – estimated breakdown of cash costs
Publication of brochures, advertising costs, seminars, workshops etc.
Financial, legal and information technology (IT) service expenses – estimated breakdown of cash costs
Financial, legal and IT service expenses incurred solely in relation to the project.
Annual costs of legal and accountancy
Total estimated cash costs for financial, legal and IT expenses for each project year
(exclusive of GST)
Health and safety equipment and training – estimated breakdown of cash costs
Include personal protective equipment, other health and safety equipment, measures and training (practical and/or planning or
theory based) for relevant staff.
OSH health & safety training - annual cost
Total estimated cash costs health and safety equipment and training for each project year
(exclusive of GST)
Purchase of capital assets and other capital costs – estimated breakdown of cash costs
Includes the cost of bringing the new asset to working order if necessary.
Traps - 272 @ $50 each
Fence maintenance materals
Total estimated cash costs for purchase of capital assets and other capital costs for each project year
(exclusive of GST)
Other miscellaneous costs – estimated breakdown of cash costs
Specify the expenses in detail, excluding contingencies.
Native plants - PB5 6000 plants at $3.65 ea; native plants - bare rooted 9000 @ $1.85 ea
Total estimated other miscellaneous cash costs for each project year
(exclusive of GST)
Totals
Total estimated cash costs per year (exclusive of GST)
These figures must match the total cost of project figures for Years 1, 2 and 3 provided in the funding sources table (A+B+C found
in Question 18 below).
Total project budget (exclusive of GST)
This is a sum of the totals in the row above. It must match the total figure provided in the funding sources table (A+B+C found in
Question 18 below).
$295,292.00
Continued on next page
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 25
Example of a completed Project Financial Spreadsheet, continued
17. External funding sources (B)
List all external funding sources, excluding the cash contribution from your organisation, the amount you are requesting from the Community Environment Fund or any in-kind contributions. Please specify details of involvement
of each funder. See page 17 of the Supporting Information for Applicants before completing this question.
If your application is invited to proceed to Stage II, you MUST be able to provide proof that all funding sources have been confirmed.
Date decision
expected
Status of offer
Organisation name
(Excludes cash contribution from your organisation)
Your organisation's cash contribution is entered in
question 18 below.
For pending
offers
Is the funding pending or confirmed?
Date funding
expected
For confirmed
offers
Period of
Amount
funding
Will the
funding be
used in years
1, 2 or 3?
Wellington City Council
Pending
Jan-17 1 and 2
Greater Wellington Regional Council
Confirmed
Oct-16
$8,960.00
1
$13,440.00
Other external funding required for your project that is yet to be applied for (total)
$5,000.00
Total external funding for your project (exclusive of GST)
$27,400.00
This figure MUST match the total for row (B) in the funding sources table below
18. Funding sources
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Total
(A)
Your organisation’s cash contribution to the project
(DO NOT INCLUDE IN-KIND COSTS)
$40,000.00
$11,150.00
$10,000.00
$61,150.00
(B)
External funding sources (confirmed or pending)
$12,000.00
$5,400.00
$10,000.00
$27,400.00
(C)
Community Environment Fund contribution you are requesting
$69,481.00
$69,481.00
$67,780.00
$206,742.00
$121,481.00
$86,031.00
$87,780.00
$295,292.00
This table will automatically total Year 1, 2 and 3
Total funding of the project (A)+(B)+(C)
If the bottom of the Total column above is red instead of green, the cost of the project (question 16) does not match the total funding of the project (question 18).
That box must turn green before you submit your application
19. Estimated in-kind contributions
See page 26 of the Supporting Information for Applicantsfor information before completing this question .
Description
Dollar value of
estimated inkind
contribution
for Year 1
Dollar value of
estimated inkind
contribution
for Year 2
Dollar value of
estimated inkind
contribution for
Year 3
Excluding GST
Excluding GST
Excluding GST
Professional services and goods
Professional services are calculated using the actual hourly rate
usually charged by the professional
Greater Wellington Regional Council - staff
expertise/coordination
Use/donation of equipment
Vehicle/transportation support $50 day x 25 days
Community volunteer time
12 community groups x 6 people x 12 days x 6 hours x 30
hour
Calculated at a rate of $30 per hour
Specify total number of volunteers hours
Total estimated number of volunteer hours per project
Facilities provided
On site shelters and catering equipment
Other
Labour to maintain plants in nursery for 3 months
Total estimated in-kind contribution
(DO NOT ADD THIS TOTAL TO QUESTION 18)
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
$40,000.00
$40,000.00
$40,000.00
$500.00
$500.00
$250.00
$51,840.00
$51,840.00
$51,840.00
1728
1728
1728
$400.00
$400.00
$400.00
$500.00
$500.00
$500.00
$93,240.00
$93,240.00
$92,990.00
hours
TOTAL IN-KIND
$279,470.00
Page 26
When your application is complete
Applications need to be received by the Ministry between 9.00 am Monday 18 April 2016 and 12
noon Monday 2 May 2016.
Completed application forms and required supporting documents should be emailed to
CEFapplication@mfe.govt.nz with ‘CEF application’ and your organisation name in the subject line.
We will only accept one email per application – your application and all supporting documents must
be submitted in one email.
You will find the following checklist in Part 1 of the application form. It is also included here for your
reference.
1. All questions in Part 1 (questions 1 to 15 – document in Word) have been answered (using ‘N/A’
or ‘none’ if required).
2. All questions in Part 2 (questions 16 to 19 – document in Excel) have been answered (using a
zero if required).
3. The declaration has been electronically signed and dated.
4. The totals box in the Project Financial Spreadsheet has turned green, indicating that sections
A + B + C are correctly adding up.
5. Your single email application to CEFapplication@mfe.govt.nz has all necessary documents
attached:
a. your completed Community Environment Fund Application Form Part 1: Project
Proposal and Governance
b. your completed Community Environment Fund Application Form Part 2: Project
Financial Spreadsheet
c. an active partner participation letter for each project partner listed in question 7
d. a CV for the project manager if they have been confirmed.
Once you have emailed your application, if you have not received a reply within one working day
please call us to let us know. Rarely emails can be blocked without notification to either party and
we do not want to miss your application.
Community Environment Fund Supporting Information for Applicants 2016
Page 27