REEF TRUST GULLY EROSION CONTROL PROGRAMME
Frequently Asked Questions
Application process (including Mapping Tool) ....................................................................................... 3
1.
How can I apply for a grant under the Programme? ............................................................. 3
2.
I’m having trouble opening the online Application Form (Smart Form). What can I do? ..... 3
3.
I’m having trouble accessing the mapping tool in the Application Form (Smart Form)........ 3
4.
Are multiple Project Sites permitted in a Management Unit? .............................................. 3
5.
How much information do I need to include in the mapping tool? ...................................... 3
6.
What are the maps used for during Assessment? ................................................................. 4
7.
Must all sites be identified in the Application Form? Can I apply to remediate gullies on
land that has not yet been identified? ............................................................................................... 4
8.
Does it matter if units of measure produced by the polygons in the mapping tool do not
match the units of measure in the activity table in the Smart Form? ............................................... 4
9.
What do I do if I receive error messages when I click on the Submit button? ...................... 5
10.
I’m having trouble with the Legal Entity field ........................................................................ 5
11.
I have tried to address the error messages but it is not working .......................................... 5
12.
I have addressed the error messages but my Application Form still won’t submit .............. 5
13.
My Application is going to be late - I need to ask for an extension....................................... 5
14.
Can I provide or attach additional information in my Application? ...................................... 6
15.
How will I know my application has been received or is successful? .................................... 6
16.
Can I get help from the Department with my Application? .................................................. 6
17.
I made a mistake on my application form – can I change it? ................................................ 6
18.
I don’t have access to the internet and can’t access the online Application form................ 7
19.
What time does my Application need to be submitted by? .................................................. 7
Programme Delivery............................................................................................................................... 7
20.
What is the Reef Trust Gully Erosion Control Programme? .................................................. 7
21.
What is the objective of the Gully Erosion Control Programme? ......................................... 7
22.
What are the outcomes of the Programme? ......................................................................... 8
23.
How will the success of the Programme be measured?........................................................ 8
24.
What are the anticipated timeframes for the programme? ................................................. 8
25.
What is the Gully Toolbox? .................................................................................................... 8
26.
How many years will the grants run for? How many grant rounds will there be? ................ 9
27.
Who are Delivery Partners? ................................................................................................... 9
28.
If I am the landholder, can I apply to deliver the funding? ................................................... 9
29.
Are Multiple Applications allowed? ....................................................................................... 9
Guidance for Designing Project Proposals ........................................................................................... 10
30.
What activities will the Programme fund? .......................................................................... 10
31.
Are third party (cash or in-kind) contributions required in an Application? ....................... 10
32.
What expenses have limited value as Applicant/third party contributions? ...................... 10
33.
What expenses are ineligible as Applicant/third party contributions? ............................... 11
34.
I need to start my Project now – can I get funding for work I’ve already done? ................ 11
35.
When do I start my project? ................................................................................................ 11
36.
How will I receive payments for the delivery of my project? .............................................. 11
Monitoring and Reporting .................................................................................................................... 11
37.
What reporting requirements will grant recipients have to undertake? ............................ 11
38.
Why is this extent of monitoring and reporting needed? ................................................... 12
39.
What percentage of the total project funding can be allocated to monitoring and
reporting? ......................................................................................................................................... 13
I have applied for a grant – what happens next? ................................................................................. 13
40.
How long will it take for my Application to be assessed? ................................................... 13
41.
How will my Application be assessed? ................................................................................ 13
42.
Who is Assessing my application? ....................................................................................... 14
43.
How will the Government decide which Projects to fund? ................................................. 14
44.
Will all the Management Units I apply for receive funding? ............................................... 14
45.
Will all the Project sites within each Management Unit I apply for, receive funding? ....... 14
46.
How will I receive notification regarding the outcome of my Application? ........................ 14
47.
Can I appeal the decision if my Project is not funded? ....................................................... 15
Providing feedback ............................................................................................................................... 15
48.
I would like to provide feedback on the Programme .......................................................... 15
2
Application process (including Mapping Tool)
1. How can I apply for a grant under the Programme?
Applicants who wish to apply for funding through the Programme are invited to submit an
Application for a Project that targets areas of medium and high gully density within one or more of
the targeted Management Units in the natural resource management regions.
Management Units are subdivisions of reef natural resource management regions and are
generally defined based on river basin and catchment boundaries.
The Application Process is described at section 5.1 of the Applicant Guidelines and can be found at
http://www.environment.gov.au/marine/gbr/reef-trust
2. I’m having trouble opening the online Application Form (Smart Form). What can I do?
You may experience difficulties accessing the online Application Form if you are using Mozilla
Firefox or Google Chrome browsers. Try using a different internet browser, for example Internet
Explorer. If using a different browser does not help, then contact the Department at
reef2050@environment.gov.au for further advice. Once downloaded, the Application Form can be
saved on your computer and completed offline.
3. I’m having trouble accessing the mapping tool in the Application Form (Smart Form).
The Application Form (Smart Form) will need to be saved on your computer to ensure it will work.
To access the mapping tool you may need to download a browser called Mozilla Firefox. This is
downloaded from the internet through Google if you do not have this installed on your computer.
The mapping tool should be functional once this is complete.
4. Are multiple Project Sites permitted in a Management Unit?
Yes. A sub-Project within a Management Unit can contain multiple Project Sites, providing the
Applicant is able to obtain permission from the landholder of each site to carry out the project
activities, prior to the project activities being commenced. Applicants must declare in the
Application form that they will seek the permission of the landholder to carry out works on each
site and can provide this to the Department if asked prior to the project activities being
commenced.
Use the Mapping Tool to provide a separate Mapping Polygon for each site in your Application or
to give an indication of the area which Project Sites will be located.
5. How much information do I need to include in the mapping tool?
It is preferable that you create Mapping Polygons of the actual area to be addressed through
Project Activities using the mapping tool in the Application Form. Instructions on how to do this
are provided from the link in the Application Form.
If this isn’t possible, at a minimum the Mapping Polygons should indicate the areas where you
have or plan to seek landholder agreement to undertake Project Activities. The Mapping Polygons
provided in the Application Form will be used in the assessment process to determine value for
money and proposed outcomes as well as determining eligibility of the Project, so it is important
to provide the correct information.
3
6. What are the maps used for during Assessment?
The Maps produced from each Management Unit/sub-Project are used to determine eligibility of
that sub-Project. For example, if the polygons drawn are not within one of the eligible
Management Units, the project will not proceed to merit assessment.
As stated in the Guidelines, the Project Site must:
 be within the Cape York, Burdekin, Fitzroy and/or Burnett Mary natural resource
management regions specified; and
 be within the identified Management Unit areas from which Gully Erosion makes high
contribution to fine sediment exports to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon.
7. Must all sites be identified in the Application Form? Can I apply to remediate gullies on land that
has not yet been identified?
Where possible, please identify, to the best of your knowledge, where gully remediation activities
are going to occur. The specificity of the locations can occur from gully scale to farm scale,
depending on the Applicant’s knowledge of the area and the currency of the aerial maps. It might
be worth consulting with a local extension officer and other local groups to locate the areas of high
density gullies and the likelihood of engagement with landholders in certain areas.
This information is utilised to assess eligibility of the project (site locations are within the specified
Management Units) and the value for money assessment.
8. Does it matter if units of measure produced by the polygons in the mapping tool do not match
the units of measure in the activity table in the Smart Form?
In the Mapping Tool, you can link specific activities to the polygons which are drawn to indicate
whereabouts within the Management Unit certain activities are being implemented. For example,
one gullied area may already be fenced off. Therefore this Project Site may only include activities
such as revegetation, in-gully control structures (erosion management) and extension
(management practice change) activities. The extent of activities (indicated by the total area, total
length of fencing etc.) mapped in the Mapping Tool, provide an indication of what the Applicant is
planning to implement at that spatial location within that Management Unit.
The activity table provides an indication of the types of activities which are planned to be
undertaken. The estimated units of measure provided should align with the project budget and be
developed through estimated costs of activity implementation.
Essentially there will be two units of measure produced by the Application Form – one from
spatially mapped estimates and one from the list of activities and the targets associated with
these. Given approvals from landholders do not need to be provided prior to Application
submission, it is acceptable that these two measures may not be the same.
These units of measure will be utilised in the value for money assessment to help assess cost for
the outcomes and enable comparison with other Applications of the extent of gullied area which
will be treated through the project.
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9. What do I do if I receive error messages when I click on the Submit button?
If you receive any error messages after you click Submit, you will need to address the errors before
you try to submit again. Scroll down to see all the errors. Sometimes these notifications flow onto
the next page of the error advice.
These error messages are generally about incomplete information in the Application Form, for
example you may not have checked all of the required Declarations, or populated the Legal Entity
field (see Legal Entity Field question below). If you double click on the error message, you will be
taken to the question which contains the error.
10. I’m having trouble with the Legal Entity field
The Legal Entity field should be automatically populated when you click the “ABN Lookup” button.
You cannot enter data in the Legal Entity field, it needs to be automatically populated via the ‘ABN
Lookup’ button.
11. I have tried to address the error messages but it is not working
Call 1800 852 975 prior to the Closing Time of 2pm Queensland time (AEST) 26 November 2015.
12. I have addressed the error messages but my Application Form still won’t submit
Sometimes the problem is a firewall which is blocking you from uploading information from your
computer system. This may apply to schools or other organisations with secure networks.
If you are sure that the Application Form is complete and you have filled out all the required fields
and declarations and addressed any errors but the form still won’t submit, then email
reef2050@environment.gov.au before the Closing Time, explaining the problem and attaching
your completed Application Form. It is important that you email prior to the closing time, as late
Applications will be treated according to Section 5.2 of the Reef Trust Gully Erosion Control
Programme Applicant Guidelines - available at http://www.environment.gov.au/marine/gbr/reeftrust
If the Department receives the email with your completed Application Form attached prior to the
Closing Time and there are no error messages in it, it may be possible for the Department to
submit the Application Form on your behalf to meet the closing time. If the Department does not
receive your email and Application Form until after the closing time, or it is received but the
Application still contains error messages and cannot be submitted, the Application will be
considered as late (see “My Application is going to be late and I need to ask for an extension”
below).
13. My Application is going to be late - I need to ask for an extension
Subject to this section, to be eligible for consideration, Applications must be received by the
Department before 2pm Queensland time (AEST) on 26 November 2015.
Any Application received by the Department after the Closing Time (if lodged electronically or
delivered by post or courier), will be considered late and will be registered separately.
The Department has no obligation to accept a late Application. The Department may consider
admitting late Applications under extenuating circumstances. An explanation of extenuating
5
circumstances should be provided in writing to reef2050@environment.gov.au prior to the closing
time. Any decision by the Department to accept or not accept a late Application is at the
Department’s absolute discretion and will be final.
14. Can I provide or attach additional information in my Application?
No. Additional supporting documentation should not be submitted, as it will not be considered as
part of the assessment process.
15. How will I know my application has been received or is successful?
Once an online Application is submitted, an automatic receipt will be generated. For hard copy
applications, notification will be confirmed by the Department between seven and 14 days of
receipt by the Department.
After the Minister for the Environment has approved proposals for funding, all Applicants will be
informed in writing whether or not their Project has been successful. Details of successful Projects
will be listed on the Department’s website once successful Applicants have been informed.
Please monitor the website for more information,
http://www.environment.gov.au/marine/gbr/reef-trust, or subscribe to the email news by
emailing reef2050@environment.gov.au with ‘subscribe’ in the subject line.
All unsuccessful Applicants will be offered feedback on their Application at the end of the
assessment and approvals process, and have the opportunity to request written or other feedback
on their Application, provided a request in writing is made within one month of public notice of
successful Projects.
16. Can I get help from the Department with my Application?
Departmental representatives are available to provide information on factual matters such as the
Assessment Process and Eligibility Criteria, clarification of terms, activities which will be funded,
spatial priorities or relevant information sources. If you have any questions about the Application
process or other aspects of the Programme, please contact the Department on:
Phone: 1800 852 975
Email: reef2050@environment.gov.au
17. I made a mistake on my application form – can I change it?
Amendments to submitted Application Forms can only be made before the Application period
closes. If you need to alter your Application prior to the Closing Time, please contact the
Department in writing by email on reef2050@environment.gov.au .
A new Application with the altered information will need to be submitted by the Applicant with a
written request from the Applicant for the Department to withdraw the original application
received.
The Department has no obligation to accept amendments to submitted Application Forms after
the Closing Time. Once submitted, changes to an Application can only be made by contacting the
department by email to reef2050@environment.gov.au. Any requested changes will be considered
by the Department; however, the decision to accept or reject the requested change will be made
6
at the Department’s discretion and will be final. This does not remove Applicant’s obligations
regarding the accuracy of their Application at Section 7.1 of the Guidelines.
If multiple Application Form submissions are received from an Applicant, only the last Application
received before the Closing Time, will be considered.
18. I don’t have access to the internet and can’t access the online Application form
Electronic Applications are preferred. If you do not have access to the Internet and cannot access
the online Application Form, contact the Community Information Unit line on 1800 852 975 at
least two weeks in advance of the Closing Time to make alternative arrangements.
Keep a copy of your Application Form for your records.
If you have made alternative arrangements with the Department, your Application must still be
received by the Department before the Closing Time. If you believe your Application may not
arrive before this time, please contact the Department on 1800 852 975.
19. What time does my Application need to be submitted by?
The Closing Time for Applications is 2pm Queensland time (AEST) on 26 November 2015. This
means that if you are located outside Queensland the Closing Time will be different.



3pm AEDT – Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory
2.30pm ACDT – South Australia and Northern Territory
12pm AWST – Western Australia
Programme Delivery
20. What is the Reef Trust Gully Erosion Control Programme?
The Reef Trust Gully Erosion Control Programme (the Programme) is a component of the
Australian Government’s $140 million Reef Trust. Runoff from agricultural land in the Reef
catchments is a major threat to the Great Barrier Reef and sediment in particular is having a
detrimental impact on reef water quality and overall reef health and resilience.
The Programme will address areas of extensive and active gully erosion in high priority
Management Units, within the Burdekin, Fitzroy, Cape York and Burnett Mary natural resource
management regions. The Programme will provide financial incentives through a competitive
grants process to one or multiple Delivery Partners to apply low cost, effective gully remediation
techniques guided by the latest available scientific information.
Further information about the Programme can found in Part 1 of the Guidelines, which are
available at http://www.environment.gov.au/marine/gbr/reef-trust.
21. What is the objective of the Gully Erosion Control Programme?
The Objective of the Programme is:

long term reduction of sediment run-off from high risk gully erosion areas in the reef
catchments.
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22. What are the outcomes of the Programme?
The expected outcomes of the Programme are:



Control and prevention of further erosion in areas where gully erosion is extensive, active
and delivering high rates of sediment into the Great Barrier Reef lagoon;
Integration of science and technical advice to actively inform adaptive management of the
Programme; and
Demonstration of cost-effective gully erosion control activities.
23. How will the success of the Programme be measured?
The success of the Programme will be measured by the following Key Performance Indicators
(KPIs):





The area of gully erosion managed by management solutions that:
o reduce erosion of soil from active gullies (stabilising existing gullies); and
o prevent new gullies from forming (rehabilitating areas showing early signs of
gullying (rills and scalding))
The degree of targeting of Programme activities to areas of extensive and active gully
erosion in priority Management Units;
The actual and potential physical effectiveness of Programme activities to reduce gully
sediment yield as indicated by monitoring and evaluation;
Demonstration of resilient and cost-effective treatments to grazing industry stakeholders;
and
Perception of the Programme by grazing industry and environmental management
stakeholders.
The monitoring and reporting requirements will align with these KPIs to ensure data is collected to
address them.
24. What are the anticipated timeframes for the programme?
Key steps
Timing
Applications open
29 October 2015
Applications close
2pm Queensland time (AEST) 26 November 2015
Assessment
November 2015
Successful Projects announced
December 2015
Funding Agreements offered
December-January 2016
Funding Agreements executed and funding
released
December-January 2016
Projects completed
By 30 June 2018
25. What is the Gully Toolbox?
The Gully Toolbox, developed by the Technical Partner CSIRO, contains detailed technical
information to help Applicants design their approach to address gully issues in their Gully Erosion
8
Control Project and assists with the completion of the Application. It contains the maps of targeted
areas, recommended activities and monitoring and reporting requirements.
It is available at: http://www.environment.gov.au/marine/gbr/reef-trust.
26. How many years will the grants run for? How many grant rounds will there be?
Under this competitive grants Programme, up to $5 million (excluding GST) will be available over
three financial years, until the end of the 2017-2018 financial year. Therefore project activities
must be completed by 30 June 2018. The Department may run subsequent rounds at its discretion,
depending on timing and availability of funds.
27. Who are Delivery Partners?
An Applicant becomes a Delivery Partner if successful through the Application process and is
consequently awarded a contract.
A Delivery Partner is, amongst other things responsible for:








developing and submitting an Application;
delivering the agreed Project in line with the Funding Agreement;
where necessary, obtaining the appropriate approvals (including for access to land from
public or private landholder(s), where the Delivery Partner does not have primary
responsibility for the land);
planning and implementing appropriate Gully remediation actions;
once contracted, liaising with the Technical Partner through the Department, to ensure
the latest scientific evidence is included in delivering the Project;
monitoring and reporting on progress of activity implementation, outputs and outcomes
throughout the Project;
acquittal of agreed Project in line with obligations specified in the Funding Agreement; and
ensuring the legacy of activities implemented through agreements with landholders,
where the Delivery Partner does not have primary responsibility for the land.
28. If I am the landholder, can I apply to deliver the funding?
If you are a landholder within one of the Management Units and your land features a high density
of gully erosion, you are eligible to apply for funding under the Programme to remediate gullies.
However, the program has been designed to allow delivery partners with the capacity, knowledge
and expertise in project management, delivery, monitoring and reporting, as outlined in the
Guidelines and Gully Toolbox, to engage with a range of landholders to deliver a cost-effective
program of gully remediation across one or more Management Units.
If you want to consider the range of options for your land, it may be worth contacting your local or
regional community, environmental and/or natural resource management groups who may be
interested in partnering.
29. Are Multiple Applications allowed?
Each Applicant is eligible to submit only one Application for the Programme. Each Application can
detail sub-projects in up to 10 Management Units.
9
Guidance for Designing Project Proposals
30. What activities will the Programme fund?
The range of Project Activities which may be funded under this Programme are listed in Section 3.4
of the Guidelines [http://www.environment.gov.au/marine/gbr/reef-trust ] and the Gully Toolbox.
31. Are third party (cash or in-kind) contributions required in an Application?
No, it is recognised that gullies are largely inherited by landholders from previous land
management, and therefore it is not essential to have a contribution (cash or in-kind) from the
Applicant and/or a third party.
However, Applicants should consider any private benefits landholders may receive from
implementation of the project and any private contributions from landholders that would improve
the cost-effectiveness of their Application.
Applicants should consider how their own view of an acceptable level of payment will place them
with respect to the other Applicants. The cost-effectiveness of The Applications will be a
consideration in the assessment process.
While the lower the price of an Application, the greater the chances of success are, it is important
that Applicants are realistic with their Application and ensure they receive sufficient funding to
support them to carry out the proposed gully remediation activities.
If the gullies being remediated are located on private land, landholders are required to continue to
manage their land to control weeds and stock access, and therefore provide an in-kind/cash
contribution to ensure the legacy of investments into the future.
32. What expenses have limited value as Applicant/third party contributions?
The expenses which have limitations as Applicant/third party contributions to the Project are
outlined in Section 3.5 of the Guidelines and below.
The following have limitations as Applicant/third party contributions to the Project:
?
salaries and labour expenses
Reasonable salary expenses where these expenses are not proven to be directly attributable to the
Project with measurable outputs in a Monitoring and Reporting Plan and are related to the normal
ongoing operations of an organisation. Third party In-kind Contribution of labour should be
calculated at no more than the award wage for that activity/profession;
?
administrative support and overheads
Administrative support and overheads where these expenses are not clearly demonstrated to be
additional to the normal day-to-day running costs of the organisation and are not shown in the
Monitoring and Reporting Plan to relate directly to specific Project objectives, measurable
outcomes and fit within a defined timeframe; and
?
purchase of equipment/building infrastructure
Purchase and/or hire of plant and equipment and/or building of infrastructure where it is not
proven that it is considered essential to the achievement of specific Project outcomes.
10
33. What expenses are ineligible as Applicant/third party contributions?
The following are not eligible to be counted as Applicant/third party contributions to the Project:


funds from this Programme or other Australian Government programmes; and
expenses for work you have already undertaken or plan to undertake after the
timeframe for the Project.
34. I need to start my Project now – can I get funding for work I’ve already done?
No. An Applicant must not commence work on the Project before the Project Commencement
Date (the date that the signed (by the official contact) Funding Agreement is countersigned by the
Commonwealth Government delegate (the Funding Agreement is ‘executed’). Payments will not
be backdated for activities that commenced before the execution of the Funding Agreement, and
no payments will be made unless a Funding Agreement has been executed.
The Funding Agreement will include provision for the Department to seek repayment of funds that
are found not to have been spent in accordance with the purposes specified in the Funding
Agreement.
35. When do I start my project?
The Project commencement date is the date that the signed (by the official contact) Funding
Agreement is countersigned by the Australian Government delegate (the Funding Agreement is
‘executed’). The Department will work with successful Applicants with the aim of having Funding
Agreements in place during January 2016. A copy of the executed Funding Agreement will be
returned to Successful Applicants for their records.
36. How will I receive payments for the delivery of my project?
Following the execution of the Funding Agreement, funds will be paid in accordance with the
agreed milestones and payment schedules, provided any conditions required before the
commencement of Projects are met, as set out in the Funding Agreement.
GST will be applied to payments based on the Recipient’s GST status at the time of Application
unless the Department is notified of a change at the time of entering into a Funding Agreement.
Before any payments are made, Delivery Partners will be required to provide:


evidence of meeting the associated obligations of the Funding Agreement through the
monitoring and reporting processes; and
any other conditions of payment (e.g. .evidence of purchase of equipment, satisfactory
progress report, approvals, other documentation etc).
Monitoring and Reporting
37. What reporting requirements will grant recipients have to undertake?
In line with standard Australian Government audit and evaluation requirements, all funded
Projects will be subject to financial and performance monitoring and evaluation to ensure that
they are meeting specified milestones and performance indicators as detailed in the associated
Funding Agreement.
11
Monitoring and reporting requirements are detailed on the website at www.nrm.gov.au/myproject/monitoring-and-reporting and in the Gully Toolbox (www.environment.gov.au/reef-trust).
Information about how to register and use the MERIT online reporting tool as well as information
about other reporting requirements will be sent to you as soon as possible after the Project
Commencement Date.
Delivery Partner(s) are required to provide the following information and reports to the Australian
Government, and additional information on request:

an online Monitoring and Reporting Plan and Project activity schedule when the Project begins
using the Department’s online MERIT Tool;

an online progress report every six months during the Project. Some of this information may
be made available to the public. Information required to be provided may include, where
relevant (further details in the Gully Toolbox):
o
Site characteristics, maps, design overviews and costs of on-ground activities planned
for the coming period, and expected sediment reductions as described in the Gully
Toolbox;
o
Monitoring of surface and gully vegetation cover and condition including photos,
before and after gully control activities in treated gullies at each site and in nearby
non-treated (control) gullies, and landholder perspectives of activities, using templates
provided; and
o
Paddock to Reef grazing benchmarking questions, undertaken with the landholder;

annual financial reports and annual independently audited financial statement(s); and

a final Project report, due within 40 business days of the agreed completion date for the
Project, providing evidence of practical completion and demonstrating the results and
expenditure of your Project on completion.
Delivery Partner(s) will be required to map their Project Sites and monitor and report on Project
Activities and Outcomes. Project information such as the outputs, outcomes and location of
Project Activities may be made public in line with the Principles on open public sector information,
available at http://www.oaic.gov.au/information-policy/information-policyresources/information-policy-agency-resources/principles-on-open-public-sector-information.
Further information regarding monitoring and reporting requirements can be found in the Gully
Toolbox.
38. Why is this extent of monitoring and reporting needed?
An essential part of the Project Activities is to report the characteristics of gullies at project sites,
the gully erosion control activities implemented, and to monitor the environmental impact in local
conditions. Monitoring and Reporting in the Programme has several objectives:
1. To measure and report the characteristics of gullies at project sites and selection and design of
gully erosion control activities consistent with the objectives in Section Error! Reference
ource not found.;
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2. To help define the cost-effectiveness of gully erosion control activities at each site in terms of
the past erosion rates and expected sediment saving from the activities;
3. To confirm the completion and integrity of on-ground activities;
4. To assess partner and landholder perspectives of gully erosion control works, and inform
decisions on future activities;
5. To inform evaluation of the project impact on vegetation, and of the cost-effectiveness of
projects in reducing sediment loads to the GBR lagoon;
6. To facilitate learning between sites, and adaptive management of the project and Programme
in consultation with the Department of the Environment (the Department) and Technical
Partner;
7. To assist the Paddock to Reef Monitoring, Modelling and Reporting Programme to estimate
erosion reductions from gully erosion control activities;
8. To provide a baseline for subsequent follow up monitoring to evaluate longer-term outcomes
on land condition and erosion.
39. What percentage of the total project funding can be allocated to monitoring and reporting?
General guidance provided for the amount of funds for monitoring and reporting requirements is
five per cent of the total project cost. Given that this Programme is a proof of concept which may
be extended following an evaluation of effectiveness, where strong justification is provided,
Applicants may request a reasonable level of additional support (a higher percentage than five per
cent of the total Project cost) for monitoring and reporting. The justification and validity of this
request will be considered through the Assessment Process. Further information regarding
monitoring and reporting requirements can be found in the Gully Toolbox.
I have applied for a grant – what happens next?
40. How long will it take for my Application to be assessed?
The Australian Government will assess Applications in a timely manner to enable successful
Projects to start early in the 2016 calendar year.
41. How will my Application be assessed?
The Assessment Criteria are set out in Section 5.3 of the Guidelines which are available at
http://www.environment.gov.au/marine/gbr/reef-trust and this includes the complete process for
assessing applications.
Each of the Management Units/sub-Projects will be compared against each other during
Assessment, leading to a merit list of Management Units, ranked for funding consideration. During
this assessment, the Eligibility, Applicant Details, Project Details and Capacity and Governance
sections in the Application Form (the sections applicable to all the Management Units being
applied for by that Applicant) will only be reviewed once.
During the Assessment Process, each sub-project (one per Management Unit) will receive a total
score against the Assessment Criteria, leading to a ranked list of Management Units.
The description of the complete Assessment Process can found in Section 5.4 of the Guidelines,
which are available at http://www.environment.gov.au/marine/gbr/reef-trust
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42. Who is Assessing my application?
Each Application will be assessed by one Departmental Officer and one member of the Technical
Partner team (CSIRO and ANU). The description of the complete Assessment Process can found in
Section 5.4 of the Guidelines, which are available at
http://www.environment.gov.au/marine/gbr/reef-trust
43. How will the Government decide which Projects to fund?
Upon receipt, all Applications undergo an Eligibility check to ensure that all Eligibility Criteria have
been met and the Application can proceed to the merit assessment.
Applications will be assessed in a competitive, merit based process, on the extent to which they
address the Assessment Criteria.
A Moderation Panel, which may consist of Australian Government officials, Queensland
Government and the Technical Partner, will consider the assessed Applications as a package prior
to advice being provided to the Minister. This Panel will consider the Applications in light of other
factors which are listed in the Guidelines, Section 5.4.
Following the deliberations of the Moderation Panel, the Department will provide advice to the
Minister on the merits of each Application for final approval of funding.
The Minister will consider the high scoring, recommended Applications, relative to the funding
available. The Minister will make the final determination on which Applications receive funding
and no further negotiations will be entered into. For Projects with multiple Management Units, the
Minister may approve selected Management Unit Sub-Projects within the Application.
44. Will all the Management Units I apply for receive funding?
Due to the competitive nature of this Programme, the merit of your Application directly influences
funding allocations. Based on the merit of your Application in comparison with other Applications,
not all Management Units or activities submitted by an Applicant may end up being funded. The
Minister makes the final decision on which projects will be funded, and this may result in certain
Management Units being funded while others are not.
45. Will all the Project sites within each Management Unit I apply for, receive funding?
Given the limited funding available for the Programme, there is no guarantee that all Project
Site(s) within each of the Management Unit(s) will receive funding.
The Australian Government reserves the right to adjust funding amounts between regions and
Management Units and therefore adjust the scope of Applications. It is possible that Project
budget profiles may need to be adjusted to better meet the priorities for investment and the
available funding under the Programme.
46. How will I receive notification regarding the outcome of my Application?
After the Minister for the Environment has approved proposals for funding, all Applicants will be
informed in writing whether or not their Application has been successful. Details of successful
Projects will be listed on the Reef Trust Gully Erosion Control website once successful Applicants
have been informed.
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47. Can I appeal the decision if my Project is not funded?
The Minister’s decision is final and there is no appeal process for Reef Trust Gully Erosion Control
competitive grants. You may wish to seek feedback on your Application to help develop any future
grant applications you may wish to make. All Applicants have the opportunity to receive written or
other feedback on their Application if a request is made within one month of public notice of
successful projects.
Providing feedback
48. I would like to provide feedback on the Programme
Feedback on the Programme is valued as it helps the Department to improve.
Applicants will be invited to provide feedback on the Application process through a survey which
will be emailed to Applicants once applications close.
All enquiries will be handled consistent with the Department’s Service Charter 2014–16, available
from the Department’s website www.environment.gov.au
If an Applicant is dissatisfied with the way their Application has been handled by the Department,
the Applicant can lodge a complaint by contacting the Department via
reef2050@environment.gov.au or by mail to:
Reef Trust
Biodiversity Conservation Division
Department of the Environment
GPO Box 787 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Complaints will be managed in line with the Department’s Complaints Management Policy. The
Department is committed to consistent, fair and confidential handling of complaints and to
resolving complaints as quickly as possible. Feedback and complaints will be handled impartially
and in a confidential manner.
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