- Smart Farms Small Grants fund short-term projects that build the capacity of farmers, fishers and foresters to adopt best practice natural resource management.
- Up to $6.5 million is available for Round 4, with funding of between $5,000 and $100,000 (GST exclusive) for each grant.
- Applications open 21 August 2020 and close 11pm AEDT on 9 October 2020.
Farmers, fishers and foresters can now apply for grants of up to $100,000 to support their natural resource management efforts, Federal Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien announced today.
Mr O’Brien said applications for Round 4 of the Coalition Government’s Smart Farms Small Grants were now open, with $6.5 million available nationally.
“Wide Bay farmers know the land better than anyone, and have always done a great job to look after it, so through these grants we can give them a helping hand to adopt the next generation of sustainable farming practices,” Mr O’Brien said.
“The funding is aimed at one- to two-year projects that will promote the best practice in sustainable farming, in a range of areas such as pest control, vegetation management, farm input efficiency, climate and market management, and the use of new technologies.”
Smart Farms Small Grants is a sustainable agriculture element of the National Landcare Program (NLP). The Australian Government is investing more than $1 billion towards the second phase of the NLP from 2018-2023.
“Smart Farms Small Grants is a hugely popular program that provides significant benefits for local growers and producers, the environment and local communities,” Mr O’Brien said.
“In Wide Bay, we’re already seeing the benefit of this program with the Noosa & District Landcare Group’s Keeping It In Kin Kin project, which received $49,887 through Round 3 and is doing great work to reduce erosion and prevent sediment entering Lake Cootharaba.”
For more information and to apply, visit the Community Grants Hub https://www.communitygrants.gov.au/grants
Fast Facts:
- Smart Farms Small Grants support projects that address a range of natural resource management issues including soil health, pest and weed management, farm production efficiency, Indigenous involvement, climate and market risk and use of new technologies to improve sustainable practices.
- Projects may be delivered locally, regionally and multi-regionally and must be completed by 30 June 2023.
- A total of $43.5 million is available for Smart Farms Small Grants from 2017–18 to 2022–23.
