Inspire us with your great idea to rethink/redesign, reduce, reuse/repurpose.  Projects must achieve the following objectives:

• Waste Reduction – Reducing waste at source and/or
• Resource Recovery – Diverting waste from landfill

The aim is to support initiatives that complement and enhance existing programmes, address gaps, create new opportunities, and encourage community participation in waste minimisation.

The fund is open to community groups, businesses, Iwi/Maori organisations, and education providers within the Southland Region.

To be eligible to apply for support from WasteNet Community Waste Minimisation Fund, the project must meet the following criteria:

• Align with the vision, goals, and objective of Southland Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2020-2026.
• Take place within the Southland Region and be for the benefit of the Southland Community.
• Be from a legal entity or fall under an umbrella legal entity
• The applicant must have no outstanding debt owing to WasteNet, Gore District Council, Invercargill City Council or Southland District Council.
• The applicant must comply with all WasteNet and/or Invercargill City Council regulatory and statutory requirements relating to the preparation and delivery of the project, including obtaining all necessary permits and consents.
• Projects must not have breached previous funding and legislative agreements with the abovementioned councils, including reporting criteria.
• The applicant must fully declare any additional council or local board funding, grant or koha/ donation received for the project/event.
• Applicants must specify additional funding from their own or other resources, and/or in kind.

A contestable fund of $50,000 is available for 2024.

Funding is exclusive of GST. Your organisation will be responsible for meeting its GST obligations if registered.

There are a range of different types of projects that would be considered eligible for funding.  Examples of acceptable activities are:

• Trials and pilot projects
• Community outreach and education
• Workshops, events, monitoring and surveys
• Materials and equipment
• Skills development and research (that is not aimed at supporting the attainment of a qualification)
• Project implementation costs including operational and capital costs.
• Payment of staff time for specific deliverables. Ongoing staff salaries and wages is excluded.

The Fund cannot be used for:

• Projects that are inconsistent with the Southland Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2020-2026 (WMMP)
• Activities already completed.
• Projects outside of the Southland Region that do not have a clear benefit to the Southland community.
• Projects focused on waste disposal or litter clean-ups
• Debt servicing or repayment.
• Feasibility studies and business cases
• Costs in preparing an application
• Marketing programmes
• Staff salaries or wages
• Ongoing financial support of existing activities or running costs of the existing activities of organisations, individuals, or firms.
• Prize money
• Legal expenses
• Conventions, conferences, trade shows, private functions, catering or media
• Purchasing or leasing a vehicle
• Purchase of land or buildings or the improvement of privately owned facilities
• Rent or accommodation cost
• Purchase of alcohol, tobacco, illegal substances, or gaming
• Fundraising

• Applications are available online to download. The application can be emailed to Wastenet@icc.govt.nz.
• We will only accept complete applications so please answer all questions.
• Any supporting documentation must be included as part of your application. Please clearly state your project or applicant name on all supporting documents submitted.
• Applicants must include a detailed project budget as part of their application.

Applications will be assessed by WasteNet Panel based on the following criteria:

Strategic Alignment

• Aligned with Waste Management and Minimisation Plan vision, goals, and objectives.
• This includes alignment with the waste hierarchy, with a preference for projects that target the top of the hierarchy.

Waste Minimisation

Either:

• Waste reduction – reducing waste at source and/or,
• Resource recovery – diverting waste from landfill

Community Participation

• Community participation is achieved
• Tangible community benefit is delivered
• Behaviour is changed

Value

• Gaps and opportunities in existing waste minimisation services and projects are addressed.

Quality

• The project has clear outcomes that are specific and ideally measurable.
• The organisation making the proposal can demonstrate the ability to carry out the project, ideally shown by experience in projects of a similar nature.
• The project is technically and financially feasible and does not represent an unacceptable level of risk to the councils and community.

• Once the fund closes, all applications will be checked for completion.
• Your application will be assessed and scored by WasteNet panel.
• You may be contacted by the panel to answer any questions specific to your application.

• Following evaluation, all applicants will be notified in writing about whether their application has been successful or not.
• If you are successful, you will need to invoice WasteNet for the funds that have been approved.
• Funding will be paid into an approved account on 20th of the following month, following receipt of an invoice from the applicant.

• Successful applicants are required to complete an accountability form within 6 months of funds being issued. This is to demonstrate that project objectives were achieved and evidence that funding was used for the purpose it was allocated for.
• WasteNet reserves the right to contact you for an update at any time throughout your project.
• The Council may audit successful recipients. This may include a visit from council staff during or on completion of the project.
• The project must be delivered within the planned timeframe. After which the project objectives should have been achieved.