Bushfire-generated green waste grants

Program snapshot

Category: Bushfire Recovery Programs

Amounts: Up to $45 million is available for Bushfire-Generated Green Waste.

Funding Stream A – Data collection initiative
Provided a flat fee of $10,000 to assess and document the extent of bushfire-generated green waste within your jurisdiction. Additional funding of up to $20,000 per LGA will be considered in cases where:
(a) Councils received Stream A funding and the $10,000 was not sufficient to complete the assessment; or

(b) Councils did not receive Stream A funding and have still carried out a green waste assessment in order to apply for Stream B funding.

Applications for up to an additional $20,000 will be made through the Stream B application process and evidence of expenditure must be provided with the request.
Funding Stream B – Clean-up and processing grants
Grants between $20,000 and $3,000,000 to fund clean-up, processing and beneficial reuse of green waste generated by the 2019/20 bushfires.

Eligible bodies: NSW councils and other local government controlled organisations affected by the 2019–20 bushfires in NSW. Non-Government Organisations can apply on behalf of Councils, provided they have a partnership agreement in place.

Contact: 131 555 or bushfirerecovery.programs@epa.nsw.gov.au

Status: Stream A has now closed
Stream B opens for applications on Tuesday 6 April 2021 and closes on Wednesday 30 June 2021.

Managed by: NSW Environment Protection Authority. This program is funded under the joint Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

Aims

The Bushfire-Generated Green Waste Grants program builds on the NSW Government commitment to deliver bushfire recovery assistance to help people and businesses impacted by bushfires. The program's objectives are to

assess and document outstanding green waste generated by the 2019–20 bushfires
manage the clean-up of outstanding green waste generated by the 2019–20 bushfires
provide opportunities to beneficially reuse processed green waste products in bushfire-affected regions
provide regional employment opportunities in bushfire-affected communities

How to apply

What can grants be used for?

Stream A grants were for any items necessary to scope, assess and report on bushfire-generated green waste within your tenure. Stream B grants are for clean-up, recovery and disposal costs of bushfire-generated green waste.

Can we apply for this grant if we have already cleaned up bushfire-generated green waste?

No. We recognise that much of this waste may have already been cleaned up due to the time since the fires, however, retrospective grants are not within the scope of this program.

How much can I apply for under one grant application?

Applications are not capped. However, value for money will be evaluated for each application.

Can burnt trees be composted?

Yes. If supplying burnt green waste to a composting facility, it must be confirmed with the composting facility that they can take it for beneficial reuse.

I didn’t participate in Funding Stream A – Data Collection Initiative. Can I still apply for Stream B?

Yes. You will need to provide relevant information about the green waste you are requesting funding to clean up, including location, volume and type of green waste. Through the Stream B application, you can also request funding to reimburse the funds you may have spent on gathering this green waste information.