Up to $4M is available through the Smart Farming Partnerships Grant to develop and implement new and innovative tools and farm practices.
National Landcare Program: Smart Farming Partnerships Grant
Smart Farming Partnerships supports four to five-year projects to develop, trial and implement new and innovative tools and farm practices. As well as increasing on-farm profitability and productivity, projects should promote the uptake of sustainable agriculture practices across agricultural, fishing, aquaculture, and farm forestry industries.
The Smart Farming Partnerships grant opportunity will be administered by the Community Grants Hub on behalf of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources under a Whole-of-Australian Government initiative to streamline grant processes across agencies.
Background
Smart Farming Partnerships is an open competitive grant opportunity that supports four to five-year projects to develop, trial and implement new and innovative tools and farm practices. Two rounds of funding ($30 million each) are expected: the initial round in 2017-18 followed by a second call for applications in late 2018-19.
Smart Farming Partnerships is seeking to support projects capable of delivering all aspects needed to develop and maximise the appropriate uptake of these new tools and farm practices. Applicants must form partnerships, also known as consortia as defined in Part 7.5, as part of delivering project outcomes. Each partnership will have a nominated lead proponent. It is expected that organisations with relevant experience/expertise in developing/trialling such tools will partner with groups that possess the networks/resources to ensure appropriate delivery of large scale implementation and extension phases.
Objective
The purposes of the Smart Farming Partnerships are to develop, trial and implement new and innovative tools that support industry practice changes that will deliver more productive and profitable agriculture, fishing, aquaculture and farm forestry industries; protect Australia’s biodiversity; protect and improve the condition of natural resources (in particular soils and vegetation); and assist Australia to meet its obligations under relevant international treaties.
Funding
A total of $60 million is available for Smart Farming Partnerships Grants in two rounds over six years (2017–18 to 2022–23). The first round opened for applications in October 2017. The Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources announced that he had approved successful applications in June 2018.
Grant applications for a minimum of $250,000 and a maximum of $4 million (GST exclusive) will be considered for projects focussed on achieving one or both of the Outcomes at item 1.4 above. A total of $32.6 million is available for Smart Farming Partnerships Round 2.
Eligible Projects
To be eligible, your project must meet all of the following requirements:
- the project must be delivered by a consortium partnership (this means the project must be developed and delivered by a consortium that includes at least one member that is a university, NLP Regional Land Partnerships service provider, Rural Research and Development Corporation or Commonwealth, state or territory government agency)
- the project must contribute to achieving at least one Smart Farming Partnerships outcome
- the project must contribute to improving Australian food and fibre business productivity and profitability and must protect or improve eligible natural resources
- total grant funding sought must be between a minimum of $250 000 and a maximum of $4 million (GST exclusive)
- all project activities must be planned to be completed by 30 April 2023
- all project activities must be eligible
- the project must achieve a public benefit that would not occur without the grant and that exceeds the amount of the grant.
Eligible Applicants
To be eligible to apply for a grant you must be an individual or an organisation capable of entering into a legally binding and enforceable agreement with the Commonwealth. Eligible legal entities include the following entity types:
- Commonwealth company
- Company
- Cooperative
- Corporate Commonwealth entity
- Corporate state or territory entity
- Incorporated association
- Indigenous corporation
- Person
- International entity
- Local government
- Non-corporate state or territory entity or statutory authority
- Partnership
- Sole trader
- Statutory entity
- Trustee on behalf of a trust
You must have the following additional eligibility requirements in place before you apply, or be willing to put them in place prior to the execution of a grant agreement:
- have an Australian Business Number (ABN), or be willing to obtain one prior to the execution of the grant agreement
- be registered for the purposes of GST, or be willing to register prior to the execution of the grant agreement
- have an account with an Australian financial institution
- for individuals or natural persons, be a permanent resident of Australia, and
- for international entities, be registered with ASIC to carry on business in Australia
If you do not meet these additional requirements you will not be eligible.
Timing
Applications close 17 May 2019.
