Our Marine Parks Grants

Eligible applicants must be one of the following entity types:

• Company.
• Cooperative.
• Corporate Commonwealth Entity.
• Corporate State or Territory Entity.
• Incorporated Association.
• Indigenous Corporation.
• Local Government.
• Non-corporate Commonwealth Statutory Authority.
• Non-corporate State or Territory Entity.
• Non-corporate State or Territory Statutory Authority.
• Statutory Entity.

A Trustee applying on behalf of a Trust must itself be one of the eligible entity types.

Consortium applications are permitted where:

• An eligible organisation acts as the lead applicant.
• The lead organisation is solely accountable to the Commonwealth for project delivery.
• Eligible organisations may form a consortium with otherwise ineligible organisations.
• All consortium members are identified in the application.
• A letter of support is supplied from each consortium partner.
• Formal arrangements with all parties are established before execution of the grant agreement.

Applicants must also:

• Have an account with an Australian financial institution.
• Confirm the project does not duplicate other government-funded management activities already underway in the proposed location.
• Confirm they have no overdue reports, acquittals or Australian Government funding debts that would impede their ability to deliver the project.

Applicants are not eligible where they are an:

• International Entity.
• Non-corporate Commonwealth Entity.
• Partnership.
• Person.
• Sole Trader.
• Unincorporated Association, subject to the specific provisions in the guidelines.

Organisations and project partners may also be ineligible where they appear on relevant National Redress Scheme or Workplace Gender Equality Agency non-compliance lists.

Applications are assessed competitively against four weighted assessment criteria.

Criterion 1 – Grant opportunity objectives – 30%

Applicants must demonstrate how their project meets one or more of the grant opportunity objectives.

Strong applications should:

• Clearly identify and explain the need or problem being addressed.
• Explain the proposed solution and specific grant activities.
• Describe the expected impact, value and importance of those activities in the context of the program objectives.
• Establish clear, specific and achievable project outcomes.
• Demonstrate how those outcomes contribute directly to the objectives of Our Marine Parks Grants – Round 5.
• Identify the relevant Australian Marine Park or Parks in which the project will operate.
• For research projects, identify the relevant research need and demonstrate alignment with the Australian Marine Parks Science Priorities.
• For activities in adjacent waters, clearly explain how they contribute to Australian Marine Park management.

Criterion 2 – Benefits to First Nations peoples, local communities and/or stakeholders – 30%

Applicants must demonstrate how their project will benefit and engage First Nations peoples, local communities and/or stakeholders.

Strong applications should demonstrate one or more of the following:

• Meaningful participation and benefits for First Nations peoples and communities.
• Support from an entity or entities responsible for relevant Sea Country.
• Co-design of the project with relevant First Nations groups.
• Where co-design has not occurred before application, a clear process for First Nations participation in co-design during implementation.
• Broader social and economic benefits for local communities.
• Benefits for relevant industries, marine user groups and stakeholders.
• Direct participation by local communities and stakeholders.
• Capacity-building opportunities.
• Effective communication and engagement activities.
• Demonstrated support from First Nations peoples, local communities and/or marine park stakeholders.
• Appropriate letters of support from participating organisations, communities and stakeholders.

Criterion 3 – Value for money – 20%

Applicants must demonstrate how the proposed project will achieve value for money.

Strong applications should:

• Demonstrate substantial financial and/or in-kind co-contributions from the applicant and project partners.
• Identify contributions from external partners and other funding schemes where applicable.
• Demonstrate that project costs are competitive.
• Justify significant expenditure items over $50,000.
• Explain why major expenditure is necessary to achieve project objectives.
• Identify opportunities for lower-cost solutions, partial funding approaches or other cost savings where appropriate.
• For research or technology projects, demonstrate the maturity and readiness of the proposed methods, solutions or technologies.
• Clearly identify whether technologies are proven and ready for application, at proof-of-concept or trial stage, at initial research stage or not yet developed.
• Recognise that more advanced research methods and technologies will be assessed more favourably.

The Selection Advisory Panel will also consider the expected impact and value for money, with projects demonstrating in-kind support or leveraging additional partner funding assessed more highly than projects without such contributions.

Criterion 4 – Organisation’s capability to deliver – 20%

Applicants must demonstrate their capability to deliver the project on time and within budget.

Strong applications should:

• Demonstrate experience or capacity to develop and deliver comparable projects.
• Provide relevant examples of previous projects.
• If previously funded through the Our Marine Parks Grants Program, explain whether previous projects were delivered on time and within budget and identify any changes to project activities.
• Identify key project personnel.
• Explain the relevant skills, qualifications and experience of key personnel.
• Clearly define the roles key personnel will perform.
• Explain the governance arrangements supporting project delivery.
• Demonstrate appropriate project management systems.
• Demonstrate appropriate financial and administrative systems.
• Explain how these systems will support delivery within the approved timeframe and budget.
• Identify significant project risks and areas of uncertainty.
• Explain how risks will be monitored, managed and mitigated throughout delivery.

The competitive selection process may additionally consider:

• Wider social and economic impacts.
• Proportionality of costs.
• Expected impact and overall value for money.
• Contributions towards program objectives and outcomes.
• Distribution of funding across applicant types and Australian Marine Parks.
• The extent to which activities impact, leverage or are led by First Nations or local community groups.
• Legacy outcomes delivering long-term benefits for Australian Marine Park management.
• Innovation in achieving the grant objectives.
• Compliance with relevant legislation, policies and industry standards.

To maximise the prospects of receiving funding, applicants should demonstrate:

• A clearly defined marine management need or problem supported by credible evidence.
• Strong alignment between the proposed activities and one or more program objectives and outcomes.
• A direct and significant benefit to one or more eligible Australian Marine Parks.
• Meaningful First Nations, community, industry and stakeholder engagement appropriate to the project.
• Genuine co-design and participation by First Nations groups where relevant.
• Appropriate support from entities responsible for relevant Sea Country.
• Clear evidence of stakeholder and community support, including letters of support where appropriate.
• Specific, measurable and achievable project outcomes.
• A practical and credible project delivery approach.
• Strong organisational and personnel capability.
• Effective governance, project management, financial management and administration arrangements.
• A realistic budget with competitive and well-justified costs.
• Financial and in-kind co-contributions wherever possible to strengthen value for money.
• Clear justification for individual expenditure items exceeding $50,000.
• Appropriate management of project risks and uncertainties.
• For science projects, strong alignment with Australian Marine Parks Science Priorities and/or demonstrated First Nations research priorities.
• Long-term or legacy benefits that continue to support marine park management beyond the funded project.
• Innovation where it can improve marine park management outcomes.
• Compliance with all relevant regulatory, legislative and industry requirements.

Applicants should ensure that every claim is supported with appropriate evidence and that the level of detail provided is proportionate to the project’s size, complexity and funding request.

Applicants should prepare:

• Evidence supporting their legal entity type.
• Applicant and authorised contact details.
• Australian financial institution account details.
• Recent bank statement for verification, issued within the previous six months.
• Two most recent sets of year-end financial information, where available.
• Details of project need and supporting evidence.
• Project title and plain-English project description.
• Relevant Australian Marine Park locations and networks.
• Detailed project activities, deliverables and expected outcomes.
• Mandatory Project Plan, including budget, using the template provided.
• Details of project personnel, qualifications, skills and experience.
• Project governance, management and administrative arrangements.
• Project risks and mitigation measures.
• Details of financial co-contributions and other funding.
• Details and value of in-kind contributions.
• Information about other government funding applied for or secured.
• Evidence and details of First Nations, community and stakeholder engagement.
• Letters of support where relevant.
• Letters of support from every consortium member where applying as a consortium.
• Trust deed and subsequent variations where applying as Trustee on behalf of a Trust.
• Evidence supporting major project costs or quotations where appropriate.
• Information addressing each of the four assessment criteria.
• Relevant regulatory approvals or an appropriate plan for securing approvals before project activities commence.

The Project Plan, including budget, must use the mandatory template. Failure to provide required attachments or use the mandatory template will result in the application being considered non-compliant and not proceeding to assessment. Attachments have a 2 MB file size limit.

The application form also requires bank account verification and specifies that a recent bank statement issued within the previous six months must be provided.

Applications must be submitted online through GrantConnect.

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