Environmental funding  

Auckland and Northland community groups needing support for their environmental projects may be eligible for grants from ASB Community Trust.  

Trustline newsletter, March 2011

When considering grants to environment groups, conservation is the Trust’s primary focus and to help community organisations achieve their environmental goals, the Trust considers applications for most costs involved in conservation projects.  

ASB Community Trust Grants Advisor Kim Collins says applications for funding should explain what the group is doing, where and why.  The Trust will verify that the project: is on public land in the Auckland and Northland region and  is using best practice guidelines; and that there are clear environmental outcomes for the project.  Groups should be able to demonstrate that projects are in line with national and/or regional conservation priorities.

A recent grant to the Windy Hill Rosalie Bay Catchment Trust is a good example of the type of environmental projects the Trust supports. The grant helped fund a weed and pest eradication programme on public land and a Black Robin monitoring programmes on Great Barrier Island., .  The site is listed as a Site of Ecological Significance in the Auckland City District Plan and contains endangered native species such as the North Island Kaka and Black Robin.

Groups that do not meet the Trust’s usual eligibility criteria may be able to apply under an umbrella organisation.  The umbrella organisation can apply for and administer the funding on behalf of one or more small projects.

“This recognises the huge volunteer input that helps drive  the environment sector, and means that small organisations that are achieving good conservation outcomes are able to receive funding,” Kim says. “We don’t have a big list of things you can and can’t apply for, we are more concerned that a project has clear conservation benefits and outcomes.”

Kim is happy to talk to groups about what they are trying to achieve and to find out how the Trust can help. She can be contacted on (09) 360 0291, freephone 0800 272 878 or by emailing info@ASBCommunityTrust.org.nz

The closing dates for environment grants are June 1 and December 1 each year.