Small Scale Community Initiatives Fund - 2024

The purpose of the Small Scale Community Initiatives Fund (SSCIF) is to support volunteer community groups and individual landowners undertaking ecological restoration through animal and plant pest control in the Waikato region.

All applications will be assessed against the following criteria:

1. Fit with priorities in the Waikato Regional Pest Management Plan
2. Biodiversity protection and enhancement: How effectively will the project promote, enhance or protect biodiversity, and is there outcome monitoring proposed?
3. Ecological significance of the site: Is there a Significant Natural Area or Feature being protected?
4. Community participation and awareness: How effectively will the project engage with community and utilise volunteer support?
5. Collaboration and partnership: Have applicants explored and developed opportunities for co-funding and/or collaboration with stakeholders e.g. DOC, iwi/Māori, other agencies and community groups?
6. Project budget: Cost versus perceived outcomes are compared.
7. Viability: Likelihood of the project's success and inclusion of a map that clearly shows what is planned.

To be eligible for the fund your project must align with the above and you must include all requested information.

Before you start filling out this form, please read the guidelines below to help you decide whether you are eligible to apply to the Small Scale Community Initiatives Fund.

Who can apply?

Volunteer community based groups or individual landowners.

Limitations

If you are already receiving funding for a project through the Environmental Initiatives Fund or the Natural Heritage Fund in the current financial year then you will not be eligible to apply for SSCIF funding for the same project.

What can be funded?

• Purchase of materials including traps, bait, bait stations or herbicide used in pest animal or pest plant control.
• Professional contracted services up to $1,000 (e.g. the services of a qualified herbicide applicator or controlled substance licence holder).

What cannot be funded?

• Reimbursement of landowner time or voluntary labour
• Projects located outside the Waikato region
• Debt repayment
• Projects which are core business of other agencies
• Travel, conference, legal or accounting expenses
• Plants, planting and landscaping projects
• Proposals designed to generate personal or commercial profit
• Purchase of capital items of equipment or infrastructure (e.g. GPS or vehicles)
• Any works/activities that are required as conditions of a resource consent
• Projects that require but have not been granted resource consent
• Retrospective costs

You must complete all required sections of the application form. Failure to provide the requested information will cause your application to be deemed ineligible.

The application must be completed in this electronic format. Physical or scanned versions of the application form will not be accepted.

Please preview the form before you start, as the required documentation may take some time to prepare. Please do not leave your application until the last minute. 

If your application is successful, you will be required to participate in a discussion with Waikato Regional Council to discuss overlapping duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

If you have any questions about your application please contact Renee Denby on 07 859 0907 or email smallscalefund@waikatoregion.govt.nz.