FUNDING GUIDELINES
Funding from the Cobb Valley Dam Mitigation Fund
More Information is available from Sky Davies (Trust Manager)
skydavies@tet.org.nz
Background
The Tasman Environmental Trust (the Trust) administers a fund set up by Cobb Power Ltd (the Mitigation Fund) in accordance with agreement between them and the parties to the fund deed being Department of Conservation (DOC), Nelson Marlborough Fish and Game Council (Fish & Game) and three Iwi Trusts (Ngati Tama Manawhenua Ki Te Ihu Trust, Te Atiawa Manawhenua Ki Te Ihu Trust and Ngati Rarua Iwi Trust). These parties acknowledge the environmental effects of the Cobb Power scheme and have implemented the fund to mitigate or offset these effects.
Aim of the Fund
To finance environmental enhancement and mitigation projects conceived by DOC, Fish & Game Council, the three local Iwi Trusts, or any other party in order to protect or enhance freshwater resources in Golden Bay
Funds Available
The Trust may allocate any amount of funds in a given year but this will be limited to about $20,000 this year. Most projects are expected to be in the $5,000 to $15,000 range but larger applications will be considered. Projects may be funded whole or in part by the Trust. The Trust is under no obligation to fund any of the projects submitted in any one year. The Trust Deed specifies that funding is generally to be of a capital nature and generally limited to a 12-month period.
Eligibility
Groups and individuals are eligible to apply for funding. Proposed projects must be located within Golden Bay and shall be designed to meet one or more of the following objectives.
1. Enhancing natural character, aquatic habitat and amenity, water quality or fishery values at and around the Cobb Valley and reservoir or the wider Takaka catchment including Waikoropupu Springs and the rivers and streams flowing from those springs;
2. Enhancement of natural or man-made wetlands and, where appropriate, the creation of any new wetlands in Golden Bay;
3. Riparian vegetation enhancement in Golden Bay.
Priorities
Priority will be given to projects addressing the adverse impacts of the Cobb Dam on the Takaka catchment; these include loss of habitat, interruption of fish passage, and diminished water quality in the Upper Takaka catchment. However, mitigation activities in other parts of the catchment and in other parts of Golden Bay will also be considered.
How to Apply
An application for funding commences with submitting a preliminary assessment. The closing date for the preliminary assessment changes each year.
Preliminary Assessments must be no more than two pages in length and include the following headings:
• Name and Contact details.
• Legal Structure.
• Purpose of your organisation.
• Project Title
• Brief outline of your project including timeframe (see assessment criteria below for required content)
• What will be the nature and magnitude of the outcomes of this project if it is successful?
• What are the main risks to these outcomes being achieved?
• Are consents or other legislative approvals in place and if not when can these be obtained?
• Amount requested and what for.
Applications should be emailed to skydavies@tet.org.nz . Successful short-listed applicants may be invited to submit a detailed application by the closing date advised each year.
Assessment Criteria
The Trust and its advisory panel will assess each assessment against the following seven criteria as well as considering how it fits within the priorities identified by Dr Philip Simpson in his report Assessment will be made based on the material provided by the applicants. Applicants are encouraged to address each of these criteria in their preliminary application.
1. Term of the Project.
Funding is generally limited to 12 months but a project can be re-submitted for a further 12 months funding if this is reasonable. Projects that do not require on-going maintenance or where other funding arrangements are made for such maintenance will be preferred. Any funds allocated are expected to be used within the time frame outlined in the application, but the Trust recognises that flexibility is necessary in some circumstances and will consider re-negotiating time frames.
2. Ecological Significance. This is intended to cover:
• the degree to which the project addresses a serious ecological problem, a significant threat to indigenous flora or fauna, or the degree to which it improves habitat or water quality
• the urgency of threats to the area that the project could alleviate
• other risks and threats to the ecosystem(s) being enhanced by this project.
3. Relevance of the Project
This relates to the degree to which the project mitigates known effects of Cobb Power station and addresses the specific concerns of the three main parties to the fund deed being DOC, Fish & Game and the three local Iwi trusts. Applicants are expected to consult with these parties on the relevance of their projects.
4. Value for money or the magnitude of the future outcomes
This considers the amount of improvement that will be achieved in natural character, aquatic habitat, water quality and fishery values throughout Golden Bay, either directly or indirectly. Applicants will need to provide some basis for their claims.
5. Likelihood of success of Project
This considers such matters as:
• Are the outcomes likely to be achieved or are they overstated?
• Is the project difficult?
• Are there contingency plans?
6. Track record of applicant
This relates to providing information on the people involved, their background and experience in delivering satisfactory results from similar projects, and how the project will be managed. Applicants need to provide evidence of their ability to carry out the proposed project.
7. The extent to which the community and relevant agencies support the project
This covers:
• Are other funds available if not funded by the Trust?
• Would funding by the Trust attract other funding?
• Who else benefits and should be contributing?
• Community input of voluntary labour?
• Landowner involvement?
• Corporate contributions?
• What other funds have been sought?
• The gains from linkages between the proposed project and other work being carried out in the area.
Ineligible Purposes
• Administration costs of applicant organisations
• On-going maintenance activities of projects that are already underway
• Overseas travel
• Work that a landowner is required to do by law
Possible expenses covered (not exclusive)
• Construction equipment and materials
• Assistance with labour costs
• Pest eradication and associated expenses
• Plant propagation and associated expenses
• Monitoring equipment
• Expert Advice and monitoring design
Decision Process
The Trust has established an advisory panel to consider all the preliminary applications and seek further information from the parties to the fund deed. The advisory panel evaluates each application based on set criteria and invites a short list of suitable applicants to submit detailed applications. The advisory panel forwards the detailed applications and recommendations to the Trust who make the final decisions on funding. Applicants will be informed of the results of short-listing within 2 months and final funding decisions will be available by 5 July. Funding will be available from 5 August onwards once contracts have been signed.
Responsibilities for successful applicants
Successful applicants will be required to sign a contract agreeing to any conditions set by the Trust. A final project report detailing the project outcomes, evaluation against objectives and all expenditure is required on completion of the project. The Trust may also stipulate a requirement for one or more interim progress reports, depending on the nature and term of the project. Forty percent of the funds will be paid in lump sum following signing of a contract and the balance paid upon receipt of a satisfactory final report on completion of the project. In some cases, interim payments have been made on receipt of invoices.
Funding from the Cobb Valley Dam Mitigation Fund
More Information is available from Sky Davies (Trust Manager)
skydavies@tet.org.nz
Background
The Tasman Environmental Trust (the Trust) administers a fund set up by Cobb Power Ltd (the Mitigation Fund) in accordance with agreement between them and the parties to the fund deed being Department of Conservation (DOC), Nelson Marlborough Fish and Game Council (Fish & Game) and three Iwi Trusts (Ngati Tama Manawhenua Ki Te Ihu Trust, Te Atiawa Manawhenua Ki Te Ihu Trust and Ngati Rarua Iwi Trust). These parties acknowledge the environmental effects of the Cobb Power scheme and have implemented the fund to mitigate or offset these effects.
Aim of the Fund
To finance environmental enhancement and mitigation projects conceived by DOC, Fish & Game Council, the three local Iwi Trusts, or any other party in order to protect or enhance freshwater resources in Golden Bay
Funds Available
The Trust may allocate any amount of funds in a given year but this will be limited to about $20,000 this year. Most projects are expected to be in the $5,000 to $15,000 range but larger applications will be considered. Projects may be funded whole or in part by the Trust. The Trust is under no obligation to fund any of the projects submitted in any one year. The Trust Deed specifies that funding is generally to be of a capital nature and generally limited to a 12-month period.
Eligibility
Groups and individuals are eligible to apply for funding. Proposed projects must be located within Golden Bay and shall be designed to meet one or more of the following objectives.
1. Enhancing natural character, aquatic habitat and amenity, water quality or fishery values at and around the Cobb Valley and reservoir or the wider Takaka catchment including Waikoropupu Springs and the rivers and streams flowing from those springs;
2. Enhancement of natural or man-made wetlands and, where appropriate, the creation of any new wetlands in Golden Bay;
3. Riparian vegetation enhancement in Golden Bay.
Priorities
Priority will be given to projects addressing the adverse impacts of the Cobb Dam on the Takaka catchment; these include loss of habitat, interruption of fish passage, and diminished water quality in the Upper Takaka catchment. However, mitigation activities in other parts of the catchment and in other parts of Golden Bay will also be considered.
How to Apply
An application for funding commences with submitting a preliminary assessment. The closing date for the preliminary assessment changes each year.
Preliminary Assessments must be no more than two pages in length and include the following headings:
• Name and Contact details.
• Legal Structure.
• Purpose of your organisation.
• Project Title
• Brief outline of your project including timeframe (see assessment criteria below for required content)
• What will be the nature and magnitude of the outcomes of this project if it is successful?
• What are the main risks to these outcomes being achieved?
• Are consents or other legislative approvals in place and if not when can these be obtained?
• Amount requested and what for.
Applications should be emailed to skydavies@tet.org.nz . Successful short-listed applicants may be invited to submit a detailed application by the closing date advised each year.
Assessment Criteria
The Trust and its advisory panel will assess each assessment against the following seven criteria as well as considering how it fits within the priorities identified by Dr Philip Simpson in his report Assessment will be made based on the material provided by the applicants. Applicants are encouraged to address each of these criteria in their preliminary application.
1. Term of the Project.
Funding is generally limited to 12 months but a project can be re-submitted for a further 12 months funding if this is reasonable. Projects that do not require on-going maintenance or where other funding arrangements are made for such maintenance will be preferred. Any funds allocated are expected to be used within the time frame outlined in the application, but the Trust recognises that flexibility is necessary in some circumstances and will consider re-negotiating time frames.
2. Ecological Significance. This is intended to cover:
• the degree to which the project addresses a serious ecological problem, a significant threat to indigenous flora or fauna, or the degree to which it improves habitat or water quality
• the urgency of threats to the area that the project could alleviate
• other risks and threats to the ecosystem(s) being enhanced by this project.
3. Relevance of the Project
This relates to the degree to which the project mitigates known effects of Cobb Power station and addresses the specific concerns of the three main parties to the fund deed being DOC, Fish & Game and the three local Iwi trusts. Applicants are expected to consult with these parties on the relevance of their projects.
4. Value for money or the magnitude of the future outcomes
This considers the amount of improvement that will be achieved in natural character, aquatic habitat, water quality and fishery values throughout Golden Bay, either directly or indirectly. Applicants will need to provide some basis for their claims.
5. Likelihood of success of Project
This considers such matters as:
• Are the outcomes likely to be achieved or are they overstated?
• Is the project difficult?
• Are there contingency plans?
6. Track record of applicant
This relates to providing information on the people involved, their background and experience in delivering satisfactory results from similar projects, and how the project will be managed. Applicants need to provide evidence of their ability to carry out the proposed project.
7. The extent to which the community and relevant agencies support the project
This covers:
• Are other funds available if not funded by the Trust?
• Would funding by the Trust attract other funding?
• Who else benefits and should be contributing?
• Community input of voluntary labour?
• Landowner involvement?
• Corporate contributions?
• What other funds have been sought?
• The gains from linkages between the proposed project and other work being carried out in the area.
Ineligible Purposes
• Administration costs of applicant organisations
• On-going maintenance activities of projects that are already underway
• Overseas travel
• Work that a landowner is required to do by law
Possible expenses covered (not exclusive)
• Construction equipment and materials
• Assistance with labour costs
• Pest eradication and associated expenses
• Plant propagation and associated expenses
• Monitoring equipment
• Expert Advice and monitoring design
Decision Process
The Trust has established an advisory panel to consider all the preliminary applications and seek further information from the parties to the fund deed. The advisory panel evaluates each application based on set criteria and invites a short list of suitable applicants to submit detailed applications. The advisory panel forwards the detailed applications and recommendations to the Trust who make the final decisions on funding. Applicants will be informed of the results of short-listing within 2 months and final funding decisions will be available by 5 July. Funding will be available from 5 August onwards once contracts have been signed.
Responsibilities for successful applicants
Successful applicants will be required to sign a contract agreeing to any conditions set by the Trust. A final project report detailing the project outcomes, evaluation against objectives and all expenditure is required on completion of the project. The Trust may also stipulate a requirement for one or more interim progress reports, depending on the nature and term of the project. Forty percent of the funds will be paid in lump sum following signing of a contract and the balance paid upon receipt of a satisfactory final report on completion of the project. In some cases, interim payments have been made on receipt of invoices.