Evergreen Farming Legacy Fund

After 23 years of successful operation, the Evergreen Farming grower group has wound up with reserves of around $150,000.

These unused funds will be transferred to GGA to act as custodians for a grants up to $25,000 [+GST] for [voting] GGA member grower groups to use in ways aligned to Evergreen Farming’s work around perennial pasture systems.

A framework on pre-agreed uses and governance for grants has been established between Evergreen Farming and GGA.

Eligible uses framework

Eligible uses of the funds:

1. R & D projects on perennial pasture systems*
2. E & A projects on perennial pasture systems*
3. Capacity building, including student bursaries, on perennial pasture systems [includes fodder shrubs]

Non-eligible activities:

1. Administration
2. Staff
3. Capital items
4. Overhead costs

Administration of the grant system

• Two grant rounds a year with funds released every May and November, unless funds are all issued.

• Maximum amount per grant: $25,000 + GST

• In-kind and co-funding will be looked upon favorably

   

• Grants will require simple acquittal processes which will be managed by Alison Lacey, the assigned ‘Evergreen Farming Legacy Fund’ program manager from GGA. 

Examples of eligible grant uses

Examples of initiatives would include:

• 1. Research and development projects such as trials on perennial pasture systems [includes fodder shrubs]
  2. Extension and adoption initiatives such as field days, special knowledge-building events with subject matter specialists on perennial pasture systems [includes fodder shrubs]
  3. Capacity Building initiatives such as student bursaries, guest speakers, and learning resources such as in-field workbooks or podcasts aiming to boost knowledge and capacity around perennial pasture systems [includes fodder shrubs]

Submission criteria

• Applicants must be ‘voting’ member grower groups of the GGA network
• Outside organisations can partner with the abovementioned ‘voting’ grower group members for a project submission.
• Grower groups applying must have undertaken the GGA benchmarking process as part of the due diligence of recipient groups, prior to any legacy funds being released.
• Proposals can benefit the applicant group only or the wider network.
• Proposals or initiatives that can be shared beyond one group with the wider network will be strongly favoured
• Applications must fall within the pre-agreed eligible uses listed above.
• Activity delivery must occur within 12 months of grant remittance. Special circumstances for delayed delivery will be considered.
• Groups can submit co-funded proposals where the group matches some of the Evergreen Farming Legacy Funds being applied for.
• Significant submissions can be received to be executed in stages that could span over a multi-year opportunity. Eg access $5,000 as a Stage 1, access a further $5,000 as a Stage 2, and access another $5,000 as a Stage 3 .
• Think big, we encourage groups to submit ambitious visionary ideas.

Timeline for ‘Grant’ submission rounds

Grant application gallery

Once you have submitted your application it will appear in the gallery below. If you application is not visible you may not have submitted the application.

Program Manager

Alison Lacey from the Grower Group Alliance will be the program manager for grant recipients and is the first point of contact alacey@gga.org.au 

Grants selection panel

A combined GGA / Evergreen Farming panel will review all submissions for the Evergreen Legacy Fund grants.

Contact

Enquiries to Alison Lacey at GGA via alacey@gga.org.au