Native Wildlife Carers Grants Guidelines

Native Wildlife Carers Grants provide funding to both individual and not-for-profit organisations for the rescue, rehabilitation and release of orphaned, sick and injured native wildlife. The Native Wildlife Carers Grants are part of the Lord Mayor’s Community Sustainability and Environmental Grants program.

Learn about Native Wildlife Carers Grants:

• Introduction
• What can be funded?
• Eligible applications
• Ineligible applications
• Funding available
• Financial arrangements
• Assessment process
• Application process
• Enquiries
• Terms and conditions
• Glossary.

Introduction

In line with Brisbane Vision aspirations to be a clean, green and sustainable city, these grants aim to improve Brisbane’s natural environment by providing assistance to registered not-for-profit organisations and individual native wildlife carers to rescue, rehabilitate and release orphaned, sick and injured native wildlife.

What can be funded?

Native Wildlife Carers Grants can be used for both consumable and non-consumable items as outlined below.

Consumable items

The grant supports the claiming back of expenses for consumable items incurred from rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing orphaned, sick and injured native wildlife originating from the Brisbane Local Government area (LGA). Consumable items include, but are not limited to:

• veterinary fees
• travel expenses to rescue, release and transfer native wildlife and to collect fodder
• feeding utensils
• care blankets
• travel bags. 

Copies of receipts for consumable items must be provided with your online application and are limited to the previous 12 months of expenses.

A mileage allowance will be considered for travel related to rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing orphaned, sick or injured native wildlife including collection of natural fodder. The mileage is based on the Australian Taxation Office's vehicle allowance rate for the relevant period. For more information visit the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) website. A vehicle log book (identifying date of travel, pick up location, start and end odometer readings) must be provided with your online application.

Consumable items will not be approved for funding in advance of purchase (i.e. consumable items that are yet to be purchased at the time of submitting your application cannot be considered in this current round).

Non-consumable items

All non-consumable items must be proposed for purchase and will not be reimbursed for items already purchased. Native wildlife carers based within, and that are caring for native animals originating from, the Brisbane City Council area are eligible to apply for non-consumable items.

Non-consumable items include, but are not limited to:

• nest boxes
• pre-release cages
• enclosures
• aviaries.

Items in support of behavioural enrichment equipment, in preparation for the animal’s release are encouraged. Refer to the Code of Practice for the Care of Sick, Injured or Orphaned Protected Animals in Queensland for appropriate sizes of enclosures.

The funding of Intensive Care Units (ICUs) will be at the discretion of Council. Only suitable experienced carers that can demonstrate a need for the unit will be considered for funding of an ICU.

Training expenses for both organisations and individual carers are also available:

• Not-for-profit, incorporated organisations that are licensed wildlife rehabilitators can apply for materials and services to deliver wildlife rehabilitation training that will benefit native wildlife originating from the Brisbane LGA. This includes training manuals and workshop presenter fees. All training must promote caring in accordance with the Code of Practice for the Care of Sick, Injured or Orphaned Protected Animals in Queensland. 
• Individual carers caring for native wildlife originating from within the Brisbane City Council area can apply for training course/workshop fees where the training promotes caring in accordance with the Code of Practice for the Care of Sick, Injured or Orphaned Protected Animals in Queensland.

Eligible applications

Applicants can be either:

• an individual that is registered to rehabilitate native wildlife that is endorsed by a Wildlife Rehabilitation Organisation; or
• a non-profit, incorporated association whose primary role is wildlife rehabilitation, or be auspiced by an incorporated organisation.

All activities carried out by all applicants must be performed in accordance with the Code of Practice Care of Sick, Injured or Orphaned Protected Animals in Queensland and relevant permits must be held under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.

Applicants (and their auspice organisation) must not have outstanding debts or overdue unacquitted grants with Council.

Items applied for through this grant must not have been funded or reimbursed through any previous Council grant or a grant through any other source.

Ineligible applications

The following will NOT be funded:

• non-consumable items for applicants based outside the Brisbane LGA
• consumable items that have not yet been paid for
• training fees, materials and services that have already been paid for/provided
• administration costs
• postage, delivery and shipping costs
• cleaning products
• books
• tissues.

Funding available

You can apply for a grant ranging from a minimum of $500 to a maximum of $5,000. Grants are a competitive process and applications that meet the assessment criteria are not guaranteed funding.

Council may fund the full cost of a project, however applications that include contributions from the applicant are encouraged. The applicant’s contribution may be cash, other funding assistance or ‘in-kind’ support (e.g. voluntary labour).

In some cases, successful applicants may receive a percentage of the total sought, rather than the full amount of funding. If your project cannot proceed without full funding, this should be indicated in your application.

Financial arrangements

Payments

If you are successful in obtaining a grant, Council will send you a Funding Agreement that must be completed and returned before funding will be provided.

Goods and Services Tax (GST)

Organisations (or their auspice) and individuals that are not GST registered, funds to cover GST costs will be included in your grant.

Individuals successful in receiving a grant will be required to complete an Australian Taxation Office Statement by a Supplier form. This will be sent to you with your approval letter and Funding Agreement. To view the form, visit the Australian Taxation Office website.

Organisations (or their auspice) that are GST registered, 10% GST will be added to the grant as an itemised GST gross-up.

For advice on GST, please contact your tax advisor, visit the Australian Taxation Office website.

Assessment process

Once eligibility criteria are checked, each project application will be assessed on its alignment with the assessment criteria.

Application process

Making your application

Before applying for funding, you must plan your proposed project and ensure that it responds to the assessment criteria.

How to apply

When open, applications are submitted online via SmartyGrants.

Planning your application

To plan an application, the applicant must:

• ensure continued compliance with these grant guidelines
• provide a letter of endorsement from an Endorsed Wildlife Rehabilitation Organisation for individuals
• provide a valid rehabilitation permit issued in your name, under the Nature Conservation Act 1992
• include in the rehabilitation records the collection location, type of native animals, nature of their injuries or needs, and the date and location of release of all native animals cared for
• provide copies of all receipts and/or a quote as outlined in these guidelines and the application form
• provide a signed letter from the organisation's President, Chairperson or Chief Executive, to certify support for the application (if the applicant is an organisation, this is not required for applicant's applying as individuals).

Endorsing Wildlife Rehabilitation Organisations

Individual applicants must attach an endorsement letter to your application from one of the organisations below in order to be eligible for funding.

Below is a list of Endorsing Wildlife Rehabilitation Organisations (EWROs) that are able to provide applicants with a signed endorsement letter:

• Australian Bat Clinic & Wildlife Trauma Centre
• Brisbane Area Rescue Network Association (BARN)
• Bat Conservation and Rescue
• Birds Injured Rehabilitation & Orphaned (BIRO)
• F.A.U.N.A (Foster Care of Australia’s Unique Native Animals) Association Inc.
• Kerry’s Wildlife Rescue and Care Inc
• Orphan Native Animal Rear & Release (ONARR)
• Paws & Brooks Nature Sanctuary Inc.
• Pelican and Seabird Rescue Inc.
• Pine Rivers Koala Care Association Inc.
• Reptile Rehabilitation Qld Inc.
• RSPCA
• Somerset Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Incorporated
• Wildcare Australia Inc.
• Wildlife Rescue Queensland Incorporated
• Wildlife SEQ Incorporated.

​Notification

Information about grant decisions will not be released over the phone. A formal letter will be posted, notifying applicants of the outcome.

Successful applicants

If you are successful, you have 12 months from the time of the notification of your success to complete the project and acquit the grant, unless otherwise negotiated.

You will receive a formal approval letter and a Funding Agreement. The Funding Agreement will include terms and conditions of the grant, any special conditions that have been attached to your grant and GST information. You will need to complete, sign and returned the Funding Agreement before any funding will be released.

Unsuccessful applicants

If you don’t receive funding, is will not necessarily be because you submitted a poor application.  It may be because the result of the demand for funds exceeds the amount available. For feedback on your grant application, please refer to the contact phone number provided in your notification letter. Unsuccessful applicants are welcome to reapply in future.

You may wish to consider submitting your application to another grants program. 

Both the Queensland and Australian Governments have websites that list available grants:

• Queensland Government website
• Australian Government 'Community Grants Hub'
• Our Community publishes a quarterly list of grants Australia-wide.

Enquiries

For further information, you can contact Council and ask to speak with a Program Officer (grants), Community Conservation Support team.

If you have a hearing or speech impairment, contact Council through the:

• National Relay Service
• Speak and Listen users phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 07 3403 8888
• Video Relay Service (VRS) - call Skype name: ace.vrs, then ask the video interpreter to phone 07 3403 8888.

If you require this information in other languages, please phone the Translating and Interpreter Service (TIS) on 131 450 and ask to be connected with Brisbane City Council on 07 3403 8888.

All enquiry services are free.

Terms and conditions

Successful applicants must abide by Council's terms and conditions, which are contained in the Funding Agreement.

Applicants must also adhere to any special conditions set by Council.

Glossary

Not-for-profit organisation

An organisation whose contribution states that any profits or surpluses must be used to further the objectives of the organisation rather than benefit an individual. A registered non-for-profit organisation is incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), or the Associations Incorporation Act 1981 (Qld).

Acquittal

The acquittal form is due within 12 months from the notification date and explains the outcomes of the project and how the funds were spent. It demonstrates that the funding has been used for the purpose for which it was provided, including a certified report of financial transactions and whether the project achieved its intended objectives.

Auspice

An incorporated non-for-profit organisation that accepts and manages the legal and financial responsibility of a grant on behalf of an unincorporated applicant.

In-kind contribution

The dollar value to a project of non-cast contributions, etc. office space, staff time or voluntary labour that would otherwise need to be paid for. The items or services must be essential to the project.

Equipment (non-consumables)

Equipment that is purchased to be used during the project but can continue to be used after the completion of the project.

Materials (consumables)

Materials purchased to be used during the project that are used up by the completion of the project.

Letters of support

Letters of endorsement or commitment to the project from partners, other community organisations, elected members.