Appendix 1 – Waste minimisation grants framework | Te Aka Pūtea Tautoko o te Whakamōkito Para

Under the WMA, Territorial Authorities can provide grants using waste levy money, to encourage and enable waste minimisation in accordance with their WMMP. If the Territorial Authority wishes to, the WMMP must provide the framework for doing so (s43 (2d) WMA).

This next section gives a framework to outline the structure and guidelines for distributing contestable and non-contestable grants to organisations and projects. It ensures transparency, fairness, and effective allocation of grants.

These grants are to enable waste minimisation action by external organisations, in accordance with the guiding principles, vision, goals, objectives, and actions in this WMMP.

Decisions on the award of grants will be based on the following priorities:

1. Top of the waste hierarchy – enable residents or businesses to avoid waste, reuse, or repair items.
2. Waste streams – alignment with the material diversion targets in this Plan and the Zero Carbon Plan 2030.
3. Delivery – the applicant’s ability to deliver their project, expand local capability, and achieve strong waste minimisation outcomes.
4. Expand opportunities for diversion – increase the variety of sustainable waste minimisation solutions available and develop new capabilities in Ōtepoti Dunedin.
5. Scale – The quantity and volume of material that will be minimised from reaching landfill by an applicant’s project.

The DCC’s Grants Management Policy also applies to the management of waste minimisation grants.

Other considerations could include collaborative and joint applications (i.e., between businesses or between community organisations), whether the organisation is local, creates equity for Māori, Pacifica, and new migrant communities, and whether the project contributes towards social, economic, environmental, and cultural outcomes. Also, health and safety planning will be required where appropriate, such as public events.

Types of Grants

A range of waste minimisation grants are available to community groups and businesses This section describes the types of grants available and eligibility.

Small Waste Minimisation Project Grants

These are available to enable ‘quick wins’ for small projects throughout the year. For example, a worm farm for a school, or materials for a repair workshop.

Eligibility

• For registered not-for profits (e.g., social enterprise, charities).
• For projects that take place within the DCC administrative boundary.
• Meets some or all WMMP objectives

Waste Minimisation Community Grants

These are available twice a year to support community waste minimisation projects. For example, a series of waste minimisation workshops, establishing a new waste minimisation programme or supporting community events conducting waste minimisation.

Eligibility

• For registered not-for profits (e.g. social enterprise, charities).
• For projects that take place within the DCC administrative boundary.
• Meets some or all WMMP objectives.
• Applicants provide a 20% contribution to the total project cost, which can be in-kind.

Waste Minimisation Commercial Grants

These are available once a year to support commercial waste minimisation projects that build local capability and capacity in the reuse or resource recovery sector. They are intended to support innovations, achieve local economic benefit and employment opportunities, and enable design solutions that retain the value of materials and/or minimises waste.

Eligibility

• Registered New Zealand businesses.
• For projects that take place within the DCC administrative boundary.
• Meets some or all WMMP objectives.
• Applicants provide a 30% contribution to the total project cost which can be in-kind.

Requirements

Projects must be completed within 12 months of the grant being paid unless a longer service agreement is in place. Completion of an accountability report is required within the 12 month period, which should review the project outcomes, and state how the grant money was used in accordance with the original application (and any additional criteria that the decision was subject to). If the project is not completed within the timeframe, the grant may have to be repaid in part or in full.

The project criteria for the respective grant type is available on the DCC website and through other promotional material.

Non-Contested Waste Minimisation Service Agreements

This non-contested funding is available to provide more certainty and better support to well established organisations (community or commercial) for a project, service, or waste minimisation infrastructure that cannot be provided by other organisations in Ōtepoti Dunedin.

Eligibility

• For registered groups/organisations.
• For proven and successful initiatives only, by way of a formal proposal to DCC (where the council, in its discretion, accepts that an initiative is achievable and proven).
• The DCC may seek Registrations of Interest in alignment with DCC Procurement and Contract Management Policy.
• For projects that take place within the DCC administrative boundary.
• Meets some or all WMMP objectives.
• Able to commit to an agreement of up to three years.

Requirements

• Quarterly reports which provide quantitative and qualitative information for the preceding three-month period and other relevant project deliverables.

Ethical Considerations

When awarding funding, it is important to address conflicts of interest, confidentiality, and any potential biases in the decision-making process. To control for these:

• Conflicts of interest will be declared, and the people involved will be removed from the assessing and decision-making process.
• Confidentiality – all information will be publicly available except where required by law.
• Potential biases – This grants framework lays out clear priorities for how funding should be allocated. The final decisions on allocating community and commercial waste minimisation grants allocation are made by the Grants Subcommittee. Small Waste Minimisation grants are awarded by the Chair of the Grants Subcommittee, and the Deputy Chair when the Chair is unavailable or if a conflict of interest exists.
• Non-Contested Waste Minimisation Service Agreement Grants are awarded upon staff assessment of proposals, under the Group Manager’s delegation, and making the Grants Sub-Committee Chair aware of the proposal and the intention to fund.

Still didn't find what you were looking for?