Otago Regional Council (ORC) is looking to simplify the application process for a fund which supports a range of grassroots environmental groups in the region.

As part of its review of the ECO fund - billed to offer more than $1M in funding in its next round - it is also planning to adjust eligibility and assessment criteria to give more groups the opportunity to access funding.

“Year after year, we’re oversubscribed for funding and want to make the application process as easy as possible for these environmental groups,” ORC principal advisor environmental implementation Anna Molloy said.

“The results to date from these largely community-lead projects have been amazing.”

Local recipients of past ECO Fund rounds have included Friends of Bullock Creek, Hāwea Charitable Trust, Kirimoko Catchment Group, and Black Peak Road Rabbit Control Group, among others.

At last week’s council meeting councillors reviewed wage funding criteria, eligibility criteria, assessment criteria, and terms and conditions for applicants.

They also floated the idea of replacing two categories (native planting for water quality and pest control) with critical source area management on private land, for the latter, expanding it to include weed removal and native revegetation.

This would broaden the type of projects which are applicable, ORC said.

The next round of the ORC’s ECO Fund is scheduled to be opened in March 2025.

An estimated total funding available of up to $1.05M is likely.

People and groups interested in an ECO Fund application can register their interest via the ORC website.

As part of this process, they can ask to be notified of the next round opening, discuss with ORC staff their project idea or how their project would fit in terms of ECO Fund criteria, and learn about the terms and conditions before submitting an application, Anna said.

She said the website would be updated with the outcomes of the review and council decisions shortly.

PHOTO: Supplied