The Australian Government's Grants to Voluntary Environment, Sustainability and Heritage Organisations (GVESHO) program provides administrative funds to help community-based, not-for-profit environment, sustainability and historic heritage organisations to value, conserve and protect Australia's natural environment and historic heritage and promote a sustainable future for generations to come.

Environment, sustainability and historic heritage organisations meeting the eligibility requirements can apply for administration funds in separate categories for national, state or territory, regional and local organisations. In previous financial years, total funds of up to $1.5 million have been made available for allocation to eligible organisations under GVESHO.

Applications closed on Friday 14 September 2012.

Generally applications will not be accepted if they are:

• date stamped after the closing date;
• received only as a photocopy or email; or
• incomplete

GVESHO provides funding to environment, sustainability and historic heritage organisations. Please check the full list of eligibility requirements on pp7-8 of the guidelines to determine if your organisation is eligible for GVESHO funding. The eligibility requirements are different for environmental, sustainability and historic heritage organisations.

• See the GVESHO 2012-13 Guide

Only environment, sustainability and heritage organisations can apply for funding under GVESHO.

Your organisation may not be eligible to receive a GVESHO grant if:

• You are a state or territory branch of a national or federal body which is funded through the GVESHO Program;
• You are a regional branch of a state/territory body which is funded through the GVESHO Program;
• Your organisation has been specifically established under legislation;
• You are a government organisation/agency;
• Your organisation receives administrative funding from other programs of the Australian Government;
• Your organisation's principal purpose and/or activity is political advocacy;
• Your organisation's revenue exceeded $5 million for the last completed financial year; or
• Your organisation is a state or territory branch of a national or federal body which had revenue exceeding $5 million for the last completed financial year.

The purpose of GVESHO funding is to contribute to the administrative costs for eligible environment, sustainability and heritage organisations.

Administrative costs include:

• salaries and salary on-costs for executive, administrative, campaign or other staff;
• office accommodation (rental only);
• utility charges (e.g. electricity and gas);
• office supplies;
• communications (phone, fax, internet charges);
• insurance;
• staff and volunteer training;
• photocopying and printing; and
• travel.
• Grants cannot be spent on program, project or campaign costs such as actual on ground project costs; fundraising expenses and donations to other organisations.

It is the government's intention to move future GVESHO funding to an administered program. As such multiyear grants have not been offered this year.

Previously the department was advised by the ATO that in accordance with Taxation ruling GSTR 2000/11, organisations in receipt of grants under the GVESHO program will not be required to pay GST on the grant.

The ATO has advised that Goods and Services Tax Ruling GSTR 200/11 has been withdrawn effect from 30 May 2012. This means that GVESHO grants are now subject to GST.

• Further information about the ruling is available on the ATO web site .

Newly formed groups can apply for GVESHO funding however the group must meet the eligibility criteria listed on page 7 of the guidelines.

• See the GVESHO 2012-13 Guide

Indigenous groups can apply for GVESHO funding and must meet the same eligibility criteria that non-Indigenous groups must meet. The eligibility criteria can be found on page 7 of the guidelines.

• See the GVESHO 2012-13 Guide

Yes.

Under the Pay As You Go (PAYG) legislation, each grant recipient will need to quote its Australian Business Number (ABN) before the Department can pay the grant in full. If an ABN is not provided, the Department will be required under the legislation, except in certain limited circumstances, to withhold 46.5 per cent of the payment involved and remit it to the Australian Taxation Office.

• See the GVESHO 2012-13 Guide (p.15) for further information about taxation issues

Yes.

Organisations must be incorporated under law as an incorporated entity such as an association, company or cooperative society, or be a trust duly constituted.

Yes.

Organisations without a GST number can apply for GVESHO funding.

The assessment criteria for applications seeking GVESHO funding are detailed on page 13 of the guidelines. Applications are assessed on:

• the environmental, sustainability and heritage outcomes of the organisation
• the organisation's capacity to achieve its outcomes
• the Government priorities and the group's work program
• the degree of community support in the organisation
• grants and other funding awarded to the organisation

The quality of the application will also be taken into consideration.

• See the GVESHO 2012-13 Guide

The conditions of GVESHO funding are detailed on page 12 of the guidelines. Note that milestone reporting is not required under the program.

• See the GVESHO 2012-13 Guide

The expectation is that the funds will be spent in the 2012-13 financial year. The funds should then be identified in the organisations audited financial statements for that year.

Applicants for future GVESHO funding, should it be made available, must have fully acquitted previous funding under the program before being eligible for consideration of future funding. An exception will be made for grants received in the 2011-12 round where the grant has not yet been expended, due to the timing of receipt of the grant payment.

If after reading the guidelines you have any questions, please contact the GVESHO Program Team at the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities:

• email gvesho@environment.gov.au
• telephone 1800 003 562