Subdiv 7Funding and grants

Subdivision 7—Funding and grants 27—Funding support (1) A regional landscape board should work to provide, or to facilitate or support the provision of, funding and grants to councils and other bodies, organisations, groups and persons— (a) to achieve outcomes that promote the objects of this Act and to assist the board to deliver its priorities under this Act; and (b) without limiting paragraph (a)—to improve the state of natural resources after taking into account the board's regional landscape plan and its annual business plan. (2) A regional landscape board may provide financial or other assistance under this section on such conditions as the board thinks fit. (3) A regional landscape board must ensure that a report on any assistance provided under this section is included in its annual report. (4) The provision of financial assistance under this section does not extend to the making of a loan. 28—Grassroots Grants Programs (1) Without limiting any other provision, a regional landscape board must establish and maintain a Grassroots Grants Program for its region. (2) The purposes of a Grassroots Grants Program is to support individuals, and volunteer, community and other bodies, organisations and groups working at the local level on a not-for-profit basis, by making grants to undertake work or activities to achieve outcomes that promote the objects of this Act at the local level. (3) The amount to be made available on an annual basis by a regional landscape board for the purposes of its Grassroots Grants Program will be an amount determined by the Minister from time to time (being, if the Minister thinks fit, a percentage of contributions received by the board under Part 5). (4) The Minister may, for the purposes of this section, by information published in such manner as the Minister thinks fit— (a) establish any requirements for making applications for grants; and (b) establish criteria for the assessment and awarding of grants; and (c) provide for any other related matter. (5) A regional landscape board may make a grant under this section on such conditions as the Minister may require or as the board thinks fit. (6) A regional landscape board must ensure that a report on the grants provided under this section is included in its annual report.