Apply for Council Modernisation Grants (Australia)

The purpose of the Council Modernisation Grants Program is to encourage South Australia’s councils to improve waste management and recycling services through the introduction of innovative measures,and increase implementation of circular economy principles. The modernisation measures should result in operational efficiencies, improved customer service and economic development benefits for the community.

Priority Areas

• Maximising collection of food waste through kerbside systems
• Market research to assess ratepayer attitudes
• Regional waste management plan updates
• Regional waste management/circular economy coordinators
• Public place recycling stations
• Using technology to innovate

Funding Information

• Applications for grants from $15,000 to a maximum of $100,000 (excluding GST) per project are invited.
• All applicants must:
  • contribute at least 50% of total project costs (that is, match the grant funding) from sources other than the South Australian and Australian governments. In-kind contributions cannot be counted towards the matched 50% contribution.
  • have projects completed within 2 years of the grant being offered.
• Projects which have a completion date before 30 June 2026 will be given priority.

Eligible Projects

• market research to assess community attitudes relating to different collection service frequencies, and in support of proposed pilots or other modernisation initiatives
• research into the use of kitchen caddy systems in council areas where area-wide food waste systems have been implemented, to evaluate behaviour and acceptance and influence the design of financial support programs to enhance or maintain systems
• research to support the updating of regional waste strategies (see section below)
• research to assess ratepayer views on ways to provide feedback on use of waste and recycling services, such as providing itemised information in rate notices
• Review/detection of contamination (at time of collection), bin-tagging and education of householders to inform potential solutions.
• Projects which improve source separation and kerbside performance particularly in regard to the quality and volume of kerbside organics and comingled materials (or reduce residual waste yields). Innovative bin systems (such as further separation of streams/additional streams offered to residents’ place-based solutions such as systems that encourage residents to utilise community drop-off facilities for aggregation of recyclables)
• Education as part of a pilot program (bin kerbside collected system pilots must incorporate Which Bin household education resources).

Ineligible Projects

• retrospective projects (to be eligible, projects must start after the application closing date, 13 December 2024)
• projects targeting:
  • energy from waste outcomes
  • hazardous waste kerbside collections in metropolitan Adelaide
  • ‘stand-alone’ education and market research (unless part of a pilot project)
• projects which are eligible for funding or support under other South Australian government programs such as:
  • Kerbside Food Waste System Grants
  • Recycling or Circular Infrastructure Grants
  • Which Bin Household Education Program (GISA assistance already available to councils).

Eligibility Criteria

• All South Australian councils and subsidiaries that manage waste and recycling services (including organics) for residential and small business ratepayers. This includes: waste and recyclables collected through kerbside collected bins; hard waste, waste and recyclables collected at drop-off facilities, public place recycling (which is increasingly important as they transition to compostable takeaway products) and council-operated commercial services.

For more information, visit Green Industries SA.