Supporting Seafood Future
The NSW Government wants more local seafood on more NSW plates and is launching a new program to boost the value of the NSW seafood industry up to $1million dollars, through grants program.
The Supporting Seafood Future (SSF) grants program is designed to build marketing and promotion capability within seafood businesses through small-scale (less than $10,000 including GST) and large-scale ($10,000 to $200,000 including GST) grants.
The purpose of the campaign is to increase consumption of NSW seafood, drive the value of NSW seafood through increased awareness and consumption, and build industry capabilities and cohesiveness.
Strategic objectives of the campaign are to:
- Increase value, through consumption of farmed and wild caught NSW seafood
- Increase shopper options across a broader variety of NSW seafood
- Drive awareness and build social licence of the NSW seafood community
The Supporting Seafood Future grants program aligns with the NSW Marine Estate Strategy.
Program Guidelines
The Supporting Seafood Future grants will be offered with two types of packages to the success applicants.
- Small-scale (less than $10,000 (including GST), with a maximum of 20 campaigns) local initiatives, and
- Large-scale ($10,000 to $200,000 (including GST), with a maximum of 4 campaigns) industry-wide/regional initiatives
The small and large scale funds are open to eligible seafood businesses, fishing cooperatives, retailers and wholesalers of seafood product, and may be delivered in partnership with other producers, retailers and/or marketing/promotional companies.
All project submissions will be assessed under the Program Guidelines.
Eligibility
Applications for Supporting Seafood Future must show how projects will improve local community awareness of seafood businesses, their activities, their produce, availability of fresh seafood, best methods for cooking.
Applications must also demonstrate how the projects will increase participation of the local community in promotional events that may be held by seafood industry businesses, cooperatives, and other fishmongers (selling raw fish & seafood as a retailer or wholesaler).
Supporting Seafood Future will make funding available for projects within NSW and provide opportunities within regional NSW.
A list of eligible applicants are outlined in the Program Guidelines.
Purpose of funds
The Supporting Seafood Future program funds are open to projects that:
- Are for the use and benefit of the commercial fishing and aquaculture industries
- Deliver a net economic benefit to seafood industry/business located in NSW
- Would likely not proceed without NSW Government funding
Assessment
Following the review of the applications to confirm that the applicant is eligible and the identified project meets the eligibility requirements, eligible projects will be assessed against four program criteria.
Criteria 1: Strategic assessment
Projects must align with the strategic objectives of the campaign.
Applicants must demonstrate how a project meets the objectives and eligibility criteria of the program.
Criteria 2: Economic assessment
Applicants must demonstrate how projects will deliver campaign is to increase consumption of NSW seafood, drive the value of NSW seafood through increased awareness and consumption, and build industry capabilities and cohesiveness.
Large scale application must partner with/or have access to other producers, retailers or marketing companies.
They must also submit a detailed application, projects will need to demonstrate that the campaigns have the ability to extend beyond the initial funding period and have a focus on promotion of locally caught/harvested seafood.
Large scale application must submit a detailed financial business case application, of how they can demonstrate that the campaign will be funded and executed.
Criteria 3: Affordability
Under the guidelines, projects requires a co-contribution of 50 per cent of the total grant amount.
Applicants must demonstrate that proposed projects have the ability to be repeated in the future without future NSW government contribution.
Criteria 4: Deliverability
Applicants must demonstrate that they have the capacity and capability to deliver the project through robust strategies for procurement, project management and risk management.
Applicants should provide evidence of support from local stakeholders.
How to apply
Applications have now closed for the Supporting Seafood Futures Grant Program.
- The first round of $500,000 (including GST) closed on the 25 February 2019 and payment made prior to the end of the June 2019.
- The second round of $500,000 (including GST) closed on the 30 August 2019 and payment made prior to June 2020.
Applicants are encouraged to contact the Department of Primary Industries team to check if their proposed project is eligible.
Once the application has met the eligibility criteria (being the applicant eligibility and project eligibility), applications will be assessed against the four assessment criteria. The assessment of the eligible applications will be undertaken by an evaluation panel with input from a stakeholder advisory committee, which includes industry representation. The role of the evaluation panel and the stakeholder advisory committee will be to review each application and provide recommendation, to the NSW and an independent marketing representative to award the successful application.
Application form (DOCX, 129.62 KB)
Applications can be submitted via ssf.admin@dpi.nsw.gov.au
For more information
Questions about the program can be emailed to leanne.wilson@dpi.nsw.gov.au including queries about eligibility and the application process.
