Low Nitrogen
Land Use Fund
Expression of interest form
Office use only
Project name
Principal applicant’s
name
Partners’ names
Total cost of project
Amount of funding
requested
Instructions
The Low Nitrogen Land Use fund follows a two-step application process.
STEP ONE: Submit an expression of interest (EOI) which offers a high level explanation of
your proposal.
STEP TWO: Proposals considered promising are then invited to prepare full funding
applications.
For more information on the funding criteria refer to the Investment Plan for the Low Nitrogen
Land Use Fund.
Please complete this form electronically and submit it by email to
[email protected], along with any supporting documents requested.
For further assistance, email [email protected] or phone 07 921 3377.
How will decisions be made about which projects get funded?
All EOI will initially be assessed against the eligibility criteria.
Eligible EOI will then be evaluated against the Lake Rotorua Low Nitrogen Land Use Fund
Investment Plan.
Applicants whose expressions of interest demonstrate low nitrogen emitting land use or farm
systems suitable for the Lake Rotorua catchment that landowners will be highly interested in
up taking will be asked to submit a full proposal.
Full applications will be evaluated against the assessment criteria (refer to application form
for Low Nitrogen Land Use Fund).
Due diligence will be undertaken on full proposals to:
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Evaluate the ability of the applicant to deliver on the project.
Ensure appropriate legal, financial, credit and director checks are undertaken.
Ensure risks of the project are identified, and appropriately managed.
Assess whether offering public funding is appropriate given all other information.
Further information may be requested to complete due diligence. Applicants that successfully
complete due diligence will then be approached to negotiate a mutually acceptable funding
contract.
Funding will be confirmed once a mutually acceptable funding contract is signed by all
project participants, and approved by the Council.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council reserves the right to decline to fund any project if, for any
reason, funding the project is not considered to be an appropriate use of public funds.
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Official information and privacy
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987
Important: Information provided to Bay of Plenty Regional Council may be released subject
to the provisions of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (1987)
(LGOIMA). This legislation creates the expectation that all information held by a local
government organisation is publicly available, unless one of a number of statutory reasons
exist for withholding its release.
Information you provide to Bay of Plenty Regional Council may have to be released under
LGOIMA in response to a request from a third party. If you wish to provide sensitive
information to Bay of Plenty Regional Council in support of this application that you do not
want released, it is recommended you consult with Bay of Plenty Regional Council as to
whether the information is necessary for the application, or whether any reasons exist for
Bay of Plenty Regional Council withholding the information if it is requested. For example, if
the making available of the information would disclose a trade secret or would be likely
unreasonably to prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied or who is the
subject of the information, then the information may be able to be withheld.
The grounds for withholding the information must always be balanced with the public interest
of releasing the information. Although Bay of Plenty Regional Council cannot give any
guarantees that information can be withheld, applicants concerned about providing sensitive
information are advised to discuss this with Bay of Plenty Regional Council before submitting
their application.
Privacy Act 1993
Important: Bay of Plenty Regional Council may collect, use, hold or disclose personal
information for the purpose of assessing eligibility and suitability for the Low Nitrogen Land
Use Fund. Individuals have the right, in accordance with the Privacy Act 1993, to request
access to and correction of their personal information. While the provision of personal
information is not mandatory, failure to provide the requested information could lead to a
delay in considering the application or a decline of the same.
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Eligibility criteria – Self assessment
In order to be eligible for funding, all applications to the Low Nitrogen Land Use Fund must
meet the eligibility criteria below. Meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee the project
will be funded.
Applicants must be able to answer “Yes” to each of the eligibility questions.
Does your project meet the following eligibility criteria? (Tick if answer is yes)
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This project satisfies one or more of the fund focus areas:
Focus area 1
The project aims to promote greater uptake of a
current low nitrogen land use1 in the Lake Rotorua
catchment.
Focus area 2
The project aims to investigate the application of an
existing low nitrogen land use2 to the Lake Rotorua
catchment.
Focus area 3
The project aims to establish the potential for a new
low nitrogen land use3 in the Lake Rotorua
catchment.
2
This project is able to demonstrate benefits in terms of either a
measured or modelled reduction in nitrogen loss to the Lake Rotorua
catchment.
3
This project is an applicable to land use within the Lake Rotorua
catchment.
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The project requires funding of a minimum of $10,000.
(Amounts exclude GST).
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If the project seeks more than $200,000 of funding from the Low
Nitrogen Land Use fund, the project also has other sources of funding
contributing to the project.
(Amounts exclude GST).
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For example, a low nitrogen land use or farm system currently occurring in the Lake Rotorua Catchment, but
that is not widespread, or widely adopted.
2
For example, a low nitrogen land use or farm system that is either in use or has been shown to be viable
elsewhere in NZ or overseas, but that has not yet been established in the Lake Rotorua Catchment.
3
For example, a novel or as yet untested low nitrogen land use or farm system, a “blue skies” idea
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Conditions of funding
All projects that are funded will be subject to the following conditions. Additional or varied
conditions may be applied on a case-by-case basis, where considered appropriate by the
funding decision makers.
Conditions of funding
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Contracts
(a) All offers of funding will be subject to a funding contract.
(b) The contract must be with one party (or lead party in the event of a consortium
project).
(c) The contracted party must be a legal entity.
(d) The contract must identify all research partners, and the partner reporting
responsibilities.
(e) The funding contract must specify detailed reporting and progress milestones.
(f) Successive funding payments will be dependent on the successful achievement of
the previous milestone.
(g) The funding payments will be made directly to each partner, on successful
completion of the required milestones, according to the funding arrangements within
the contract.
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Funding will only be provided to legal entities that are New Zealand tax residents.
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The research data, results, and findings of the project must be made publicly available.
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Proposals must comply with New Zealand law to receive funding.
(a) As a minimum, full proposals will be expected to address compliance with
health and safety legislation, the Resource Management Act, the Bay of Plenty
Regional Plan, and where relevant, animal ethics legislation.
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What the Low Nitrogen Land Use Fund does not cover
The following areas are not covered by the Low Nitrogen Land Use Fund.
Area
What funding does not cover
Research

Academic costs, or research pertaining to the cost of a
qualification.
Other funding sources

Any activities that are part of the statutory duties of local
government.
Retrospective costs

Retrospective or backdated costs (being costs incurred
before the signing of the funding contract).
Projects that are for financial
profit

Venture Capital or commercial development, such as
setting up (new) or developing (existing) business
activities, marketing a new idea, or making a financial
profit.
Costs that do not accrue public benefit.

Business as usual costs

Costs associated with the normal day to day running of a
business including, but not limited to:
o Buying materials that are a normal part of an
organisation’s operations.
o The maintenance and running costs of vehicles.
o The capital cost of purchase or the maintenance
cost of buildings, plant and equipment.
o Capital costs of infrastructure to assist a landowner
to meet their Nitrogen Discharge Allowance.
Legal/regulatory compliance



Costs associated with complying with an organisations
legal or regulatory obligations.
Proposals not consistent with New Zealand law.
Making or challenging applications for resource consent.
Land use change costs

Land conversion costs (e.g. from Farming to Forestry).
Other costs


Attendance at conferences.
Patents or copyright (products or outputs that will not be
freely available for public, not for profit use).
Alcohol, entertainment, gifts or social expenses.
Costs associated with supporting a political position,
campaign, party or movement.
International travel.

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Expression of interest details
The following section sets out the basic information requirements for your expression of
interest. Please ensure you complete all sections and provide all relevant information. Feel
free to use additional pages to complete the application form if required. You are able to
submit an application using a different format that clearly identifies the sections in this form.
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Organisation details
Organisation name: _________________________________________________________
Postal address: _____________________________________________________________
Website address: ___________________________________________________________
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Contact for EIO
Name: _____________________________________
Position: ____________________
Email: _____________________________________
Phone: _____________________
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Project details
Project title: ________________________________________________________________
Project partners: ____________________________________________________________
Location of project: __________________________________________________________
Total number of years of funding requested: _______
Total project cost: $ ____________
Total funding request: $ ______________________________________________________
Have you requested funding from another source for this project?
 Yes
 No
If yes, please outline the source of funding and amount applied for and/or secured:
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Project area
Please indicate which area you are applying for funding: (Tick as many as relevant)
 Focus area 1
 Focus area 2
 Focus area 3
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Project description
Please provide a short summary of your project including the aims and objectives.
What is your project about? What does it aim to do? Who/What is your target audience/area?
Outline how your project will assist farmers to adopt low nitrogen land uses or farm systems in
the Lake Rotorua Catchment. (250 word guide.)
(a)
Please outline the background to your project, briefly describing the research or
best/promising practices that inform your project.
Clearly establish the basis for investigating this research question. What is the basis for
believing this land use or farm system offers farmers in the Lake Rotorua catchment
options that will emit less nitrogen than current Land Uses or farm systems?
(150 word guide)
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(b)
Briefly outline your Work Programme.
Tell us how you plan to achieve your aims and objectives, including timeframes? (150
word guide)
(c)
What are the proposed project management and governance structures for your project?
Please attach a brief bio of the key management personnel
Who is managing the project and how will it be governed? Attach a brief biography of
each of key personnel and partners. (150 word guide)
Please submit this EOI application to [email protected]
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