NSW Wildlife Heroes Q Fever Vaccination Grant Program Guidelines
The overall purpose of this grant program is to improve the health and safety of wildlife volunteers through vaccinations against Q fever. Q fever is a public health concern globally and wildlife rehabilitators are considered an at-risk occupational group. Vaccination is the best preventative measure and is highly recommended for at-risk groups.
Overview
Round 1 (eligible applicants detailed below) – Applications open 9.00am 31st May 2021 and close 5.00pm 30th June 2021.
Round 2 – Applications open 9.00am 1st July 2021 and close 5.00pm 31st May 2022 unless all funds have been expended.
All times are in AEST.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application within one month of submitting it.
Who is eligible?
Round 1
Applicants will ONLY be eligible for funding in Round 1 if they are one of the licensed volunteer wildlife rehabilitation groups or WIRES NSW branches listed below:
- Wildlife Carers Central West
- Northern Rivers Wildlife Carers
- Northern Tablelands Wildlife Carers
- Wildcare Queanbeyan
- WINC (Wildlife in Need of Care)
- RRANA (Rescue and Rehabilitation of Australian Native Animals)
- Wildlife Rescue South Coast
- WIRES branches:
o Weddin Lachlan
o Dubbo
o Central West
o Central Northern
o Northern Rivers
o New England
o Mid North Coast
o Far South East
o Riverina
Using data provided by NSW Health, these groups have been prioritised as they have a high incidence of Q fever based on the average incidence of Q fever in the LGA from 2018-2020.
Applicants will not be eligible for funding if they are:
- Not one of the groups listed above
- Based outside of NSW
- An individual member of a wildlife group
- The application is not endorsed by the group’s committee
Round 2
Applicants will be eligible for funding if they are:
- A licensed volunteer wildlife rehabilitation group
- A WIRES branch based in NSW
- A licensed independent rehabilitator
Applicants will not be eligible for funding in either round if they are:
- Based outside of NSW
- An individual member of a wildlife group
- The application is not endorsed by the group’s committee
Eligible items
Eligible items the grant can pay for:
- Q fever pre-vaccination consultation with a general practitioner including serum antibody test and skin test
- Q fever vaccination
- Petrol vouchers to support travel to access vaccination providers (up to 25% of funds)
Funds Available
A total of $50,000 is available for allocation over 12 months during the 2020/21 and 2021/22 financial years.
In this program the maximum grant available is $2000 per application. Groups may submit only one application at a time, and must provide information about all volunteers receiving support through this grant once funds are expended. Additional funds can be applied for if needed after initial funds are expended, and if the grant round is still open and funds are available.
Goals of the grant round
The key goal of the fund is to improve the health and safety of volunteer wildlife rehabilitators in NSW.
The key output will be to increase the number of volunteer wildlife rehabilitators vaccinated against Q fever.
The program aims to achieve the following outcomes:
- Improve awareness within the volunteer wildlife rehabilitation sector of the danger and risks associated with Q fever and how it can be prevented
- Increase the number of wildlife rescue volunteers vaccinated against Q fever
- Reduce the cost of vaccinations to individual volunteers
- Increase the capacity of the wildlife rehabilitation sector to meet the demands of wildlife rescue and rehabilitation
Please note:
Vaccination is not available for people who have
- a documented history of previous infection with Q fever
- previously received a Q fever vaccine
- been advised not to receive a Q fever vaccine based on medical advice or vaccination guidelines (contained in the Q Fever Information Sheet)
NSW Health generally advises that a minimum of 7 days should pass between vaccinations of different types, i.e. if you receive a Covid-19 vaccine, wait 7 days before receiving your Q fever vaccine. For more information please contact NSW Health or consult your doctor.
Essential criteria
All applications must comply with essential criteria. Applications that do not confirm the following for their group will not be accepted:
- Provide a safe workplace for volunteers including evidence of volunteer insurance and WHS policies
- Have a current ABN and associated bank account
- Have no outstanding grant reporting requirements with FNPW or NPWS
- Endorsement from the group’s Chair/CEO/President
Assessment criteria
During the assessment process, the following assessment criteria will be scored:
- Need for the grant is clearly justified, and the application shows that the vaccination grant is in high demand, for the intended area/region
- Applicant has considered health and safety in their decision to apply for grant
- Applicant will co-contribute funds from other sources
- Applicant will communicate the grant opportunity to all members
- Overall quality of the application
Priority will be given to:
- For Round 1 – volunteers operating in areas with a high rate of Q fever incidence within the community, based on NSW Health data from 2018-2020.
- For all rounds – volunteers who actively participate in high-risk activities including direct handling/contact with wildlife or cleaning of enclosures.
Grant administration and record keeping
The NSW Wildlife Heroes Q Fever Vaccination Grant Program will be administered using the online SmartyGrants grant management program. Applications must be made via SmartyGrants.
The following documents will also be stored by SmartyGrants:
- Financial invoices, contracts and acquittal forms
- Contact details of organisations and grantees
- Additional documentation required for application assessment and reporting
Application process
Applications will only be accepted via the online applications portal, Smarty Grants.