Community Bee Innovation Fund

Applications for round 1 are closed. Round 2 is expected to open in July 2025.

The Community Bee Innovation Fund (CBIF) grant program seeks to:

  • boost Queensland's bee biosecurity
  • increase bee-related business resilience
  • protect our environment, economy, industries and communities from the impacts of varroa mite (Varroa destructor).

Program objectives and outcomes

The $500,000 (excluding GST) program provides funding for innovative projects that enhance varroa mite management in Queensland, preparing our beekeepers and pollination-reliant industries for future challenges.

Objective 1: Deliver innovative community engagement regarding varroa mite

Outcomes:

  1. Pollination-reliant industries in Queensland increase their knowledge of varroa mites and develop an awareness of the need to pay beekeepers for pollination services.
  2. Industries not targeted in conventional extension services increase their knowledge of varroa mites.
  3. Queensland beekeepers increase their knowledge and skills to incorporate varroa mite management into their business-as-usual activities.
  4. Partnerships are formed to create mutually beneficial outcomes for monitoring or managing varroa mites.

Objective 2: Develop innovative varroa mite management or monitoring tools

Outcomes:

  1. Queensland beekeepers access new or improved data-driven decision-making tools to choose appropriate varroa mite management or monitoring techniques.
  2. Queensland beekeepers adopt new or improved varroa mite management or monitoring techniques.
  3. The spread of varroa mites across Queensland is limited to natural spread as much as possible.
  4. Varroa mite populations are slow to establish in new areas.

Available funding

Your project budget must range from $5,000 to $50,000 (excluding GST).

Eligible projects and expenses

Your project must:

  • meet at least 1 of our program objectives
  • deliver at least 1 of our program outcomes
  • benefit Queensland beekeepers and/or associated industries (i.e. agricultural or horticultural industries reliant on European honeybees for pollination)
  • be completed by 30 April 2027.

'Innovative' can mean completely new or something existing, applied or tweaked in a new way.

For example, your project might aim to:

  • create a new varroa mite monitoring technique
  • host a local varroa mite management field day
  • develop a varroa mite integrated pest management (IPM) tool.

Your project budget must range from $5,000 to $50,000 (excluding GST).

You can use the grant funds to cover future project-related expenses such as:

  • general operating costs
  • business-as-usual costs
  • staff wages or salaries for employees' time
  • travel and accommodation costs
  • function space hire fees
  • contractor/consultant fees
  • printing
  • catering and event costs.

You cannot use the grant funding for:

  • capital expenditure
  • projects that result in commercialisation and profit-making
  • projects already funded from other sources.

Who can apply

The grants are open to Queensland:

  • incorporated not-for-profit organisations, cooperatives, clubs and associations
  • schools and universities
  • local governments
  • partnerships
  • incorporated trustees on behalf of a trust
  • companies and businesses.

Under the same ABN, you can apply for funding for a maximum of 3 separate projects across all rounds.

See section 4 of the guidelines (PDF, 281KB) for more details.

Key dates

There will be 3 rounds of funding:

  • Round 1: Closed for applications on 24 March 2025
  • Round 2: Anticipated to open July 2025
  • Round 3: To be advised

To stay informed about the timing of rounds 2 and 3, email varroamitegrants@daf.qld.gov.au.

How to apply

Read the guidelines (PDF, 281KB) to understand what the grant covers and what you need to include in your application.

Applications for round 1 are closed. Round 2 is expected to open in July 2025.

Step 1: Understand the program requirements

We assess each eligible application against the following criteria:

  • Project alignment and impact (60%): How well your project achieves at least one of the grant program objectives and its associated outcomes, assessed via the Workplan.
  • Cost-effectiveness and value for money (20%): Assessed via the Budget and Application Details, evaluating the financial feasibility and effective use of the grant funds.
  • Capability and expertise (20%): The qualifications and experience of your team, as detailed in the Expertise Summary.

See section 6 of the guidelines (PDF, 281KB) for more details.

Step 2: Complete the application form

Follow the instructions on the application form to complete all 4 sections—ensuring all green boxes are complete.

Email varroamitegrants@daf.qld.gov.au if you have any questions about how to complete this form.

Section 1—Application details

  • Organisation and contact details
  • Grant amount requested
  • Project start and end dates, location and overview
  • Project partners (if applicable)
  • Project description.
  • Project risks and mitigation.

Section 2—Workplan

You need to show how your project will achieve one or both program objectives and the relevant outcomes.

  1. In Column B, choose the objective/s your project will achieve from the dropdown options.
  2. In Column D, choose the relevant outcome/s that apply to your project.
  3. In Column E, nominate quantitative indicators for each of the outcomes you selected. These are the measurable things you will use to monitor the performance of your project.
  4. For each indicator:
    1. nominate a target number in Column F that your project will achieve
    2. describe how you will collect the data in Column G.
  5. In Column H, describe the key actions you will undertake for each outcome, for every 6-month interval of your project.
  6. Briefly describe to what extent your project will achieve the objective/s and outcome/s you have chosen.

Section 3—Expertise summary

Describe the expertise and capability you will use to deliver your project.

Section 4—Budget

For each financial year and quarter, describe the costs anticipated for your project.

Step 3: Submit your application online

Upload your completed form before the deadline.

After you submit

We will assess each application against the eligibility requirements and merit assessment criteria.

We will advise you in writing of the outcome of your application.

If your application is successful, you will need to regularly report on:

  • your progress towards meeting activities, milestones and outcomes
  • the project expenditure.

See section 7 of the guidelines (PDF, 281KB) for more details.

Contact us

Our team is here to help you prepare a successful application.

Email varroamitegrants@daf.qld.gov.au if you have questions about:

  • the timing of rounds 2 and 3
  • the application process
  • your project eligibility
  • funding requirements.

Last updated: 26 Mar 2025