Conservation Grants in Australia

This 2-year program (1 July 2026 to 30 June 2028) aims to strengthen conservation and protection of Australia's environmental and cultural values through establishing and managing Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs). The program supports implementation of the National 30 by 30 Roadmap to protect 30% of Australia's land by 2030, while contributing to social and economic benefits for First Nations people.

Under the Water Act 2007 (Cth) the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) can sell annual water allocations (temporary water). The proceeds of these sales can be used to fund environmental activities, which must be consistent with the CEWH Environmental Activities Framework (CEAF). This grant opportunity enables the CEWH to provide funding for environmental activities that help to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of environmental water delivery in the Murray-Darling Basin. There are a range of projects that could be considered environmental activities, such as: infrastructure upgrades that improve the efficiency of environmental water delivery projects that help restore and protect native flora and fauna populations and habitat research that improves scientific and cultural knowledge to help inform the delivery of environmental water projects that incorporate Traditional Owners knowledge into environmental watering planning, that will produce both environmental and cult

The REEF: Tourism Operator Support Grants program offers up to $480,000 to eligible tourism businesses operating on the Great Barrier Reef to fund necessary upgrades, checks, or clearances needed to accommodate school groups. The grants cover up to 50% of project costs and are part of the Australian Government's $10 million Reef Educational Experience Fund, which aims to increase student visitor numbers and improve operators' capacity to engage with school groups through curriculum-linked activities.

The NSW Environmental Trust funds projects that enhance the environment of New South Wales. Projects are selected through consultation with key stakeholders and must align with the Trust's strategic priorities for conserving, protecting and rehabilitating the NSW environment.

The NSW Environmental Trust funds projects that tackle large or complex environmental issues. Major projects are identified and designed through consultation with key stakeholders.

The Local Environmental Projects program will run from 2025–26 to 2027–28 as part of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water's Outcome 2, supporting nature-positive conservation and sustainable management of Australia’s natural resources. Announced during the 2025 federal election, the program funds locally informed, place-based projects that protect and restore threatened species and habitats, enhance coasts and waterways, and improve community access to nature, especially in urban green and blue spaces. Projects must show long-term environmental and social benefits through sustainable management and local engagement, aligning with national goals under the EPBC Act and Australia’s Strategy for Nature 2024–2030. The program also supports Australia’s international commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity. Participation by First Nations groups is encouraged, including sharing ecological knowledge. Projects promoting women’s workforce participat

This program funds projects to conserve native and threatened species and improve the ecological health of urban waterways. Stream 1 supports small to medium community-based projects ($150,000-$2 million covering up to 100% of costs), while Stream 2 supports large-scale projects ($2-10 million covering up to 50% of costs).

This grant funds organisations developing innovative approaches to threat abatement for the conservation of threatened species. It supports the development of new methods, tools, technologies, or products to manage the impact of broad-scale threats on threatened species, where proof of concept has already been completed.

This program provides funding to support citizen scientists in collecting data and metrics to enhance understanding of the ecological health and resilience of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage area. Projects will engage the general public in scientific research that contributes to the Reef 2050 Plan goals and generates credible, reliable data to inform policy and management decisions.

This grant provides organisations with up to $500,000 to improve the trajectories for the 110 identified priority threatened species from the Threatened Species Action Plan (2022-2032). It supports activities that reduce the risk of extinction for priority species and deliver improved conservation outcomes for threatened native plants and animals in Australia.

Funding to support conservation, public engagement, and promotion of listed values for places on the National Heritage List. Projects can run for up to three years across the 2025-26 to 2027-28 financial years, supporting the protection and preservation of Australia's natural, historic, and Indigenous heritage.

This grant program provides funding for taxonomy and systematics research, training, and recruitment of taxonomists in Australia. It supports projects focused on researching the taxonomy of Australian biota aligned with three priority areas: biodiversity and conservation, public and environmental health, and building taxonomic capacity. Grants range from $10,000 to $375,000 depending on the grant category, with some requiring up to 50% co-funding.