Environment 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.

The NSW Government's Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy 2041 (WASM) Litter Prevention Grants Program funds councils, community groups, and other key stakeholders to implement litter prevention initiatives. Projects must contribute to NSW litter reduction targets of 60% reduction in litter items by 2030 and 30% reduction in plastic litter items by 2025, while building organizational capacity for sustainable litter prevention.

This program provides funding for projects that clean-up, restore, recover from or monitor the long-term impacts to environment, heritage and cultural assets impacted by flooding from ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie. Two streams of funding are available: small project grants ($10,000-$100,000, max $50,000 for heritage buildings) and large project grants ($100,000-$500,000).

This program provides matched funding for organisations and individuals undertaking greening projects on private property within the City of Melbourne. Projects may include new green open spaces, tree planting, biodiversity projects, green roofs, vertical greening, and water sensitive urban design. Two funding streams are available: Stream 1 for high-impact greening projects ($30,000-$100,000) and Stream 2 for community-focused smaller-scale projects (up to $10,000).

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 Sport Priority Needs Program provides up to $12 million in funding to help eight highly impacted Local Government Areas in NSW recover from February-March 2022 floods by repairing, reconstructing, and building resilience into damaged sport and recreation facilities. The program supports eligible councils to undertake damage assessments, feasibility studies, designs, and construction projects that restore safe and accessible facilities for training and competition while promoting environmental sustainability.

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.

Funding for South Australian landowners to establish new Heritage Agreements or expand existing ones. These grants support short-term (1 to 5 years) projects that protect native vegetation and enhance its condition through biodiversity protection and improvement activities.

The CRC Grants Program provides funding to establish and operate Cooperative Research Centres that bring together researchers, industry, and other partners to conduct collaborative research. The program supports multiple active CRCs across various sectors including digital health, agriculture, manufacturing, energy, and environmental sustainability, with funding terms typically spanning 10 years.

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 CRC Program provides funding to support research into world-leading controls for invasive pest animals that are humane, cost efficient and ecologically appropriate. The Invasive Animals CRC has been investigating biological control methods, including the cyprinid herpesvirus (CyHV-3), to manage carp populations in Australian waterways.