Landcare Australia open community grants program

LANDCARE Australia’s Community Grants program is now open, with a total pool of $300,000 available.

Grants are available between $5,000 and $20,000 for all Landcare groups and other community-led environmental groups across the country.

The grants are designed to revive nature, boost biodiversity and support volunteers.

Geelong Landcare network facilitator Bronwyn Merritt said many Landcare groups relied on various grants to run their projects, and the grants were often “make or break” for the group.

“Our groups are made up of volunteers and if they want to run any events or workshops or activities to rehabilitate the area, they need funding for it and grants are the main opportunity to be able to get the funding.

Ms Merritt said Landcare groups around the region have been successful in receiving grants in the past and groups will be looking seriously at the current grant opportunity.

“We’ve used grants to run nesting box workshops, we’ve run four now, which is getting people out learning about the importance of hollows and nesting boxes.”

“They’re not super-complicated to apply for and it’s just a great opportunity for all the groups to have a go at applying for some money to be able to achieve their objectives.”

Grants are open to projects such as educational workshops, restoring wildlife habitats, working with Traditional Owners and First Nations organisations, installing fences and more.

Landcare Australia is particularly interested in grassroots projects that increase the number of people helping with conservation projects in the community.

Within the Geelong Landcare network, there are a number of different groups all with different focuses from sustainable agriculture through to more urban areas.

“The diversity means different groups could have interest in applying for grants for different reasons,” Ms Merritt said.

Grant applications close on September 20.

For more information, head to landcareaustralia.org.au