Victorian Landcare Grants

The Victorian Landcare Grants support environmental volunteer groups and networks to protect and restore land and the environment.

The grants are funded by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, and delivered through Victoria’s ten catchment management authorities (CMAs). Melbourne Water now administers the program for the Port Phillip and Westernport region, following the integration of the CMA in 2022.

Applications for 2023 now closed

Applications for the 2023 grants program closed on Tuesday 16 May 2023.

Congratulations to the 481 successful recipients of grants across Victoria, which will fund 245 projects focused on biodiversity protection and support more than 269 environmental volunteer groups.

Volunteers from the Phillip Island Landcare group stand on a wide, grassy field, in front of many small plantings protected by plant guards.
Phillip Island Landcare Group celebrates installing 1500 plants and guards in Ventnor, Phillip Island, on the lands of the Bunurong and Boon Wurrung people.

Eligibility

The grants are open to Victorian environmental volunteer groups to support their important work helping protect the health of our land, waterways and biodiversity. Eligible groups include:

  • Landcare groups and networks
  • Friends groups
  • Conservation Management Networks
  • Committees of Management
  • Coastcare groups
  • Aboriginal groups and organisations working on Country.

The grants aim to:

  • fund projects that address local, regional and state land and environment priorities, and promote innovation through experimental trials and pilot programs
  • sustain Landcare and other environmental volunteer groups and networks, particularly those whose continuing existence will benefit from this support.

For further details on eligibility and how to apply, download the guidelines on this page.

Funding

Across Victoria’s 10 CMA regions, a total of $3.95 million is available for project and support grants. This includes $572,750 allocated to Melbourne Water’s region.

You can apply for both grant types, but if you are successful in receiving a project grant you will not receive a support grant.

Project grants

Up to $20,000 may be provided to eligible groups and networks for:

  • on-ground works
  • capacity building activities
  • community education and engagement that protects or improves natural assets, such as: 
    • native vegetation
    • native fauna
    • waterways
    • wetlands
    • soils.

Projects must be completed and reported on by 30 November 2024.
You can submit more than one application.

Support grants

Up to $500 may be provided to eligible groups and networks to help with administration and running costs, such as:

  • insurance
  • incorporation and operational needs
  • meetings and events
  • newsletters, websites and other communications.

Timeline

  1. Applications open: Tuesday 28 March 2023
  2. Applications close: 5pm Tuesday 16 May 2023 
  3. Recipients notified: September 2023
  4. Projects completed: 30 November 2024

Guidelines

Previous funding

Through the 2022 grants program, 28 projects were funded in Melbourne Water’s region. These include Cairnlea Conservation Committee of Management in St Albans, which sought to continue restoring three wildflower grasslands; and Friends of Merri Creek, which is supporting the LGBTQI+ environmental group the Queermates of Bababi Djinanang by facilitating training workshops and on-ground activities at the Moreland billabong Bababi Djinanang.

View the report cards for more information:

Contact us

For more information or to discuss a potential application, please contact Barry Kennedy, Regional Landcare Coordinator:

 0447 821 559

 [email protected]

Last updated:
20 September 2023