Current programs (national)

Grants Program to Assist Small Rural Communities
A program for small rural communities will offer grants of up $50,000 to benefit people in rural and remote Australia. What can be funded? Not-for-profit Organisations can apply for projects and activities that offer clear public benefit for communities living in small rural and remote locations in Australia, contributing to their development in social and community welfare, economic, environmental, health, education or cultural areas.
·         Applications from communities with a population of 10,000 or less will receive preference.
·         Grants will be made in amounts up to $50,000.
·         To be eligible, projects must be for a charitable purpose (benefit the whole community).
·         Organisations demonstrating Community Partnerships will be preferred to multiple applications from one community.Grant seeker enquiries can be made on freecall 1800 170 020 or e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Q150 Community Funding
Queensland’s 150th Celebrations in 2009 will commemorate Queensland’s independence from New South Wales as a colony. The Queensland Government has committed $4 million to the Q150 Community Funding Program. Not-for-profit incorporated community organisations, local councils and tertiary institutions throughout Queensland are eligible to apply for grants of between $2000 and $10,000. Round 3 applications open 1st July and will close 5th September 2008. Successful applications will be announced 10th December 2008. For more information visit http://www.q150.qld.gov.au/

Australia Post Community Development Grant
Community groups, including local landcare groups across Australia, can now apply for yearly grants of up to $3,300 (including GST) to help improve their local community and environment, through the Australia Post Landcare Community Development Grants Program.  The grants can fulfil a community groups’ “wish list” and directly fund a community project, help buy much needed tools and equipment, or help raise awareness and encourage more community members to get involved. The flexibility in the allocation of funds aims to help groups in their ability to grow within the community. Any community group undertaking strategic projects to care for the environment, including landcare groups, youth groups and indigenous groups, can apply for the Australia Post Landcare Australia Community Development Grants. Groups that are not incorporated will need to form a partnership with an organisation that will (and can) accept responsibility for administering the financial aspects of the grant, including insurance, e.g. an incorporated Landcare or catchment organisation.
Closing dates for 2008:
Round 2:  19th September 2008 
Download Community Development Grants Application Guidelines 

 Junior Landcare Grants Program
Through the Junior Landcare Grants Program, any school or organisation that would like to involve their students in landcare projects, in conjunction with local landcare groups, can apply for grants to assist them with the cost of their projects. The program targets major issues relevant to our natural environment including; water quality/conservation, waste reduction/recycling, school gardens, biodiversity and land. In addition to on-ground rehabilitation or restoration works, projects may also include conservation of natural resources, environmental monitoring programs, waste minimisation, using school grounds as learning centres or undertaking an environmental field trip. Most project applications will be expected to have a value of $500 to $1000 and will be more likely to be successful if the projects:
- involve the school community or broader local community
- have determined educational outcomes with an environmental focus
- link with a community landcare entity
- are well planned and documented
- are student-oriented and allow maximum student involvement.
Closing dates for 2008 are: 
Round 1:     2nd March 
Round 2:     16th May
Round 3:     1st August
Round 4:     24th October
More information: http://www.landcareonline.com/funding_opportunity_details.asp?fo_id=6

 The George Alexander Foundation
The George Alexander Foundation supports activities in Education and Environment & Conservation. The Environment & Conservation Program aims to:
• develop partnerships with rural and regional communities, private landholders and governments which encourage good environmental practices and the maintenance of biodiversity.
• support programs which enable students to gain practical experience in conservation and land management.
• support ‘hands-on’ local community environmental projects where there is a strong volunteer component.
The 2008 closing dates for grant applications are: 27th March, 30th June and 6th October. For more information: http://www.gafoundation.org.au/program_areas.html

Nature Assist Round 3 
Expressions of interest for NatureAssist - Round 3 are invited for 2008. This funding scheme could help you protect and manage the natural and/or cultural values on your property, by giving landholders throughout Queensland the opportunity to tender for funds for on-ground works that will contribute to sustainable management of high conservation value land. NatureAssist is a major component of the Queensland Government’s Blueprint for the Bush initiative and is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department for Nature Resources and Water. To be eligible for funding, you must own or lease and manage land of significant natural and/or cultural value and be prepared to establish a nature refuge on your land through negotiating a perpetual nature refuge agreement with the Queensland Government. A nature refuge is negotiated directly with you to balance your business needs and conservation interests. Funding is distributed following a competitive tender process where landholders apply for funding for conservation management activities on their land. For more information visit the EPA website at www.epa.qld.gov.au/naturerefuge, call 1800 603 604 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Gambling Community Benefit Fund
Funds up to $30,000 closes August 31 - funds "community education". http://www.gcbf.qld.gov.au/index.alt.shtml

Drought Relief Assistance Scheme (DRAS)
The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries provides grants to help primary producers in the grazing industries manage their livestock resource during drought and to assist in the restoration of that resource after drought. For more information visit the Queensland government website. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

QRAA Natural Disaster Assistance
The Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority provides loans for up to $100,000 for the purpose of replanting, restoration or re-establishment of affected areas; sustenance; essential property operations; payment of rent or rates; replacement of farm buildings; and restocking. For further information visit the Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority website or phone 132 523

Gambling Community Benefit Fund
The Gambling Community Benefit Fund provides one-off grants of up to $30,000 to Queensland based not-for-profit community groups. The closing date for the grant rounds are: 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December 2008. $8.4 million in funding was approved for 467 projects in December 2007. For more information go to: http://www.gcbf.qld.gov.au/

$3b a year for clean energy and carbon offsets
A new report from CSIRO has found farmers could make an extra $3 billion a year by helping to produce clean energy and by offering carbon offsets to major polluters.  The CSIRO report was commissioned by the Agricultural Alliance on Climate Change, which includes farming and green organisations. The paper presents the best available information on the potential supply of each of these services from rural Australia, assesses key challenges or impediments that need to be overcome in order to realise this potential, and estimates the associated benefits for Australian rural businesses and communities. More information: www.climateinstitute.org.au

Further information on all Australian and Queensland government programs: