Steplight reviews and updates this list of sustainability grants and funding opportunities about once a week. Feel free to share the link with others who may be interested: steplight.com.au/grants. If you know of a grant which is not on our list please contact us at the bottom of this page.
Upcoming Grants
Community Grants (NZ)
Community Grants will allocate funds for projects which are ENERGY-RELATED and which will benefit the consumers of the former Central Power energy company.
ENERGY-RELATED grants with the following criteria will be considered:
- The project is in the former Central Power catchment Manawatu/Tararua area
- The project will be of benefit to the community; or
- The project will assist business growth and economic development within the community; or
- The project will promote energy conservation;
Organisation: Central Energy Trust
Submission date: Tuesday 7 May
Coles Junior Landcare Grants
Since 2008 Coles has been providing School Garden Grants of up to $1,000 to schools and youth groups to help create gardens in their grounds or community, such as bush tucker gardens, water wise gardens or veggie gardens.These programs encourage students to learn about the environment through “outdoor learning” and interaction in developing their own school gardens.
Organisation:Coles
Submission dates: Round 2: Friday 10 May 2013
Community Development Grants
The City of Tea Tree Gully Community Development Grants Program provides financial grants to individuals, community groups and “not-for- profit” organisations that provide a benefit to the wider community of the City of Tea Tree Gully for various purposes and projects.
Organisation: City of Tea Tree Gully
Submission dates: Fri 17/05/2013 – 05:00 pm
Eco Schools Grants
This program provides grants to schools to give them the opportunity to involve their students and community in developing and implementing environmental management projects.
The Trust is calling for applications to the Eco Schools program.
The overall objective of the Eco Schools program is to support schools to develop best practice in environmental education and innovative solutions to environmental issues. The program will fund school environmental management projects aimed at one or more of the following objectives.
Environment
-To promote more efficient resource use and improve the quality of the local environment
-To enable schools to address community and government environmental concerns and priorities
Students
-To promote the development of students’ knowledge, values and behaviour that supports environmental sustainability
-To promote participation and learning of students in improving the quality of the school and local environment
Teachers
-To assist teachers to integrate environmental management principles and practices into school programs and maximise student learning
-To ensure project related professional learning for teachers to gain practical and educational skills and knowledge about the environment.
School development and management
to encourage a whole of school approach to sustainable management of school operations
to fund schools to utilise the natural and built environment to facilitate student learning
The ultimate goal of the Eco Schools Grant Program is the development of environmentally sustainable schools.
- 60 grants of $ 2,500 each for schools (Total Program $150,000)
Food Garden in Schools
- 20 grants of $3,500 each for schools (Total Program $70,000)
Organisation: NSW Environmental Trust
Submission date: Friday 17 May 2013
Ian Potter Foundation Environment and Conservation
The aim of the Ian Potter Foundation Environment and Conservation Grant is to support Australian urban and regional communities to live sustainably and preserve biodiversity. This is considered important in the context of a challenging future due to factors such as land degradation, Australia’s limited water resources and climate change.
Environment & Conservation grants are of two types. The Foundation has a particular interest in supporting programs and research that promote sustainable approaches to agriculture, opportunities within the carbon economy and land management practices that encompass a landscape-scale approach to protecting areas of high conservation value. In addition, the Foundation supports smaller projects by recognising the important role played by volunteers and environmental organisations in increasing public understanding and awareness.
Organisation: Ian Potter Foundation
Submission date: 28 May 2013
Residential Energy Efficiency Funding (SA)
The Energy Efficiency Fund Initiative (EEFI) will provide funding to not-for-profit organisations undertaking energy efficiency projects to assist SA households facing financial stress. The available EEFI funding is $78,000.
Organisation: Essential Services Commission
Submission date: 31 May 2013
Community Grants Funding Program
The Community Grants Funding Program offers assistance to incorporated, not-for-profit community groups on an annual basis. Its objectives are to develop and promote a range of services and leisure opportunities, to encourage increased community participation in activities and services within the municipality and to build and strengthen local networks and encourage partnerships with council in order to facilitate the effective use of community resources and encourage sustainability of services and programs.
Organisation: Maroondah City Council
Submission date: Unspecified
City of Darwin – Community Grants Program
City of Darwin’s Community Grants Program assists projects or events directly benefiting and promoting the City of Darwin and which have broad community appeal. Each year Council allocates $100,000 for community projects and $50,000 for community based climate change and environment projects.
To be eligible, applicants must be an incorporated not-for-profit community organisation or a community group that is not incorporated but has an auspicing incorporated body.
Submissions for funding are invited in March and September of each year.
Organisation: City of Darwin
Submission dates: TBA
Community Grants Program
Council invites funding applications for the Community Grants Program from not for profit community groups or organisations for services and projects that support the outcomes to be achieved under FuturesPlan20: A twenty year vision for the City of Canada Bay.
FuturesPlan20 (FP20) expresses the City’s vision to be innovative, dynamic and sustainable through active partnership with the community. FP20 was developed in 2008 in consultation with community members on what they would like the City to look and feel like over the next 20 years in order to achieve an engaged, green, healthy, liveable, moving, prosperous and vibrant City.
Organisation: City of Canada Bay
Submission Date: 6 June 2013
Community Development Grants
The Community Development Grants are open to a broad range of groups including community agencies, sporting clubs, self help, environmental, cultural and recreational interest groups provided they are not for profit and directly benefit residents of Banyule.
Organisation: Banyule City Council
Submission date: 3 June 2013
Clean Technology Innovation Program Grant
The $200 million Clean Technology Innovation Program is a competitive, merit-based grants program that will support applied research and development, proof of concept and early stage commercialisation activities that lead to the development of new clean technologies and associated services including low emission and energy efficient solutions, that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The program will provide grants between $50,000 and $5 million on a co-investment basis of one dollar of government funding for each one dollar of the applicants investment.
Organisation: AusIndustry
Submission date: Unspecified, currently open for submissions
Smarter Resources, Smarter Business Program – Resource Assessment and Implementation Planning
The resource assessment and implementation planning initiative provides funding for eligible businesses to review their activities and to identify and implement resource efficiency improvements.
The initiative assists businesses to:
- undertake a resource assessment (energy or materials assessment) and/or
- undertake additional scoping work such as feasibility studies, detailed design analysis and business case development needed for a business to proceed with implementation.
Organisation: Sustainability Victoria
Submission Date: 1 August 2014
Open-ended submission
Matching Grants
Matching Grants support neighbourhood groups in the City of Sydney to purchase materials or supplies to help create projects that bring the community together. Matching Grants are available all year round and ‘match’ contributions made by the community with up to $10,000 cash or offer in-kind support like venue hire of City owned buildings. Have you got a great idea to improve or inspire your local village and a group of eager participants ready to make it happen? Then you might have what it takes to receive a Matching Grant!
Oranisation: City of Sydney
Clean Technology Investment Program
The Clean Technology Investment Program is a central element of the Australian Government’sClean Energy Future plan announced in July 2011. The Clean Energy Future plan provides transitional assistance for businesses and industry through the $8.6 billion Jobs and Competitiveness Program, the $1.2 billion Clean Technology Program, the $300 million Steel Transformation Plan and the $1.3 billion Coal Sector Jobs Package.
The Clean Technology Investment Program (the Program) is an $800 million competitive, merit-based grants program to support Australian manufacturers to maintain competitiveness in a carbon constrained economy. This program will provide grants for investments in energy efficient capital equipment and low pollution technologies, processes and products.
Organisation: AusIndustry
EcoTender
Under EcoTender, landholders are invited to tender contracts to deliver these multiple environmental benefits, primarily by means of improved native vegetation management and revegetation works on their properties.
Successful bids include activities offering the best value for money to the community, based on ecosystem outcomes, the significance of the environmental assets affected by these changes and the cost. Successful landholders receive periodic payments as they deliver the management actions under contractual agreements with the Department of Sustainability & Environment.
Under EcoTender, landholders are paid to manage their land and water resources in ways that provide environmental improvements.
Actions include:
- weed and pest control
- fencing and planting of native vegetation
- protection of gullies and wetlands
- stock control
Organisation: Victorian Department of Sustainability & Environment
Climate Change and Sustainability grant
The Climate Change and Sustainability grant stream provides financial assistance to not-for-profit community groups that wish to pursue projects and activities which promote sustainability and enhance community resilience to climate change and/or peak oil.
The aim of the Climate Change and Sustainability grant stream is to encourage groups and individuals in the community to take the initiative to develop programs, activities, projects and events which make a positive contribution to promoting sustainable communities, improving energy efficiency, or enhancing community resilience to climate change.
Organisation: Cairns Regional Council
Corridors of Green Grants
We support local councils and other public land managers to implement on-the-ground projects that improve the condition of our rivers and creeks.
The Corridors of Green program has provided $3.2 million in grants to local councils and Parks Victoria since it was established in 1999. Local councils and public land managers with management responsibility of land adjacent to creeks or rivers in the Port Phillip and Westernport region are encouraged to apply.
A maximum of $20,000 in funding (exclusive of GST) is available to projects addressing river and creek health. Funding can be used for a range of project related activities including weed control and management, native streamside (riparian) fencing, indigenous plantings and stream frontage management plans.
Organisation: Melbourne Water
Grants Archive
Environmental Grants
Applications for the 2013-14 round of Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA) grants are open.
These grants fund on-the-ground actions to help reduce impact on the environment and ensure it is protected for future generations to enjoy.
Individual grants and school grants are included in this round.
These categories are:
- Waste
- Energy
- Water
- Ecosystems
Organisation: NT Environmental Protection Agency
Submission dates: 20 April 2013
Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme (NZ)
You are invited to submit an application for loan funding for an energy efficiency project from EECA’s Crown energy efficiency loan scheme.
Applicants must complete and submit an EECA Crown loan Application form and a project cost/benefit analysis on EECA’s Crown loan Project Evaluation form.
Organisation: Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority
Submission date: 19 April 2013
Community Grants
The Darebin Community Grants Program aims to support not-for profit community groups to deliver projects and activities that strengthen community relationships, foster intercultural dialogue and social inclusion, promote environmental sustainability and enhance the wellbeing of Darebin residents.
Organisation: Darebin City Council
Submission date: 26 April 2013
Community Grants Program
The city’s Community Grants Program provides funding for projects that directly benefit the Darwin community. Each year $100,000 is allocated for community projects and $50,000 for community based climate change and environmental projects.
The first round of the program is now open.
Organisation: City of Darwin
Submission Date: 12 April 2013
Small Environmental Grants for Schools Program
Small Environmental Grants for Schools program supports school based programs that demonstrate environmental sustainability principles. This program is designed to promote and support youth focused programs targeting behaviour change for sustainability.
Organisation: City of Canada Bay
Submission Date: 13 April 2013
Caring for our Country Target Area Grants
Caring for our Country Target Area Grants are the open call funding component of the Sustainable Environment stream of the new Caring for our Country program. Target Area Grants will provide funding of between $50 000 and $2 million for projects to maintain ecosystem services, protect our conservation estate, and enhance the capacity of Indigenous communities to conserve and protect natural resources across six target areas:
- the Central Australian Connection
- Cape York
- the Kimberley region
- Tasmania
- South-west Western Australia
- Urban waterways and Coastal environments
Within these Target Areas, proposals must address one or more of the following Investment Themes:
- conserving and protecting species and ecosystems (matters of national environmental significance);
- restoring and maintaining urban waterways and coastal environments;
- protecting Ramsar sites and values;
- protecting World Heritage sites’ outstanding universal value and integrity;
- Indigenous community capacity building for natural resource management, and
- natural resource management community skills, knowledge and engagement.
Orgainsation: Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Submission Date: Wednesday 10 April 2013
Significant Environmental Benefits Grants
Applications are invited for funding of projects under the council’s Significant Environmental Benefit (SEB) Grants.
Funding is available for on-ground projects that will assist in the conservation, restoration and management of native vegetation in SA. Funding for SEB grants is currently available in the NRM regions:
1. South East
2. Northern and Yorke
3. Eyre Peninsula
4. South Australian Arid Lands
Projects should ideally address NVC priorities and be consistent with strategies identified in regional NRM plans.
The NVC welcomes applications that develop partnerships which assist conservation, land enhancement and management, rehabilitation and sustainability are sought by the NVC.
The grants are open to private landholders, non-government and government organisations, community groups and research institutes.
Organisation: Native Vegetation Council
Submission Date: Sunday 31 March 2013
Community Well-Being and Sustainability Grant (NZ)
The Community Well-Being and Sustainability Fund (formerly 2 separate grants, the Community Well-Being Grant and Envirofund) is now taking applications. The purpose of this grant is to provide small grants of $5000 and under to community organizations providing services for Hamilton residents. Eligible grant purposes now include projects with environment/sustainability purposes and those that benefit youth.
Applications should support priorities and outcomes set out in the Hamilton Social Well-Being Strategy and/or Sustainable Hamilton Strategy.
Organisation: Hamilton City Council
Submission Date: 28 March 2013
A Better Tomorrow Sustainability Grants
A Better Tomorrow Sustainability Grants will assist the City’s stakeholders in the development and implementation of a range of sustainability projects. You can receive up to $4,000 per application. Community groups, not-for-profit organisations, small businesses (<20 employees), households (collective>2) and schools are eligible to apply for the A Better Tomorrow Grants.
Grant themes include ‘Giving back’, ‘Protecting our future’, ‘Strong Communities’, ‘Water, Energy and Waste’ and ‘TravelSmart’.
Organisation: City of Cockburn
Submission dates: 31st March 2013
Green Schools Sustainability Grants
The Green Schools Grants provide financial and in-kind support to Coffs Harbour schools, pre-schools and childcare centres to undertake actions that result in improvement in biodiversity, water use, water quality, energy use and resources and waste minimisation.
Organisation: Coffs Habour City Council
Submission Date: 22 March 2013
Community Development Grant Program
The Greater Hume Shire Council Community Development Grant Program is aimed at enhancing the range, availability and quality of community facilities and services throughout the shire and to:
support, assist and encourage community groups to develop and implement:
- Innovative programs to help build and maintain social cohesion, build local capacity and lead toward social sustainability.
- Community and council partnerships.
- Enhance, develop or construct community facilities.
- Sport and recreation projects and activities.
- Arts and cultural projects and activities.
- Projects that will improve the viability and sustainability of the Shire’s economy.
- Projects that will improve the amenity and quality of physical infrastructure in the Shire.
Organisation: Greater Hume Shire Council
Submission Date: 25 March 2013
Resource Recovery Infrastructure Program
Expressions of interest for funding are invited for the Resource Recovery Infrastructure Program.
Delivering on the Victorian Government’s conserve, Invest and Save strategy.
The Victorian Government is re-investing revenue from the Victorian landfill levy to increase recovery of resources and their diversion from landfill.
The $6.5 million Resource Recovery Infrastructure Fund is providing funding to support up to 4 projects. Funding per project is expected to range from $1 million to $4 million.
Organisations able to deliver projects to process over 100,000 tonnes of waste annually are invited to apply.
Orgainisation: Sustainability Victoria
Submission Date: Friday 15 March 2013
Environmental Sustainability Grants
Lake Macquarie Environmental Sustainability Grants are designed to support community – initiated projects that improve the local environment and inspire environmentally sustainable behoviour within Lake Macquarie City. Not for profit community orgainisations such as groups, clubs, and schools located within Lake Macquarie can apply.
Orgainisation: Lake Macquarie City Council
Submission Date: Monday 11 March 2013
Energy Efficiency Loan Funding (NZ)
Applications for loan funding for an energy efficiency project from EECA’s Crown energy efficiency loan scheme are now being taken.
EECA has $2 million in Crown loan funds to allocate this year.
The scheme provides funding for energy efficiency projects in the public sector including health, education and local government.
Allocation is by funding rounds. There are normally 2 funding rounds P.A. Other funding rounds may be held as funding permits.
Orgainisation: Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority
Submissions Date: Friday 22 February 2013
Community Energy Efficiency Program
The Community Energy Efficiency Program (CEEP) is a competitive merit-based grant program that provides co-funding to local governing bodies and non-profit community organisations to implement projects that deliver a range of energy efficiency measures in council and community owned buildings, facilities and sites; particularly where this would benefit low socio-economic and other disadvantaged communities or support energy efficiency in regional and rural councils.
Organisations: Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
Submissions date: 7 February 2013
