Released 05/06/2025
Community groups, volunteers and citizen scientists are invited to apply for funding to support projects that protect and restore the ACT’s natural environment, with applications now open for the 2025–26 ACT Environmental Grants Program.
A total of $360,000 is available across two grant streams:
- Environment Grants – Up to $35,000 per project is available for community-led initiatives that improve biodiversity, restore landscapes, connect people to nature and support Caring for Country.
- Environmental Volunteer Group Assistance Grants – Up to $5,000 per project is available to help volunteer groups build their capacity and continue their valuable environmental work.
Now in its 29th year, the Environmental Grants Program has supported hundreds of local initiatives, from ecological restoration and habitat creation to youth engagement and citizen science projects.
Launching the grants on World Environment Day, Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy and Water Suzanne Orr said there is no better time to highlight the vital role local groups play in protecting the environment.
“There’s no better time than World Environment Day to highlight the incredible contribution Canberrans make in protecting our natural spaces,” Minister Orr said.
“The ACT Government deeply values the tireless work of community groups, environmental volunteers and citizen scientists who are restoring bushland, enhancing biodiversity and helping to make Canberra a more liveable, sustainable city.”
Minister Orr said the grants not only support conservation outcomes, but also deliver social and educational benefits.
“These grants are about empowering local communities to lead the way, whether through habitat restoration, education, or on-ground conservation. They also support wellbeing by connecting people to nature in meaningful ways,” she said.
“If you’re part of a local group with a great idea to care for our environment, I encourage you to apply.”
Friends of Magpie Hill co-convenors Morgyn Phillips and Astrida Upitis said the support their group received through the program had already delivered long-term benefits.
“Thanks to an Environmental Volunteer Group Assistance Grant, our volunteer group, Friends of Magpie Hill has been able to access expert training in plant and bird identification,” they said.
“This training has helped us gain a better understanding about native grasses and plants in our park and where to focus our regeneration efforts.”
The grants have also had a lasting impact on education-focused projects across the ACT, including at Merici College, where students recently restored a degraded grassy woodland corridor on school grounds.
Felicity Maher, Sustainability Coordinator at Merici College, said the program was a valuable opportunity for students to engage with environmental issues.
“Thanks to funding from the ACT Environmental Grants Program, our students planted 600 native plants in a degraded grassy woodland corridor on our school grounds,” Ms Maher said.
“The project not only enhanced local biodiversity but also created an outdoor learning space for students and a green corridor the wider community can enjoy.”
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for schools and community groups to make a lasting environmental impact.”
Applications for the 2025-26 ACT Environmental Grants close Wednesday 17 July 2025.
For more information and to apply, visit: www.act.gov.au/money-and-tax/grants-funding-and-incentives.
– Statement ends –
Suzanne Orr, MLA | Media Releases
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