Tag: Landcare Australia

LANDCARE AUSTRALIA COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM

NOW OPEN!

As part of Landcare Australia’s celebration of 35 years of Landcare Australia and landcare as a national movement, the 2024 Landcare Australia Community Grants program will support local landcare and community environmental groups across Australia to deliver projects that address priority issues for the group, community and/or the environment.

The Landcare Australia Community Grants program is open to all landcare and community groups across Australia that embrace the landcare ethos, including Landcare, Bushcare, Dunecare, Coastcare and “Friends of” groups Traditional Owners and First Nations organisations, youth environmental groups and networks (ages 18+).

This grant program aims to support and celebrate the many groups that have and continue to make a significant contribution to caring for our environment across Australia.

Applications are open to projects that address priority issues, and may include educational workshops, restoring essential wildlife habitat, shelterbelts and fences, protecting our waterways, managing weeds and feral animals, working with Traditional Owners and First Nations organisations, hosting local community workshops, or purchasing plants and equipment, creating signage, amongst other landcare activities.

Project Funding Available:

A total funding pool of $300,000 ex GST is available, made possible by the generous contributions to Landcare Australia’s fundraising activities.

Grant applications for a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $20,000 (excluding GST) are available.

If you have any questions after reading these guidelines, please call 1800 151 105, or email: grants@landcareaustralia.com.au.

Key Dates:

Applications open: Landcare Week Monday 5 August 2024
Applications close: Friday 20 September 2024
Successful applicants notified: By Friday 18 October 2024
Final report due and projects complete: Wednesday 31 July 2025

Apply Now

Click here to download the Guidelines and Criteria for Landcare Australia Community Grants program 2024

National Landcare organisations – Time for a refresh

The Council of Landcare NSW has passed a resolution calling for the creation of a single, representative, national peak Landcare organisation that functions through and leverages the strengths of all existing State and Territory Landcare Peak Organisations (STOs).

The NSW Landcare community arrived at this majority view after a four-month consultation process.

At its 12 August 2020 meeting, Council resolved this reform is critical for the future of Landcare in Australia.

Specifically, Council resolved that the following points be conveyed to Landcare Australia Limited (LAL), National Landcare Network (NLN), all counterpart STOs and key Landcare stakeholders and partners.

1. LAL and NLN must immediately resume discussions to form one national Landcare body that represents grassroots Landcarers and provides the range of services needed to support and grow Landcare nationally.

2. This will require open, frank and professional discussion by those in national leadership positions regarding the issues that led to the failed merger and the rebuilding of trust to allow a meeting of the minds regarding the way forward.

3. A realistic timeframe for completion of the process must be set, albeit noting the urgency of the issue, and a formal process undertaken and resourced, with the requisite expertise.

4. The single merged national body must:
a. Bring together the strengths and competencies of the NLN (representation, advocacy, policy) and LAL (marketing, communications, fundraising, corporate relationships);
b. Have a federated representative structure that works through (and not around) each of the eight STOs to ensure Landcare community’s ‘bottom up’ ethos is preserved;
c. Must not include other environmental organisations, corporates nor other entities or individuals that are not deemed to be ‘Landcare’, as voting members of the new national body. Membership must be preserved for the eight STOs and independent board members of LAL;
d. Through a competitive and transparent recruitment process, must seek a leadership and management team that has the requisite skills and experience to lead and rejuvenate the Landcare movement nationally.

Council concluded: ‘As representatives of thousands of Landcare organisations, groups and individuals in NSW, we believe this reform is essential for the future of Landcare in Australia and request it be implemented with due care, responsibility and cooperation as a matter of urgency.’