Landcare Agriculture Biodiversity in Action Grant
Landcare Australia’s Landcare Agriculture Program is offering funding to landcare and producer groups across Australia to team up with suitable experts to improve and enhance their biodiversity measurement and management skills.
This project will demonstrate how improving environmental practices boosts agricultural production, conservation efforts, community well-being, supply chain reliability, and market access.
The goal of the Landcare Agriculture Biodiversity in Action Grant is to help groups across Australia improve their understanding and management of natural assets on-farm by testing, implementing and evaluating practical initiatives that can restore biodiversity and/or increase biodiversity values. It does this by providing support – including training, field days, and on-ground trials – to advisors, producers, and landcare groups, thereby boosting productivity, resilience, and market access in line with local priorities.
Projects must contribute to achieving both of the following aims:
- Improve knowledge, skills and confidence in biodiversity measurement, monitoring and management.
- Test and implement practical on-ground biodiversity management actions.
To achieve this, project activities must:
- Increase the capacity and capability of community, landcare groups, producer groups or First Nations agricultural businesses, to work towards the adoption of measurable best practices for sustainable agriculture.
- Directly improve biodiversity and on-farm adoption of best practice sustainable agriculture through on-farm demonstration.
Funding Available
Projects can be delivered over 2-years or 3-years and can commence from July 2025. At least 10 projects will be funded.
- 2-year projects should be to a maximum of $40,000 (ex-GST)
- 3-year projects should be to a maximum of $75,000 (ex-GST)
Projects must include on-ground activities or trials to improve farm biodiversity management.
Key dates:
| Applications open | Tuesday 15th April 2025, 9am AEST |
| Applications close | Friday 16th May 2025, 5pm AEST |
| Grant outcome notifications | 30 June 2025 |
| Final report due 2-year projects | 31 May 2027 |
| Final report due 3-year projects | 31 May 2028 |
Applications
Groups can apply for the Landcare Agriculture Biodiversity in Action Grant on the Landcare Australia SmartyGrants Portal until 5pm (AEST) 16th May 2025.
Enquiries
If you have any questions after reading these guidelines, please contact Angela Hammond at Landcare Australia, [email protected] or 0402 921 929.
Read the complete Guidelines here.
Landcare Agriculture Grant guidelines
Who is eligible to apply for a grant?
This grant aims to support groups and organisations across Australia that are focused on supporting sustainable primary production. Projects may relate to any form of food or fibre production, including cropping, grazing, dairy, horticulture, mixed farming, farm forestry, fishing and aquaculture.
Eligible organisations must:
- be an incorporated association if a community volunteer group, network or organisation;
- have an Australian Business Number (ABN);
- have an account with an Australian financial institution; and
- hold a Certificate of Currency for appropriate insurance, including public liability and personal accident (volunteer) insurance.
Eligible organisations include:
- Agriculture industry associations and bodies
- Farming systems groups
- Landcare and other community groups
- Traditional Owners and First Nations organisations
- Aquaculture and commercial fisheries organisations
- Farm and agroforestry organisations
- Non-government organisations interested in sustainable natural resource management
- Regional natural resource management organisations
- Agribusinesses and other businesses involved in food and fibre supply chains with an interest in sustainable natural resource management
- Technology/emerging technology groups
Ineligible organisations
The following organisations are ineligible to apply, however they can participate as co-contributors for applications:
- Unincorporated associations
- Local, state and territory governments
- State and territory Landcare organisations
- Individual primary producers and groups of individuals
- Research and development bodies including Rural Research and Development Corporations
- Universities
Grant purpose and outcomes
The Landcare Agriculture Biodiversity in Action Grant aims to support the Australian agricultural industry to increase capacity in natural capital and biodiversity management by supporting advisors, producers and landcare groups to participate in supported training, activities and on-ground farm trials which support agricultural productivity, resilience and market access while aligning to local priorities.
Projects must contribute to achieving both of the following aims:
- Improve knowledge, skills and confidence in biodiversity measurement, monitoring and management.
- Test and implement practical on-ground biodiversity management actions.
To achieve these aims projects must
- undertake activities that will increase the capacity and capability of community, Landcare, producer groups or First Nations agricultural businesses, to engage in and undertake activities that support the adoption of measurable best practice sustainable agriculture; and
- undertake activities that directly improve biodiversity and on-farm adoption of best practice sustainable agriculture through on-farm demonstration.
Projects must include on-ground activities or trials to improve farm biodiversity management.
Eligible activities
Funding is available for activities that support eligible organisations to enhance their biodiversity literacy and management practices by testing and measuring initiatives within farming enterprises and regions.
Project activities should align with Principle 1 (Emissions reduction) and Principle 5 (Biodiversity protection) of the Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework.
On-farm project activities should address practical protection and/or improvement of natural capital, particularly native habitat and biodiversity. Groups that also incorporate greenhouse gas emission baselining and reduction using tools such as the Ruminati platform or similar GHG calculators as part of their project delivery are particularly encouraged to apply.
Suitable project activities include:
- Establishing a demonstration and monitoring site for best practice management of on-farm biodiversity that aligns biodiversity initiatives with productivity and profitability.
- Delivering training and support in biodiversity understanding and measurement that increases awareness, knowledge, skills, confidence and adoption of proven biodiversity management strategies.
- Delivering training to support the capacity of Australian producers to demonstrate the sustainability of their operations in response to market demands.
- Delivering training to Australian producers to calculate the emissions profile of agricultural enterprises and implement mitigation strategies that reduce supply chain emissions.
- Support supply chain collaborations that will lead to improved market access and increased adoption of best practice sustainable agriculture.
Eligible fundable activities include but are not limited to:
- project management – not to exceed 10% of the total project budget
- facilitator engagement and experts to support project delivery
- demonstration site monitoring and evaluation
- emissions monitoring and reduction
- technology subscriptions that assist with monitoring and management
- habitat creation and revegetation plantings
- cultural and ecological burns
- community engagement – workshop, field days, training
- activities that increase landscape connectivity
- weed and pest animal management to support biodiversity outcomes
- activities that increase environmental resilience and adaptation to climate change
You cannot use the grant for the following:
- activities that are the legal responsibility of the applicant or others, such as managing or controlling certain weeds and pests
- business-as-usual activities for the participants or beneficiaries of the project
- activities (including purchases of equipment or materials) that could reasonably be considered a land manager’s ordinary responsibility unless you demonstrate:
- a substantial public benefit that would not occur without the grant and that exceeds the amount of the grant, and
- the private beneficiary’s contribution to the cost of the project exceeds the amount of the private benefit obtained
- grants from you to another entity
- activities with the potential to adversely impact on a matter of national environmental significance under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth)
- the introduction of plants, animals or other biological agents known to be, or that could become, environmental or agricultural weeds and pests
- overseas travel
- activities outside of Australia (including outside Australia’s maritime zone)
- activities that have commenced before execution of the grant agreement
- costs incurred in the preparation of a grant application or related documentation
- activities for which other Commonwealth, State, Territory or local government bodies have primary responsibility
- purchase of goods for competitions, prizes, giveaways, or vouchers, donations
The above lists are not exhaustive. If unsure, contact the Landcare Australia Grants Team on email: [email protected] or 1800 151 105.
Budget
Providing a detailed budget is an essential part of your project. To assist in the assessment of your project please ensure that you include detail in your item description.
Before working on your budget, please consider the following:
- cost estimates should be credible and realistic. Include quotes where applicable;
- inflated budgets will damage the credibility of the proposal;
- each item must be specific, avoid using terms such as ‘miscellaneous’ or ‘other activities’; and
- for each item, include a short description and provide details of calculations used to arrive at the amount budgeted.
Eligible budget items include:
- operating costs, e.g., measuring equipment, scales, soil samplers etc.
- external contractors engaged
- salaries (including on costs up to 30%)
- travel costs
- field days
- soil testing, ecological surveys, song monitoring processing, water testing etc.
- workshops and training
- presenter fees and associated cost
The above lists are not exhaustive. If unsure, contact the Landcare Australia Grants Team on email: [email protected] or 1800 151 105.
In-kind contributions
An in-kind contribution is a contribution of a good or service or cash.
Some examples include:
- supporting organisations time and resources
- producer time and resources
- voluntary labour (labour for planting, fencing)
- donated goods (tractor hours used for fencing)
- donated services (professional advice from an ecologist or agronomist)
- cash contribution from other partners or participants
The calculation of your in-kind contribution is based on your best estimates.
- for volunteer labour or donated services calculate the price you would pay for them if they were not donated
- calculate donated goods at the price you would pay for them if they were not donated
A minimum in-kind value of 25% of the total funding requested is required.
Terms and conditions
Funding
Funding will be provided based on the milestones outlined in your applications. Grant payments will be delivered as a percentage of total grant allocation at each Milestone as outlined below.
| Milestones | Grant Payment Schedule | |
|---|---|---|
| 2-Year Projects | 3-Year Projects | |
| Milestone 1 – grant agreement signing June 2025 | 20% | 20% |
| Milestone 2 – November 2025 Report | 35% | 35% |
| Milestone 3 – May 2026 Report | 35% | 20% |
| Milestone 4 – May 2027 Report | 10% | 20% |
| Milestone 5 – May 2028 Report | N/A | 5% |
A milestone example can be downloaded here. If groups are experiencing hardship or anticipate needing funds earlier, we can be flexible, and recipients should contact the Landcare Australia Grants Team for support: [email protected] or 1800 151 105.
Reporting Requirements
As a condition of receiving the grant funding you will be required to complete reports as outlined in the milestones table above. Reporting templates will be available online on Landcare Australia’s SmartyGrants portal.
Successful applicants will be required to provide Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) data to measure knowledge, skills, confidence and practise change for the duration of the project. Please see MEL Overview for example of reporting details.
The personal information provided through the MEL reporting will be managed in accordance with Landcare Australia’s Privacy Policy.
Landcare Australia will be using Restor.eco for internal management of successful project site locations and data evaluation. Locations on private property will be managed through a non-public platform to ensure privacy is maintained for landholders. If successful, shape files, KML or KMZ files will be required.
Terms and Conditions
The funding for this grant will be administered by Landcare Australia. Before receiving funding, you will be required to agree to our standard terms and conditions.
Other Conditions
- All on-ground projects must have landholder consent.
- Applicants are encouraged to engage with Traditional Owners and First Nations organisations in project development and delivery where relevant.
- Groups with project reports overdue from previous Landcare Australia grants are ineligible for further funding, until all reporting requirements have been met (contact Landcare Australia if you are unsure [email protected]).
- Photos of volunteers engaging in activities that showcase your organisation’s ability to deliver the project are welcome as part of your Photos will be used for promotion of successful projects.
Assessment criteria
Landcare Australia will consider applications based on the following criteria:
| Criteria | Weighting | How to meet that criterion |
|---|---|---|
| Project Aims | 25% | • Demonstrates the need for this project in the relevant agricultural industry. • Demonstrates what the biodiversity challenge is the project will address. • Demonstrate how producers are involved in the project. • Project goals are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely). |
| Project Methodology | 30% | • Demonstrates the planned activities are feasible, appropriate, technically sound, and realistic. • It is clear who will undertake the work, what will be undertaken, and where it will be done. • Project benefits are likely to be achieved in the time and budget available. • Demonstrates how the outcomes will be measured throughout the project for producer engagement and biodiversity change. • Project includes an on-ground trial in farm biodiversity management. |
| Project Engagement | 25% | • Demonstrates how the project enhances participant understanding of biodiversity monitoring. • Demonstrates that the project engages and builds producer/participant capacity, including who and how they will be involved. • Demonstrates significant producer participation in on-ground project activities. |
| Project Budget | 20% | The budget must demonstrate that the project represents good value for money, and: • any in-kind/leveraging elements are identified • adequate itemised detail • the budget aligns with the activities, and scope of the project |
Assessment process
- Eligibility
In the first stage of the grant selection process, we will consider your eligibility.
- Merit assessment
In the second stage, we will assess applications against the assessment criteria and weighting for each criterion as set out above. We will score your application based on how well it meets each of the assessment criterion.
The highest-ranked eligible applications will be shortlisted.
- Selection Advisory Panel
Selection Advisory Panel will consider shortlisted applications for:
- how well your application scored against the assessment criteria
- the relative merit of an application compared to other applications focussed on the same outcome(s), including overall value for money
- the primary industries represented (such as dryland and irrigated cropping, livestock production, dairy, horticulture, mixed farming, forestry, farm forestry, fishing and aquaculture) relative to the size of the industries and the extent of their natural resource use
- the distribution of projects across Australia
- the range of eligible applicant types
- Decision maker
The Selection Advisory Panel will make recommendations to Landcare Australia about applications that are suitable to be approved.
Landcare Australia will make the final decision to approve a grant.
How to apply
Groups can apply for the Landcare Agriculture Biodiversity in Action Grant on the Landcare Australia SmartyGrants Portal until 5pm (AEST) 16th May 2025.
Your application
- Follow the link. You can view and download the application form before you start your application.
- You must log in or register with SmartyGrants to be able to complete the application.
- If you wish to save a partially completed application, press ‘Save and Close’ and log out. You can log back in and continue to edit your application until you are ready to submit.
- To submit your application, click the ‘Review and Submit’ button at the bottom of the Navigation Panel. You need to review your application before you can submit it. Once you have submitted your application the application’s status will change to ‘Form completed’, and no further editing of the application or uploading of support materials will be possible.
- When your application has been successfully submitted, you will receive a confirmation email from SmartyGrants to your login email address. Please ensure you check your spam/junk mail folder if you do not receive the confirmation email.
If you have any problems or questions about online submissions, contact Landcare Australia’s Grants Team on [email protected].