Community Stewardship Grants

Find support for community-based projects that serve to protect and restore the local environment.

What are the Community Stewardship Grants?

The Community Stewardship Grants are designed to facilitate the conservation and sustainable management of the state’s natural resources by supporting local community groups to undertake stewardship of natural resources in their local area.

The Community Stewardship Grants are an initiative of the Western Australian Government managed though the State Natural Resource Management (NRM) Program at DPIRD.

From 2019 to 2024, $53.2 million worth of Community Stewardship Grants has supported more than 450 grassroots not-for-profit and volunteer projects that care for the state’s diverse and valuable natural assets, from the Kimberley to the Great Southern.

Collectively, the approved grants contribute to all 6 priorities of the Western Australian Natural Resource Management Framework and cover all nine development commission regions—some through multi-regional projects.

What do you get?

In 2024, $7.7 million in funding support from the Western Australian Government was available to support community-driven natural resource management projects across the state.

The 2024 Community Stewardship Grants involved two rounds:

• Small grants
  • valued between $1,000 and $50,000
  • up to 18 months duration.
• Large grants
  • valued between $50,001 and $450,000
  • intended for more strategic, complex projects
  • up to 36 months duration.

Who is this for?

Applicants from the following groups or organisations were encouraged to apply:

• Aboriginal community organisations including Registered Native Title Bodies Corporate
• incorporated associations and not-for-profit companies and trusts, including most community, landcare, and NRM groups, Recognised Biosecurity Groups and grower groups
• Land Conservation District Committees
• local government authorities
• primary and secondary schools.

Overview

Grants can be used to fund a wide range of NRM activities that will achieve on-ground environmental outcomes directly or improve community capacity and capability to achieve positive NRM outcomes.

Activities must deliver outcomes that align with the Community Stewardship Grant Outcomes. WA Natural Resource Management Framework.

Some examples of eligible activities include:

• data collection, analysis and sharing
• fencing for protection of native species or vegetation
• information sharing
• infrastructure for direct NRM outcomes.
• invasive species management (pest plants, feral animals, and plant diseases)
• planning and engagement
• remnant vegetation protection
• research and trials which add to existing knowledge
• resource condition assessment, surveys or monitoring
• revegetation (native species only)
• regenerative agriculture adoption and landholder support
• threatened species conservation or protection
• training and skills development. 

Successful recipients

The successful Community Stewardship Grants recipients for 2024, as well as previous years, can be found below: