Deadline: 31-Jul-25
The Protecting Our Places Program is a competitive grant program through which NSW Aboriginal organisations and groups can apply for funding to make positive, long-lasting changes to the environment in New South Wales.
This program is funded and administered by Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Objectives
- The program has 3 key objectives:
- Enabling Aboriginal communities to gain more autonomy over their projects, strengthening their ability to deliver favourable results for their cultural heritage, cultural practices and the environment.
- Promoting the sharing and safeguarding of cultural knowledge among Aboriginal groups, government agencies and the community. This enables Aboriginal people to influence the management and preservation of their cultural and environmental resources on their ancestral lands.
- Ensuring land that is culturally important to Aboriginal communities is protected, restored, improved and managed by local Aboriginal groups, land managers and other stakeholders in a way that fosters Healthy Country. This approach deepens the connection between Aboriginal people and their traditional lands and waterways.
Funding Information
- A total of $500,000 is available for the 2025 round of the program.
- Grants of up to $120,000 can be awarded per project.
Eligibility Criteria
- The following NSW Aboriginal community organisations are eligible to apply:
- NSW Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALC)
- NSW Aboriginal corporations registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006
- NSW incorporated associations registered under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009
- Non-distributing NSW co-operatives registered under Co-operatives National Law and associated Acts
- NSW registered native title bodies corporate
- Australian public companies limited by guarantee operating as a registered charity under the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.
Ineligibility Criteria
- The following entities are not eligible to apply under the program:
- non-Aboriginal groups or organisations
- individuals, industry joint ventures and profit-distributing corporations or co-operatives (limited by shares).
For more information, visit NSW Environmental Trust.