Environmental Restoration and Rehabilitation

Community and government organisations can apply for grants of up to $100,000 for projects that achieve long-term outcomes for the NSW environment.

The Restoration and Rehabilitation grants program is now closed for applications. Applications for the 2020 round are expected to open in the second half of 2019.

Purpose

To assist community and government organisations to contribute to the ongoing sustainable management and stewardship of significant environmental assets and services in NSW.

Funding available

Individual grants of up to $100,000 with a total of $2 million for community organisations and $2 million for government entities.

Who can apply?

  • community groups and organisations
  • incorporated associations
  • non-profit organisations
  • non-commercial cooperatives
  • local councils
  • state government agencies and entities.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have a Restoration and Rehabilitation grant from the 2018 round onwards, your grants administrator will send the planning and reporting templates to you.

If you have a project that was funded before the 2018 funding round, please use the following templates.

Monitoring and evaluating

A project (monitoring and evaluation) plan (DOC 133KB) maps out the activities you’ll complete and how these will produce the results you aim to achieve through your project.

Your grant application will contain much of the information you’ll need, so this is your starting point. The instructions in the planning template will also help you.

Project measures table

The project measures table template (XLSX 69KB) allows you set key targets and then record your progress, so you can quickly check how you’re tracking and record your achievements.

You’ll need to update and submit the project measures table every time you report on your project’s progress.

Progress reports and final report

As you move through your project you’ll have to submit progress reports. These will outline what you’ve achieved and what you’ll do next.

Progress reports are reviewed by technical experts who can ensure you’re on the right track and give you feedback or advice. After your report is reviewed and accepted we’ll pay your next grant instalment.

When your project finishes you’ll have to submit a final report that says what it has achieved.

Use the progress and final reporting form (DOC 83KB) for these reports.

Financial reports

You must submit an updated and authorised financial report with all your progress reports. You also need to submit a certified financial report as a part of your final project report.

If you need to rearrange your project’s budget, you should apply for a budget variation.

The forms you’ll need are on the financial reporting page.

Other documents

You may also have to submit some other documents or evidence. They’ll be listed in the grant agreement we send you.

Where to send reports

Email reports and other documents to info@environmentaltrust.nsw.gov.au (50MB limit).

Acknowledgement requirement

Please acknowledge the funding you’ve received from the Trust in all publications and materials related to your project. We ask that you say:

This project has been assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environmental Trust.

See Funding acknowledgement for more information.

You can download case studies of previous projects from Learning from funded projects.

In the program’s most recent round (2016), the Trust approved 52 grants totalling $4,630,668:

  • community grants – 25 grants totalling $2,264,129
  • government grants – 27 grants totalling $2,365,539.

Project summaries

2018 grants awarded

2016-2017 grants awarded

2015-2016 grants awarded

2014 grants awarded

2013 grants awarded

2012 grants awarded

The Trust has all its contestable grants programs independently evaluated to assess their effectiveness.

The Natural Resources Commission recently evaluated the Trust’s Environmental Restoration and Rehabilitation program. The Commission examined how the program was delivered, and the projects it funded, during 2010–15.

The Commission completed its work in June 2017 and then presented its final report (PDF 862KB). The Trust considered and accepted the report in November 2017.

The Commission concluded that the program was well-run overall; however, it also recommended changes to:

  • program design
  • governance and administration
  • application process and selection of projects
  • communication
  • monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

The Trust developed an administrative response (PDF 411KB) to address these issues.