Funding to build a sustainable future for the Murray-Darling Basin, its people and the environment

You can apply if you have an Australian business number (ABN) and are one of the following entities:

• an entity incorporated in Australia
• a company limited by guarantee
• an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
• an incorporated association.

You can’t apply if you are:

• an organisation operating an irrigation enterprise as a single unit (i.e. an irrigator)
• an organisation, or your project partner is an organisation, included on the National Redress Scheme’s list of Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme
• an employer of 100 or more employees that has not complied with the Workplace Gender Equality Act (2012).

Partner with other organisations

You can partner with one or more other organisations. But you must decide who the lead organisation is.

The lead organisation must fill out the application form.

If we give your group the grant, the lead organisation:

• signs the grant agreement
• is responsible for making sure your group follows the rules in the grant agreement.

You must complete your project by 31 March 2024.

Your project must: 

• be located in a catchment in the Murray-Darling Basin as outlined in section 5.2 of the grant opportunity guidelines
• meet the criteria outlined in section 5.1 of the grant opportunity guidelines.

You can apply for a grant between $50,000 and $150 million.

Grants are likely to be between $50,000 and $15 million depending on the scope and complexity of the project.

Eligible uses of grant money are detailed in the grant opportunity guidelines.

The Murray−Darling Basin Ministerial Council has agreed to a socio-economic test which applies under this program. As this is a vital component of your application, you should contact your state government as early as possible to undertake the test, including public consultation. Additional information about the socio-economic test can be found in section 2.1 of the grant opportunity guidelines.

The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment can be contacted at waterefficiency@agriculture.gov.au to assist you to work with your basin state on this requirement.