Funding for projects to improve water quality in the Great Barrier Reef

You can apply if you:

• have an Australian business number (ABN)

and are one of the following entities:

• an entity, incorporated in Australia
• an Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth)
• an incorporated association
• an incorporated not for profit organisation
• a publicly funded research organisation (PFRO)
• an Australian local government agency or body
• an Australian state/territory government agency or body
• a Corporate Commonwealth entity (CCE).

You can’t apply if you are:

• 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)
• an individual
• a partnership
• an unincorporated association
• a trust (however, an incorporated trustee may apply on behalf of a trust).
• a non-corporate Commonwealth entity (NCE).

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 2030.

Your project must be located in Australia and in one of the following locations:

• the Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park
• the Great Barrier Reef Natural Resource Management regions
• habitats/ecosystems within the Great Barrier Reef catchments that have a clear and direct effect on the Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park and wider Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Your project can include activities at different locations provided all locations meet the above criteria.

You can apply for a grant between $5 million  to $19.75 million.

You can use this grant funding for:

• labour and on-costs for personnel directly employed in delivering the project activities (this should be calculated on a pro-rata basis relative to their time commitment). This excludes project management or project co-ordination costs which are covered under administrative support below
• contractor costs for the delivery of eligible project activities. All contractors must have a written contract prior to starting any project work. Invoices from contractors must contain a detailed description and breakdown of the work including hours and hourly rates
• costs associated with administrative support activities up to a maximum of 10 per cent of total eligible expenditure incurred through the delivery of eligible project activities
• costs associated with purchase of materials, and lease or hire of equipment where needed to undertake eligible activities
• costs associated with monitoring, research and reporting activities
• domestic travel and accommodation that directly supports the achievement of project outcomes and is required to conduct agreed project activities is limited to 5 per cent of total eligible project expenditure
• staff training that directly supports the achievement of project outcomes
• sharing of information and key learnings via various promotional activities that contribute to the knowledge base for wetlands’ role in water quality improvement up to a maximum of 1 per cent of total eligible project expenditure
• the cost of an independent audit of project expenditure up to a maximum of 1 per cent of total eligible project expenditure.