Environmental Research 2026

This grant aims to facilitate collaborations undertaking applied research in priority environmental themes.

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Key information

Status: Open
Grant amount: Up to $350,000
Application opened: 9 February 2026
Application closes: 30 March 2026, 11:59 pm

Program objective

The program is designed to achieve the following objectives:

increase knowledge and advance techniques to solve priority environmental problems in New South Wales
assess and test the application of innovative solutions to decrease environmental degradation in New South Wales
discover new methods of operation for New South Wales industries that are less harmful to the environment.

This program is funded and administered by NSW Environmental Trust.

Eligibility

Check your organisation is eligible, refer to the eligibility criteria below or ‘Part 3: Eligibility’ in the program guidelines (PDF 796.13KB).
Check your research project is suitable for this program. Refer to ‘Part 4: Funded research themes’ and ‘Part 5: Eligible and ineligible project activities’ of the program guidelines (PDF 796.13KB).

Who can apply

Organisations that are eligible to apply are:

universities
state government agencies and statutory committees
community organisations or groups
incorporated associations and non-profit organisations
non-commercial cooperatives
councils
regional organisation of councils
other local government-controlled organisations
companies limited by guarantee
local Aboriginal land councils
Registered Indigenous corporations (not for profit).

Who can’t apply

The Trust will not fund:

research-funding institutes
individuals
industry joint ventures
for-profit organisations
profit-distributing entities.

Types of projects funded under this grant

2026 priority research themes

Successful proposals will align with the priority themes in the NSW Environmental Trust strategic plan 2024–29 - Strategic plan | Funding and support | Environment and Heritage.

Your application should show how your project will help end users improve environmental outcomes in New South Wales in relation to the priority themes of the strategic plan.

There are 3 priority themes for 2026. Your proposal must link to more than 1 theme or opportunity, but you must identify the one that your proposal most strongly aligns with. There is also an option to identify a secondary theme. Refer to page 11 of Guidelines.

What can’t you apply for

Examples of activities not eligible for grant funding

Item	Description
Administration costs that exceed 10% of the total grant, or are not project related	Organisational operating costs not directly related to the project. Project-related administration cannot exceed 10% of the total grant funds.
Capital expenditure	Grant funds cannot be used for infrastructure or capital purchases, which are defined as equipment or assets with a long-term useful life and substantial cost, typically retained beyond the duration of the project. This includes purchasing major equipment or assets that have value beyond the project period. However, small capital equipment purchases are allowed if it can be demonstrated purchasing the equipment is more cost-effective than leasing it for the life of the project. Generally, the cost of capital items should not exceed 20% of the total project budget. Essential project equipment may still be eligible for funding if leased or rented.
Commercialisation of existing technologies	Proposals seeking to use funds to commercialise existing technologies.
Core business	Activities that are typically the core responsibility of local or state government authorities or educational institutions. The concept of ‘core business’ can vary between organisations but generally refers to the essential or legal responsibilities an organisation must fulfil. While we can fund projects that relate to your organisation’s core business, we will only support work that goes beyond the organisation’s usual duties or day-to-day operations.

Cost recoupment	Funding cannot be used on any activities that have commenced before the grant is offered and accepted, and a funding agreement has been signed. This includes application development.
Cost shifting	Reimbursement of salaries of existing staff who will be supervising or working on the project unless it can be demonstrated that salaries have not already been budgeted for (refer to Part 7: Program Governance, Recruitment and How to design and develop your environmental research project 2026 in ‘Part 9: Resources’).
Data collection without application	Surveys to gather data or information on subject matter that is not used to develop research outcomes or tangible environmental outcomes.
Devolved grants, stewardship and incentive programs	Devolved grants, stewardship or incentive programs administered by a third party are not eligible for funding. Subsidy or incentive payments, including monetary compensation to organisations or individuals for maintaining or improving the environmental values of their land are not eligible for funding. You or your approved External Manager are fully responsible for managing and spending all grant funds.
Existing commitments	Ongoing research to which organisations have committed to as part of a previous grant or their core business operations.
Fundamental research	Proposals that do not involve applied research. Projects with no end user identified.
International travel	Overseas travel including flights and accommodation expenses.
Salary on-costs that exceed 26.5%	Salary on-costs that exceed 26.5% of the total grant funds sought for salaries. Salary on-costs include superannuation, leave loading, workers compensation and payroll tax.
Social research not directly related to the project	Social research must be directly related to the project.

Example projects

Using mosquito DNA for detecting the occurrence of native mammals in semi-arid refuges.
GPS-tracking the endangered Hastings River mouse to assess fine-scale habitat use.
Manipulating plant odour to protect threatened plants from mammalian herbivores.
Developing a pilot biosensor that uses machine learning to identify wildlife acoustically.

What your application needs to include

You can download the full guidelines:

File
Environmental Research Grants Program Guidelines 2026 (PDF 796.13KB)

The program has a 2-stage application process.

Stage 1: Expression of Interest

Submit an expression of interest (EOI) via the online Grants Management System (GMS), available on the program webpage by 30 March 2026 - Environmental research | Funding and support | Environment and Heritage

Projects must aim to commence between 1 May 2027 and 30 June 2027.

Projects must end no later than 30 June 2031.

We recommend using the GMS’s online environment to develop your EOIs (rather than downloading and working with it offline). The online system provides ‘pop-up’ guidance and embedded drop-down menus to assist you.

You can give editing rights to collaborators and project partners so they can provide input to your application. Refer to ‘Section 4.2.6: Manage access to application’ in the Grants Management System online portal user manual (see ‘Part 9: Resources’) in Guidelines.

Lead applicant

Each proposal requires a lead applicant. The lead applicant will be either a research body or an identified end-user of the research that is eligible for funding (see ‘Part 4: Funded research themes’).

Lead organisations must be based in New South Wales or be able to demonstrate environmental benefits for New South Wales.

If successful in securing a grant, the lead applicant will be responsible for project delivery. This includes meeting administration and finance requirements and overseeing the performance of collaborators.

Applicants from non-research organisations must apply in partnership with an academic researcher. This will ensure your application has a rigorous scientific methodology. It also increases the chances that it will be competitive with applications from research organisations.

All lead applicants must have an active Australian Business Number (ABN) that establishes the organisation as an eligible entity.

Stage 2: Full application

If your EOI is successful, you will be invited to submit a full application between 27 July – 14 September 2026. Refer to page 19 of Guidelines.

Address the eligibility criteria

Each proposal requires a lead applicant. Lead organisations must be based in New South Wales or be able to demonstrate environmental benefits for New South Wales.

Organisations that are eligible to apply are:

universities
state government agencies and statutory committees
community organisations or groups
incorporated associations and non-profit organisations
non-commercial cooperatives
councils
regional organisation of councils
other local government-controlled organisations
companies limited by guarantee
local Aboriginal land councils
registered Indigenous corporations (not for profit)

Applicants from non-research organisations must apply in partnership with an academic researcher. This will ensure your application has a rigorous scientific methodology. It also increases the chances that it will be competitive with applications from research organisations.

Australian Business Number

All lead applicants must have an active Australian Business Number (ABN) that establishes the organisation as an eligible entity.

Address the assessment criteria

Stage 1: EOI assessment criteria

Criterion 1: Significance for the NSW environment (scored out of 10 points)

The need for the research is well defined, addresses important environmental issues and relates to one of the priority themes.
The relevance and significance of potential long-term benefits for the NSW environment are clearly demonstrated.

Criterion 2: Merit of the research (scored out of 10 points)

The research has clear hypotheses that address specific environmental issues, supported by appropriate design and methodology.
The proposal’s concepts and outcomes do not duplicate completed or current work, and they will provide practical solutions for end users.
The research will fill a strategically significant gap in knowledge that directly relates to one of the priority themes.

Criterion 3: Collaboration and end user engagement (scored out of 10 points)

Relevant collaborators (including researchers in related fields of study, policymakers, natural resource managers) have been involved in scoping the proposal, and the project demonstrates an interdisciplinary approach.
Meaningful collaboration with end users of the research has been established, and the proposal considers their needs.

Criterion 4: Potential for success (scored out of 10 points)

There is a high likelihood the project will achieve successful outcomes directly related to the priority themes.
The proposal identifies key risks to achievement of project outcomes and successful project delivery.

Start the application

Applications for this grant are available via the Grants portal - Environmental research | Funding and support | Environment and Heritage

After the application is submitted

Successful applications will be decided by: NSW Environmental Trust

The applications will be assessed and both successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified.

Support and contact

Phone: 02 8837 6093

Email: info@environmentaltrust.nsw.gov.au

Program evaluation

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

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