Flagship Habitat Rehabilitation Grants

Yeramba Lagoon Tidal Restoration

This program offers funding of up to $400,000 for projects that significantly enhance fish habitat, water quality and fish passage opportunities within the coastal catchments of NSW.

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Key information

  • Status: Closed
  • Grant amount: Up to $400,000
  • Application opened: 4 October 2023
  • Application closed: 15 November 2023, 5:00 pm

Program objective

The flagship grant program is offering up to $400,000 for projects that significantly enhance fish habitat, water quality and fish passage opportunities within the coastal catchments of NSW.

Funds may be used for a broad range of actions required to ‘get the job done’ including project planning, site assessments and on-ground works.

This program seeks to benefit recreational fishing opportunities by enhancing the habitats that fish need to thrive.

This program is funded and administered by Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

Eligibility

This grants program will fund large-scale coastal habitat rehabilitation projects at sites where major aquatic habitat outcomes will be achieved.

Eligibility criteria that must be met include:

  • Locations at NSW coastal waterways up to their headwaters in the Great Dividing Range.
  • Experience with the management of large aquatic rehabilitation projects
  • Clear alignment with enhancement of recreational fishing by improving fish habitat and or fish passage.
  • Specific and targeted site locations, or a staged approach that develops a prioritisation process for future funding rounds. 
  • Matching in-kind and or cash contributions of at least 1:1.
  • Where appropriate, alignment with regional and state-based priorities and planning instruments such as the final Marine Estate Management Strategy and Coastal Management Reforms.
  • Projects can be up to 3 years in duration. This includes time required for environmental investigations, community consultation and on-ground works (if proposed). Subsequent funding rounds may be available and enable a staged approach for longer term projects.

Who can apply

  • incorporated not-for-profit community organisations
  • NSW local councils operating under the Local Government Act 1993
  • businesses
  • organisations that have experience with the management of large aquatic rehabilitation projects.

Who can’t apply

  • individuals or groups of individuals
  • unincorporated organisations.

Types of projects funded under this grant

  • 'Shovel ready', having completed ecological, hydrological, and social studies, and progressing necessary permits and approvals.
  • Projects which require additional investigations including ecological, hydrological, design and/or social studies.

What can’t you apply for

  • Commercial ventures or materials developed for a primary commercial purpose.
  • Construction of fishing or boating related infrastructure (applicants should seek funding from the general NSW Recreational Fishing Trust funding or the NSW Boating Now program).
  • Installation of artificial structures such as reef balls or artificial reefs (applicants should seek funding from the general NSW Recreational Fishing Trust funding).
  • Construction of general amenities such as picnic tables, footpaths, toilet blocks, BBQs, and other picnic area enhancements.
  • Works that are primarily for asset protection rather than habitat enhancement.
  • Works that could be carried out through successive Habitat Action Grant funded projects (that is grants under $50,000 in value).

Example projects

  • Rehabilitation of riparian lands / wetlands (riverbanks, mangrove forests, saltmarsh), especially those with acid sulfate soil issues.
  • Environmentally sensitive bank stabilisation works.
  • Removal or modification of barriers to fish passage, including addressing floodgates, road-crossings, and construction of fishways.
  • Re-snagging of waterways with timber structures.

Most recent recipients

All recipients (14)

What your application needs to include

Expressions of interest must:

  • meet eligibility requirements
  • be technically sound and utilise best practice methods
  • show how this project is a priority, including any preliminary investigations undertaken
  • show consultation has occurred with DPI Fisheries
  • demonstrate how long-term maintenance of the project site will be achieved
  • demonstrate partnership or support of local recreational fishers in the project delivery.

Successful projects will most likely include partnerships with other organisations and will utilise a combination of funding sources.

For useful information that will assist you in developing and submitting your application, download the grant guidelines (PDF 94.3KB).

Start the application

Applications for this grant are closed.

2023 expressions of interest (EOI) were accepted from Wednesday 4 October 2023 to Wednesday 22 November 2023.

Watch this space for future opportunities and download a copy of the 2023 EOI application to view our most recent application. 

Apply now

After the application is submitted

Successful applications will be decided by: Director of Marine Estate Management within the Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries, following advice provided by Flagship Grant Technical Assessment Panel and endorsed by the Recreational Fishing Saltwater Trust Expenditure Committee.

EOIs will be assessed against assessment criteria by a Flagship Grant Technical Assessment Panel. Recommended EOIs will form a base from which projects will be further developed.

Recommended EOI applicants will be asked to provide a full project plan back to NSW DPI Fisheries for final approval that includes the following information to support their claim:

  1. refined project methodology
  2. refined project delivery timeline
  3. detailed project budget
  4. monitoring and evaluation plan
  5. refined risk evaluation
  6. communications plan
  7. evidence of successful delivery of similar large-scale projects.

Successful applicants will:

  • enter into a funding deed that outlines the responsibilities of both parties, time frames for project delivery, milestone payment schedules, risks and indemnities and reporting requirements of the grant
  • as a condition of funding, comply with the reporting requirements set out in Schedule B of the funding deed. You must provide to the department an activity progress report associated with payment milestones indicating the status of all on-going and completed activities for the period to which the report relates
  • acknowledge the DPI Fisheries Flagship Grants and the Recreational Fishing Trust in project publications, media (including social media) and signage.

Support and contact

Discuss your project ideas with NSW DPI Fisheries staff. They can advise you on
completing your application, and ensure that your project is consistent with consistent with funding priorities.

Phone: 0447 286 257

Email: fish.habitat@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Program evaluation

The grant will be evaluated at the conclusion of works to ensure:

  • the grant has been administered in accordance with this grant guideline
  • all decisions in the decision-making process are documented
  • activities and outputs funded provide benefit as planned - primarily the delivery of environmental benefits for native fish species and recreational fishers 
  • the grant was processed in a transparent, timely and objective manner
  • funding deeds milestones are met and reported on.
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