Estuary Management Grants Program

Funder: Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water

Program summary

The primary objective of the NSW Government's Estuary Management Program is to provide support to councils to improve the health of NSW estuaries and understand the potential risks from climate change.  The support provided to councils under the Program includes financial assistance to prepare estuary management plans and supporting studies and to carry out projects to improve estuary health.

A review of the Program has resulted in a revised focus on funding, with a greater emphasis placed on:

• updating estuary management plans to consider climate change impacts, including sea level rise;

• estuary health monitoring and improvement; and

• stressed estuaries.

Key dates

Who can apply?

Local councils are eligible to apply.  CMAs, county councils and public land managers (such as a Crown reserve trust or a location-specific State Government authority) may apply in partnership with a lead council, providing the council is the principal applicant and assumes overall responsibility for administration of the grant. 

What will be funded?

Projects which can be subsidised under the Estuary Management Program include:

• estuary management plans and their supporting studies prepared and implemented in accordance with the Estuary Management Manual, and the updating of these studies and plans to reflect projected sea level rise impacts;

• estuary management technical studies;

• environmental repair works to estuaries, including habitat restoration and conservation projects;

• estuary health assessments prepared in accordance with protocols developed jointly with DECCW; and

• pre-construction activities for projects which are eligible for subsidy and likely to proceed to construction.

What will NOT be funded?

Funding will not be provided for:

• GST.  

• Retrospective projects. 

• Administration Costs.

• Non-monetary contributions as matching funds.  

• Contingencies.

Current priorities

Generally the highest priority will be given to grant applications involving:

1. the upgrading of existing estuary management plans to incorporate the impacts of climate change and sea level rise
2. the preparation of estuary management plans and associated technical studies
3. estuary health assessments prepared in accordance with protocols developed by DECCW
4. environmental or habitat restoration measures which are high priority actions within completed estuary management plans
5. environmental restoration works in areas not covered by estuary management plans

Note: 1 is the highest priority.

More information

Follow this link for Estuary Management Program grant information, including application forms and guidelines

Contact

Related Categories

• Environment & heritage
• Rural & regional