Apply for a Community Stewardship Grant

Community Stewardship Grants are available annually to support community-based projects that serve to protect and restore the local environment, enabling local community groups to undertake stewardship of natural resources in their local area.

The Community Stewardship Grants are an initiative of the Western Australian Government managed though the State NRM Program at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD). The grants are designed to facilitate the conservation and sustainable management of the State’s natural resources by supporting local community groups to undertake stewardship of natural resources in their local area.

Community-based NRM is directed and driven by local, catchment, or regional scale needs and priorities. It recognises the value of local knowledge, volunteer efforts and strong partnerships. The Community Stewardship Grants prioritise the direct involvement of local community groups in all project stages of design, planning and implementation, through which efficient and effective partnerships between government, industry, and community can be fostered.

Over the past 7 years, $53.2 million worth of Community Stewardship Grants has supported more than 450 grassroots not-for-profit and volunteer projects that care for the State’s diverse and valuable natural assets, from the Kimberley to the Great Southern. Collectively, the approved grants contribute to all six priorities of the WA NRM Framework 2018 and cover all nine development commission regions, some through multi-regional projects.

2025 Community Stewardship Grants are now open with $7 million in funding available to support community-led NRM activities.

The Community Stewardship Grants program involves both a small grants round and a large grants round:

Small grants:

• are valued between $1,000 - $50,000
• commence on or after 1 January in the year following the grant round
• are up to 18 months in duration.

Large grants:

• are valued between $50,001 - $450,000
• are intended for more strategic, complex projects
• commence on or after 1 January in the year following the grant round
• are for up to 3 years in duration.

To be eligible for assessment under these grants you must:

1. Complete and submit an application form online through SmartyGrants, ensuring all required supporting information and documents are clear and legible when uploaded, by 12 noon AWST on Monday 7 April 2025. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.
2. Demonstrate that you meet the eligibility criteria and meet the assessment criteria.

The 2025 Community Stewardship Grants Guidelines are essential reading for all applicants and may be downloaded at the link below:

• 2025 Community Stewardship Grant Guidelines

Applicants are encouraged to read through the following documents which are provided to assist in developing a competitive application:

• 2025 CSG Guide - Information for better applications
• 2025 CSG Guide - Engaging with Aboriginal people