Environment Program Grants

Environment Program Grants is sponsored by The Ian Potter Foundation. The Ian Potter Foundation's Environment program invests in efforts to better manage natural resources and preserve threatened biodiversity and ecosystems in Australia.

Environment | The Ian Potter Foundation EOIs for 2026 have now closed. This program area will next open in 2028. A sustainable natural environment is fundamental to a healthy and prosperous society.

Continuing and expanding on 45 years of science, environmental and conservation funding, the Environment program responds to the global focus on urgent issues such as climate change and biodiversity loss. The Environment program supports ambitious and transformative applied conservation initiatives, i.e. on-ground nature protection and restoration.

New Futures for Community Landcare project is a community-driven landscape planning program. Image: Landcare Victoria. Through its Environment program, the Foundation is committed to investing in efforts to better manage our natural resources and preserve threatened biodiversity and ecosystems in the face of challenges such as land degradation, limited water resources, invasive species, and climate change.

The Foundation is interested in applications that are strategically important, nationally significant, and highly collaborative. This funding area considers large grants ($100,000+ and multi-year) for environmental conservation work taking place within Australia and across multiple areas including land, freshwater, marine, and coastal.

The Foundation will prioritise projects: that are forward-looking, adaptive and prioritise landscape and ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change. that work at a landscape/ecosystem scale, with a focus on connectivity to ensure ecosystem functionality. that focus on places of High Biodiversity Value, rare or threatened ecosystems, or those with high concentrations of threatened species.

that engage strongly with communities and/or utilise citizen science to maximise community participation, voice and agency. that ensure First Nations engagement is best practice, and Indigenous knowledge is sought and incorporated as appropriate. have a strong, scientific evidence base and partnerships with appropriate experts.

that can be scaled and replicated or adapted for broad application. that can leverage further resources, influence policy improvements, or assist governments to meet Australia’s international climate or nature obligations. The Foundation rarely awards the full amount of any project.

Please ensure that you have alternative providers of funding and that your application clearly considers any possible grant from the Foundation in this context. The Program Manager MAY request a phone conversation with applicants AFTER they have submitted an Expression of Interest (EOI). University applicants must contact their Advancement/Research Office prior to submitting an EOI or Application .

See specific instructions for applications from universities or research institutes . Please note that existing projects may not be eligible. Occasionally, the Foundation will support a development or innovation to an existing project.

Please read the Funding Guidelines carefully. In general, the recommended minimum grant amount for institutions and organisations is $100,000 per year, and grants are usually multi-year. We encourage all organisations to apply, regardless of their size.

In the case of smaller organisations, the award can be for smaller amounts over multiple years.

We use the following definition of an 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led & controlled organisation': the organisation was established by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people; the organisation's governing body is composed of a majority of Indigenous people (over 51% has to self-identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) The organisation operates for the primary benefit of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander populations, and it is controlled and operated by Indigenous people.

Proposals that are collaborative and/or share knowledge with the broader sector are encouraged. Please also refer to our Funding Principles for further information. The Foundation does not fund pure research in the Environment program area.

We are currently not funding: school education or engagement projects projects or research relating to renewable energies or sustainable materials, or capital works.

Projects that fall into any of the following categories will not be considered for funding: Retrospective funding – projects which are already underway, or which will commence prior to the date indicated in our online application information are not eligible for consideration. Recurrent expenditure for which there is no future provision. Capital or endowment funds established to fund a chair or to provide a corpus for institutions.

Research for undergraduate, masters or doctoral students Auspicing* is not permitted – the organisation applying must be the one that will run the program or project. Applications for public charitable purposes outside the Commonwealth of Australia** Applications for projects that have previously been declined by the Foundation cannot be resubmitted.

Applications will not be accepted from organisations that have not successfully acquitted previous grants from the Foundation. We do not directly support schools. Auspicing refers to the practice of an ineligible orga nisation (one that does not have DGR and TCC status) applying to the Foundation via an eligible organisation.

Auspicing arrangements are excluded under the Foundation's guidelines. The organisation applying to the Foundation must be the organisation that will run the project or program for which a grant is being sought. The Foundation is limited to providing money, property or benefits for public charitable purposes in the Commonwealth of Australia.

However, the Foundation is able to provide a grant for activities outside the Commonwealth if the grant is made for a public charitable purpose in the Commonwealth. For example, a grant might be made to an Australian university to enable it to fund an overseas study tour by an Australian researcher engaged by the university.

Application Process (2-stage) Grant requests for this program area are considered via a two-stage Expression of Interest process. Please note there are specific instructions you need to follow if you are from a research institution . Check your organisation’s Eligibility Read ALL the information on this program area page to ensure your project meets the program area objectives and to see when applications are open.

Attend the Information Session (if held) prior to the funding round. All EOIs received are reviewed. We will notify you if your proposal does not meet the Foundation's priorities.

If your proposal does meet the criteria and current priorities, the program manager may contact you to seek further information. If necessary, you may be asked to submit further information. You can re-access the grant management system via the Login link (see header or footer) using your username and password.

If your Expression of Interest (stage 1) is approved, you will be invited to submit a full application (stage 2). Complete your full application online by the application closing date. All supporting documents must be submitted as part of the online application by 5:00 pm AEST on the closing date.

The Board of Governors considers full applications at the Foundation’s board meetings, which are held three times a year in line with the Funding Rounds. You will be advised of the outcome of your application by phone or email. Standard Grant Conditions To assist your organisation with the application process, we have provided Word templates of the EOI and full application online forms below.

Expression of Interest stage Please note these are NOT the live application forms. All EOIs and Full Applications MUST be completed online via the GivingData portal. A detailed budget attachment is not required at the EOI stage.

A link to complete an Expression of Interest form will appear below when the program area is open for EOIs. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Universities/Research Institutes Standard Grant Conditions We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.