Next Grassroots Grants round opens to help communities care for landscapes
In its fourth year, Northern and Yorke Landscape Board’s Grassroots Grants program is offering a $250,000 funding pool, with $50,000 dedicated to First Nations-led projects.
Grassroots Grants is an annual funding program that helps the community to care for the region’s land, water and nature.
From Monday, 27 March until Monday, 8 May 2023, community and sustainable agriculture groups, schools, not-for-profit organisations and First Nations businesses can apply to fund projects up to $10,000.
Twenty-two applications were successful in the previous Grassroots Grants round, sharing a funding pool of more than $192,000, with projects ranging from weed control and revegetation to citizen science and bush tucker programs.
As part of the Board’s commitment to supporting First Nations communities, a $50,000 slice of the 2023-2024 round is available to First Nations-led projects.
“Helping First Nations communities to care for Country is a strong focus for us and we’re keen to promote this funding opportunity to Aboriginal groups and businesses in our region,” said Liz Ninnes, Northern and Yorke Landscape Board’s Community Engagement Officer.
“And as always, we’re committed to helping local volunteer groups, schools and agricultural organisations bring their project ideas to life.”
Grassroots Grants are offered across the state and are designed to help communities and landholders play a significant role in sustainably managing our precious landscapes.
Projects funded by the Northern and Yorke Landscape Board in previous years include bird banding activities in the Hallelujah Hills near Burra, creating native plant corridors in Tarcowie, the removal of feral olive trees along Clare Valley’s Riesling Trail and controlling erosion and building biodiversity along the Gawler River.
The Karku Project is an example of a successful First Nations grant application in the 2022-2023 round. Nukunu Wapma Thura Aboriginal Corporation won nearly $10,000 to rehabilitate the karku (ochre) quarry and riparian corridor along Willochra Creek in Melrose. The on-ground work involves controlling invasive weeds, a planting day to revegetate the area and the removal of rubbish and woody waste.
The project also helps to preserve the cultural significance of the karku quarry, which was mined by Aboriginal people for thousands of years and continues to be used for art making practices and ceremony.
Applications for the next round will open online at landscape.smartygrants.com.au/NYLBGRG2023 from 27 March until 5pm, 8 May 2023.
