WIRES Landcare Wildlife Relief and Recovery Grants

This program aims to provide networks and groups additional support to coordinate and fund projects to maximise the impact of their contribution to recovery efforts and strengthen outcomes for wildlife. It is a partnership between Landcare Australia and WIRES which is all about implementing immediate response, recovery and resilience building projects for wildlife in bushfire and drought impacted communities across Australia.

The objectives of the program include the following:
- Improved outcomes for wildlife following devastating bushfires and drought across Australia, aligned with key government response priorities.
- Local communities supported to undertake priority short to medium-term wildlife support and associated habitat rehabilitation projects.

Grants of up to $20,000 (excluding GST) are available.

For projects that require funding over $20,000, larger joint projects, and major landscape-scale recovery projects must contact Landcare Australia to discuss their options.

A total funding pool of $1 million is available in 2020.

Eligible applicants include landcare groups, networks, or community environmental organisations (e.g. Bushcare, ‘Friends Of’ etc) that are undertaking works in an area affected by drought or bushfire in 2019 or 2020.

Eligible projects must be directly-related to the implementation of bushfire or drought-related wildlife recovery activities, such as:
- Survey and impact assessment
- Targeted research and citizen science
- Wildlife care (food, water, protection etc.)
- Habitat restoration (including nest boxes, hollows, revegetation, etc.)
- Revegetation, shelterbelts and fences
- Protecting waterways and managing erosion
- Managing weeds (including related training and workshops)
- Working with traditional owner groups
- Protection and management of unburnt areas and refuges for drought and fire affected wildlife
- Seed collection and plant propagation
- Contractors (e.g. researchers, surveyors, arborists, fencers etc.)
- Tools equipment and infrastructure (shipping containers, pumps, water tanks etc.)

Proposed activity that is not listed in the above list must be able to demonstrate the need for the activity and the expected outcome relating to wildlife recovery, post bushfire and/or in drought-impacted areas.

Please note that holding community events, workshops and some of the usual landcare activities, where groups of people will be in close proximity, may not be feasible under the current restrictions. Applicants may wish to consider below alternatives:
- Webinars
- Online Videos and Podcasts series hosted on Landcarer
- Social distancing planning/site visits
- Camera trap monitoring identification and support

The main assessment criteria include:
- Expected environmental outcomes (e.g. improving habitat for wildlife).
- Expected knowledge-sharing outcomes (e.g. posts/photos sharing Landcarer, newsletters, social and local media).
- Engagement with other supporters (e.g. Traditional Owner Groups, Fire Authority, Men’s Shed, Rotary, other environmental not-for-profits, researchers, parks staff, Councils or catchment/NRM organisations, etc.).
- Consideration of maintenance to ensure longevity of project outcomes.
- Feasible and technically-sound activities.
- A realistic, relevant and detailed project budget that demonstrates value for money.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete list of the assessment criteria.

The following are ineligible for funding:
- Commonwealth statutory authorities
- State, Territory or Local Governments
- Government NRM organisations
- Schools, pre-schools and education providers
- Not for profits operating at a nationwide level
- Universities and research institutions

However, any of the above organisations are strongly encouraged to work as supporting co-contributors for applications with a local group.