CEWH Environmental Activities

  • Applications open until 16 April 2027.
  • $4.2 million was available at commencement (noting it may change if CEWH sells annual water allocations during the program period).
  • No maximum grant amount
  • Applicants must first submit an EOI project proposal to the department, which will then invite approved projects to apply for funding.

The CEWH Environmental Activities grant supports projects that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of delivering Commonwealth environmental water in the Murray–Darling Basin.

Eligible projects may include infrastructure upgrades that improve environmental water delivery, activities that restore or protect native flora and fauna and their habitats, research that strengthens scientific and cultural knowledge to inform environmental watering, and projects that incorporate Traditional Owner knowledge to deliver environmental and cultural outcomes.

The opportunity uses a targeted, non-competitive process. Prospective partners first develop and submit an environmental activity proposal directly with CEWH/DCCEEW for assessment. If the proposal is approved, CEWH issues a letter of acceptance (with a unique identification code) and invites the organisation to apply.

Key Requirements

  • Demonstrate the project advances environmental watering outcomes. Proposals must show the activity enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of environmental water being applied to meet objectives of the environmental watering plan.
  • Support Basin Plan ecological outcomes and EPBC-listed values. Projects should contribute to conservation and recovery of EPBC-listed threatened species/ecological communities, migratory bird populations, and wetland habitat values
  • Strengthen First Nations collaboration and outcomes. Activities are encouraged to build collaboration with First Nations and incorporate Traditional Owner knowledge to achieve environmental and cultural outcomes.
  • Include a co-designed communication and engagement plan. Eligible activities must include a co-designed communication and engagement plan between the grantee and CEWH.
  • Follow the two-stage process (proposal then application). Applicants must have an approved proposal and a CEWH letter of acceptance with a unique identification code before applying in GrantConnect.

 

What is eligible for funding?

Eligible activities that may be funded:

  • Infrastructure upgrades that improve the efficiency of environmental water delivery
  • Projects that restore and protect native flora and fauna populations and habitat
  • Research that improves scientific and cultural knowledge to inform delivery of environmental water
  • Projects incorporating Traditional Owner knowledge into environmental watering and planning to produce environmental and cultural outcomes
  • Project elements/expenditure such as direct labour for core project delivery, eligible contracted services, public works advisory services, additional project admin/overheads, stakeholder & Traditional Owner engagement, permits, monitoring/assessment/reporting costs (as agreed in the grant agreement).

Eligible locations: activities must be within the Murray–Darling Basin, in valleys where CEWH holds entitlement and/or can deliver environmental water

What companies are eligible for funding?

Eligible entities (proposal stage – who can submit project proposals)

  • State governments and local governments
  • Not-for-profit organisations
  • First Nations groups
  • Community groups and organisations
  • Other organisations involved in land management, water delivery, and environmental protection (including threatened species management) within the Murray–Darling Basin

Eligible to apply for the grant (application stage)

  • You must have your project proposal approved by CEWH and have received a letter of acceptance (with a unique identification code) inviting you to apply.

Is this grant competitive or entitlement based?

Target Non-Competitive. Your application will be assessed among other applications by a judging panel.

How can I increase my chances of winning this grant?

By engaging an accredited government grants consultant, such as Avant Group.

Competitive grants often require significant business case development and project analysis to support the application, this may include detailed presentations supporting the project’s merit, projected sales, cost-benefit analysis and more.

As part of your engagement with Avant Group, your account manager will assess the required documents and will provide the following as needed to support your grant submission.

Grant application writeup including a detailed presentation illustrating how the grant funding will contribute to your project, how the funding will contribute to the project’s budget, a project milestone plan, delivery timeline, impact on employment if applicable and a breakdown of the management and leadership team for the project

  • Industry analysis presentation
  • Competitor Analysis Presentation
  • Marketing and Sales Analysis Presentation
  • 3-5 year Cashflow Forecast
  • 3-5 year Balance Sheet Forecast
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis of Grant Funding
  • End-to-end grant application including information collating, analysis and application writing
  • CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) cost-benefit analysis
  • Stakeholder relations and Risk Mitigation Plans
  • Any other relevant forecasting that will support your application

How can I get help with my application? Or know if I’m likely to win funding?

Avant Group offers a no-obligation assessment of your eligibility for funding and will assess your likelihood of a successful grant application.