Grants and awards
2025 Port Phillip Bay Fund - closes 12 November
Since 2016, the Port Phillip Bay fund has provided more than $17.1 million in grants across 215 projects in and around the Bay. Port Phillip Bay or Narrm-Narrm (or Nairm) is one of Victoria’s most precious natural assets. It is an important place for the people of Kulin Nation. It’s amongst Melbourne’s most important ecosystems with many plant and animal species living in the Bay.
There are two streams of grant funding available for 2025:
up to $200,000 for large-scale projects over two years
up to $20,000 for smaller projects over one year
For more information and to apply
Grants Program - Victorian Fisheries Authority - open year round
This program is open year-round to applications from angling clubs and associations, and not-for-profit community groups for grants of $5,000 - $50,000.
Examples of projects that could qualify for funding include:
- infrastructure and access projects (minor boat ramps or kayak launches/landings, access paths, jetties, platforms, fish cleaning tables
- installation of instream habitat (woody, boulders, lunkers), and
- riparian work (fencing, planting, stiles)
Training opportunities calendar
We look forward to sharing training opportunities with our environmental volunteering community.
If you have something you would like to add, please email environmental.volunteering@deeca.vic.gov.au
| Date | Time | Topic | Location & to register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 11th November | 9.30am - 12pm | Permission Not Required: From Experts to Influence. Through case studies, peer story-sharing, and small group discussions, participants will reflect on challenges and successes, gather a bank of actionable tactics, and leave with a personal commitment to take meaningful steps to increase their influence and impact. | to register |
| Tuesday 11th November | 1pm - 2pm | Panel Discussion: The importance of continuous improvement. Join the Centre for volunteering for a panel discussion on Standard 8 of the National Standards for Volunteer Involvement. | to register |
| Tuesday 11th November | 9am - 4.30pm | EVM Grow - our annual event for environmental volunteer managers to be held in Melbourne, Colac, Mildura, Bendigo and online. An opportunity to connect, learn from each other and share successes and opportunities. | to register |
| Wednesday 12th November | 10am - 3pm | Behaviour Change workshops for Environmental Volunteers: Interested in learning behaviour change techniques to drive impactful waterway initiatives in your local community? Facilitated by BehaviourWorks Australia, these free workshops will provide you with the tools and techniques to design and implement behaviour change initiatives, for recruiting new volunteers, reducing litter and improving environmental outcomes for your local waterway. | Sunbury |
| Monday 17th November | 1pm - 2.30pm | How Data can Improve Volunteer Engagement. This session will share practical tips and lessons to effectively harness data to support volunteer growth. We’ll also explore how data can uncover opportunities to make volunteering more inclusive, highlight gaps or barriers, and demonstrate impact to stakeholders. | to register |
| Tuesday 18th November | 11am - 12pm | Introduction to the Volunteer Involvement Cycle: Join Volunteering Victoria for an in-depth training session introducing the Volunteer Involvement Cycle, a new resource aligned with the National Standards for Volunteer Involvement. | to register |
| Wednesday 19th November | 1pm - 2pm | The National Standards for Volunteer Involvement and Accreditation. Take the next step in your volunteer involvement by pursuing National Standards accreditation. | to register |
| Friday 21st November | 9.30am - 2.30pm | Behaviour Change workshops for Environmental Volunteers: Interested in learning behaviour change techniques to drive impactful waterway initiatives in your local community? Facilitated by BehaviourWorks Australia, these free workshops will provide you with the tools and techniques to design and implement behaviour change initiatives, for recruiting new volunteers, reducing litter and improving environmental outcomes for your local waterway. | Docklands |
| Tuesday 25th November | 9.30am - 11.30am | Implementing the National Standards for Volunteer Involvement: The session includes small-group discussions, where participants can share their approaches, ask questions, and explore challenges in a collaborative setting. You’ll also have the opportunity to seek guidance from our experienced trainer. | to register |
| Wednesday 26th November | 9am - 11am | Exploring flexibility with Rob Jackson. Flexibility in volunteering is no longer a ‘nice to have’ – it’s essential. In this workshop, UK-based volunteering expert Rob Jackson will unpack what flexibility really means for volunteer-involving organisations and how it can be achieved in practice. | to register |
Page last updated: 07/11/25