Grants and awards
Summer by the Sea Grants - closes 15 October
Organisations can apply to share in $70,000 of funding to deliver events that engage Victorians with their local coastlines!
The theme for this year is ‘The coast, the sea, and our community’ reflecting the value and importance of community in how beautiful local places are cared for.
Grants of up to $7,000 are available for organisations to deliver Summer by the Sea events from 3 – 18 January 2026.
For more information and to apply
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 7th October | 1pm - 2pm | Panel Discussion: Reward and Recognition for Retention. Join us for a panel discussion on Standard 7 of the National Standards for Volunteer Involvement | online |
| Wednesday 8th October | 9.30am - 12.30pm | Navigating Professional Boundaries. This workshop discusses the infrastructure needed to support you in navigating professional boundaries, and how to develop strong relationships with your team. | online |
| Wednesday 15th October | 9.30am - 12.30pm | Cross Cultural Awareness Training: an online workshop to assist participants to understand who our local communities are and how to adapt your organisation's volunteer programs to support diversity and inclusion. | online |
| Friday 17th October | 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. | Manor Lakes |
| Wednesday 29th October | 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. | Mount Waverly |
| 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 |
| 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 |
Page last updated: 03/10/25