Conservation Partners Grants provide financial assistance to landholders in managing their conservation area, allowing them to improve the biodiversity value of their properties.

There are four levels of funding available:

1. Up to $15,000 per year for up to three years for landholders with in-perpetuity conservation agreements, Trust Agreements, Registered Property Agreements.
2. Up to $8,000 per year for up to three years for landholders with a term Registered Property Agreement.
3. Up to $2,000 per year for up to three years for landholders with a wildlife refuge or wildlife refuge agreement or who are members of Wildlife Land Trust.
4. Landholders with Land For Wildlife agreements can apply to the Community Environment Network (CEN) for conservation partners grants of up to $2,000 per year.

The CEN grant can be identified by prefix "LFWBG" in recipient number.

In-perpetuity agreements greater than 1,000 Ha in size may be eligible for up to $30,000/year for up to three years. Investment at this level is at the discretion of the BCT and subject to case-by-case assessment.

Applications will be funded if they are eligible, complete and meet the assessment criteria and if the BCT has available funding.

Contributions from landholders such as labour or co-contributions are encouraged.

This program is funded and administered by NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust.

Eligibility

If you have one of the following types of agreements, you may be eligible to apply for a BCT conservation partners grant:

• an in-perpetuity conservation agreement (established under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (NSW) or the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974)
• an in-perpetuity Trust Agreement (established under the Nature Conservation Trust Act 2001)
• an in-perpetuity or termed Registered Property Agreement (established under the Native Vegetation Conservation Act 1997)
• wildlife refuge or wildlife refuge agreement (established under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (NSW) or the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974)
• are a participant in the HSI - Wildlife Land Trust program.

Note: Landholders with Land For Wildlife agreements can apply to the Community Environment Network (CEN) for conservation partners grants of up to $2,000 per year.

If you have a conservation agreement as a development consent condition entered under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, Nature Conservation Trust Act 2001 or the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974, you may be eligible to apply for a grant as long as you are:

• not the proponent who is required to satisfy the consent condition, and
• able to demonstrate you are not receiving the funds for managing biodiversity offset obligations or development consent conditions.

To apply for a conservation partners grant, the applicant entity must be:

• an owner of the land, as defined by the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (NSW)
• an Australian citizen registered for tax purposes in Australia and holding an Australian bank account, or an Australian registered company, registered for tax purposes in Australia and holding an Australian bank account
• fit and proper persons to enter into a grant agreement with the Biodiversity Conservation Trust.

• Phone: 1300 992 688
• Email: info@bct.nsw.gov.au