Awards, Grants & Scholarships
Friends of Parks and Nature offers grants to volunteer member groups for work in parks, as described below.
Grants
Friends of Parks and Nature 2024-25 Grants Program
A 5 year funding commitment of $3 million by the State Government is supporting volunteers with in park activities between 2022 – 2026 (inclusive). The popular Friends of Parks & Nature Grant Program is providing funding to deliver practical on-ground conservation works to support the great work that the Friends of Parks & Nature groups do in South Australia’s National Parks and reserves.
Applications to fund interpretive signage will also be considered and are subject to approval by National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) staff or the relevant landowner. Funding to support the purchase of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), safety training, safety equipment, hand tools, secure storage and wildlife monitoring equipment can also be applied for.
Member groups can also include up to $2,000 in fuel subsidies as part of the budget submission in their application (the NPWS Volunteer Fuel Subsidy policy criteria will apply to this aspect). Full details of application requirements can be found in the latest Grant Guidelines.
The 2024-25 round of Friends of Parks and Nature Grants closed on 31 October 2024 and offered grants of up to $15,000 per application, with a total funding pool of approximately $675,000. The program emphasised conservation activities such as protecting and restoring biodiversity, preserving Aboriginal cultural heritage and undertaking European heritage restoration. These efforts spanned national parks, reserves and broader landscapes, aligning with the objectives of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. The program also assisted in the purchase of minor plant/equipment and other materials/services that support a group’s project conservation outcomes. Grant funding is available for activities over a 12 month period, with projects commencing upon receipt of payment.
For eligibility or specific grant application questions please contact DEW Community and Nature Partnerships staff at: DEWVolunteers@sa.gov.au or telephone the Grants Officer on 0439 870 378.
2025 Fuel Subsidy Grants Program
The 2025 Friends of Parks and Nature Fuel Subsidy Grant Program is opening on 24 March 2025 for one month. Grants of up to $2,000 per application are available to registered Friends of Parks and Nature Member Groups that conduct work on remote DEW land. This grant aims to reduce some of the out-of-pocket expenses borne by volunteers whilst supporting South Australia’s national parks and conservation programs. This funding is specifically for work already planned or business as usual, not special projects, and you can read the 2025 frequently asked questions and guidelines here.
Successful 2024-25 Grants Program recipients
The Friends of Parks and Nature grant program recognises the significant work undertaken by Friends of Parks and Nature groups supporting South Australia’s national parks and conservation programs. This funding helps groups to undertake a range of threat abatement, biodiversity conservation, Aboriginal cultural heritage and European heritage projects in the state’s national parks and reserves and includes off-park landscape-scale threatened species or other eligible projects.
In 2024-25, individual grants of up to $15,000 were awarded to:
View the full list here
FUEL SUBSIDY GRANT
FOPN Grant guidelines
Gift Fund Grant application form
Gift Fund Grant Information
Grant News
Awards
For significant volunteer contribution
With the support of DEW, Friends of Parks and Nature offers awards for volunteers who have made a significant contribution in a number of different categories. In the past, these have included habitat restoration and protection, wildlife protection and recovery, innovation, cultural and structural heritage and community engagement. Nominations are currently not open.
Award information
Award application form
Award News
Scholarships
Educational Scholarship program 2020
The aim of the scholarship is to engage students of all ages in on-park environmental activities by providing financial support through a collaborative learning process with a local Friends of Parks and Nature group.
Scholarship brochure
