Northern Territory community organisations that work to protect our native species can now apply for support for their efforts under the Coalition Government’s Threatened Species Recovery Fund.

Minister for the Environment and Energy, Josh Frydenberg, has launched the Threatened Species Recovery Fund with the Government’s Threatened Species Commissioner, Gregory Andrews. The fund supports community projects that can help to meet the targets and objectives in the Government’s Threatened Species Strategy.

“The Government is committed to turning around the fortunes of nationally-threatened species like the bilby, numbat, mountain pygmy possum, eastern bettong, cassowary, swift parrot and Australia’s endangered eucalyptus trees,” Mr Frydenberg said.

Country Liberals Senator for the Northern Territory, Nigel Scullion, welcomed the announcement and invited community organisations in the NT to send in their applications.

“The $5 million Threatened Species Recovery Fund, delivered through the National Landcare Programme, will help to bring government and community efforts together in the fight against native species extinction,” Senator Scullion said.

“The fund will provide seed money and community grants—worth between $20,000 and $250,000 (GST exclusive)—for local projects that strongly align with the targets and objectives of the Threatened Species Strategy.”

Since the appointment of the Threatened Species Commissioner in June 2014, the Government has mobilised more than $211 million for projects that support and protect our threatened species.

In February this year, the Government launched Australia’s first Threatened Species Prospectus, which invites business, industry and the philanthropic sector to partner with government to invest in more than 50 science-based projects that fight extinction.

The grants under the Threatened Species Recovery Fund will be awarded to eligible groups through a competitive process. Community project proposals that leverage private sector investment and align with projects in the prospectus are encouraged.

More information on the Threatened Species Recovery Fund, including details on how to apply, can be found here. Applications close on 15 June 2017.