An $8 million grant to support large-scale marine debris removal, water quality improvements, community stewardship and pollution prevention across Great Barrier Reef catchments and coastlines.
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What is the Great Barrier Reef Marine Debris Management and Mitigation Round (GBRMDM)?
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Debris Management and Mitigation Round 2 is an Australian Government funding opportunity administered by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
The program supports large-scale projects that reduce marine debris and improve water quality across the Great Barrier Reef. It builds on the achievements of Round 1 while supporting delivery of the Australian Government’s Reefwise Urban Program.
Marine debris—including plastics, discarded fishing gear and other waste—is recognised as one of the major threats to the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem. This program funds coordinated, long-term projects that remove debris, prevent pollution, improve stewardship and strengthen collaboration between government, industry, communities and First Nations peoples.
Only one project will be funded under Round 2.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Debris Management and Mitigation Round level of support
Funding Amount
- Minimum grant: $8,000,000
- Maximum grant: $8,000,000
- Total program funding available: $8 million
- One grant will be awarded.
Co-contribution
- No mandatory co-contribution is required.
- Applicants may contribute their own financial or in-kind resources; however, in-kind contributions cannot be funded by the grant and applicants remain responsible for any project costs not covered by eligible expenditure.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Debris Management and Mitigation Round important dates
- Applications close: 26 August 2026 (9:00 pm AEST)
- Questions close: 19 August 2026 (5:00 pm AEST)
- Assessment completed: Within 8 weeks of closing
- Outcomes approved: Within 12 weeks
- Applicants notified: Within 14 weeks
- Grant agreements finalised: Within 16 weeks
- Earliest project commencement: February 2027
- Project completion: 30 June 2030
- Register your interest with GrantHelper
Great Barrier Reef Marine Debris Management and Mitigation Round objectives and outcomes
The program aims to:
- Deliver large-scale management and reduction of marine debris threatening coral, turtles, dugongs, seabirds and other Reef species.
- Reduce the impacts of marine debris on tourism, commercial fishing and recreational fishing.
- Reduce water pollution entering Reef catchments from urban areas.
- Improve water quality by removing marine debris from coastlines and waterways.
- Develop targeted education and awareness programs to prevent litter and plastics entering waterways.
- Increase community stewardship, including meaningful participation by First Nations peoples.
- Support development of state and national plastic management policies.
- Identify and encourage circular economy and renewable material opportunities that reduce marine debris.
The intended outcomes include:
- Greater removal of marine debris from coastal, marine and urban environments.
- Improved Reef ecosystem health and resilience.
- Increased regional capacity to prevent marine debris.
- Better stewardship outcomes measured through the Reef Stewardship Monitoring Toolkit.
- Collection of long-term debris and water quality data to support future policy and reporting.
Projects and expenditure eligible for Great Barrier Reef Marine Debris Management and Mitigation Round support
Projects must directly contribute to the program objectives and involve at least $8 million in eligible expenditure.
Eligible activities may include:
- Marine debris collection, removal and disposal.
- Recycling and reuse initiatives for recovered debris.
- Community clean-up programs near waterways and stormwater systems.
- Collection and analysis of marine debris data.
- Contributions to national plastics and debris monitoring programs.
- Education and behaviour change campaigns.
- Community engagement and awareness activities.
- Establishing partnerships with First Nations peoples.
- Collaboration between government, industry and community organisations.
- Installation and maintenance of stormwater litter traps.
- Gross pollutant traps.
- Trials of sewage and stormwater filtration systems.
- Microplastic reduction initiatives.
- Development of marine debris databases and reporting systems.
- Staff training directly supporting project delivery.
- Purchase of project assets where justified.
- Domestic travel required for project delivery.
- Monitoring and evaluation activities.
- Independent project auditing.
Projects may occur within:
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
- Great Barrier Reef Natural Resource Management regions
- Great Barrier Reef catchments
- Adjacent locations where approved by DCCEEW
Ineligible Expenditure
Grant funding cannot be used for:
- Projects with significant adverse environmental impacts.
- Projects outside approved locations (unless specifically approved).
- Activities already funded by another government program.
- Environmental offset obligations.
- General research unrelated to project delivery.
- Activities that duplicate existing government-funded work.
- Costs incurred before the grant agreement is executed.
- In-kind contributions.
- Interest or financing costs.
- General organisational operating expenses.
- Rent, utilities, insurance, rates and administration.
- Ongoing maintenance beyond the grant period.
- Purchase of land.
- Major capital works unrelated to project objectives.
- Overseas travel.
- Non-project staff training.
- Depreciation beyond the project period.
Other Great Barrier Reef Marine Debris Management and Mitigation Round important details that you will need to know
Organisations eligible for Great Barrier Reef Marine Debris Management and Mitigation Round support
Eligible applicants include:
- Companies
- Cooperatives
- Corporate Commonwealth entities
- Corporate State or Territory entities
- Incorporated associations
- Indigenous corporations
- Local governments
- Statutory entities
- Non-corporate Commonwealth statutory authorities
- Non-corporate State or Territory entities
- Non-corporate State or Territory statutory authorities
Applicants applying as Trustees must have an eligible Trustee entity.
Consortia are eligible where the lead applicant is an eligible organisation.
Ineligible applicants include:
- Individuals
- Sole traders
- Partnerships
- International organisations
- Non-corporate Commonwealth entities
- Unincorporated associations (unless applying through a legal entity)
- Organisations on the National Redress Scheme non-participation list
- Organisations listed as non-compliant under the Workplace Gender Equality Act.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Debris Management and Mitigation Round assessment criteria
Applications are assessed competitively against three weighted criteria.
Criterion 1 – Project Alignment with Program Objectives (40%)
Applicants should demonstrate:
- Strong alignment with the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan.
- Alignment with Reef Trust Outcomes.
- Support for the Reef 2050 Catchment Water Quality Strategy.
- Contribution to Indigenous and cultural heritage initiatives.
- Significant reduction or management of marine debris.
- Measurable improvements to local marine and coastal environments.
- Delivery of education and awareness initiatives.
- Strong community participation.
- Meaningful engagement with First Nations peoples.
- Collaboration with local stakeholders.
Criterion 2 – Technical Understanding and Awareness (20%)
Applicants should demonstrate:
- Strong technical understanding of the Great Barrier Reef environment.
- Knowledge of hydrology, waterways, estuaries, coastlines and flood impacts.
- Understanding of priority pollutants affecting Reef catchments.
- Alignment with national and Queensland marine debris strategies.
- Understanding of the National Waste Policy Action Plan.
- Understanding of national Plastics Plans.
- Alignment with the Threat Abatement Plan.
- Alignment with the Recycling and Waste Reduction Act.
- Strong technical methodology supporting project delivery.
Criterion 3 – Capacity, Capability and Resources (40%)
Applicants should demonstrate:
- Proven experience delivering projects of similar scale and complexity.
- Qualified personnel with appropriate technical expertise.
- Strong governance arrangements.
- Sound project management methodology.
- Appropriate approvals and regulatory planning.
- Robust budgeting and financial management.
- Effective risk management processes.
- Clear monitoring and evaluation framework.
- Measurement of environmental outcomes.
- Collection of stewardship and water quality data.
- Capacity to successfully deliver the project over the full funding period.
Applications must score above 50% for each assessment criterion to be considered for funding.
How do I get the Great Barrier Reef Marine Debris Management and Mitigation Round support?
Successful applicants demonstrate:
- A project that clearly aligns with every program objective.
- Strong environmental benefits for the Great Barrier Reef.
- Significant reduction of marine debris and water pollution.
- Excellent value for money.
- Proven organisational capability to manage an $8 million project.
- Experienced project personnel.
- Strong governance and risk management.
- Clear monitoring, reporting and evaluation methods.
- Collaboration with government, communities and First Nations peoples.
- Strong stakeholder partnerships.
- Robust technical understanding of Reef environments.
- Meaningful education and behaviour change activities.
- Compliance with all eligibility requirements.
- A complete, well-supported application addressing every assessment criterion.
Information to prepare for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Debris Management and Mitigation Round support
Prepare:
- ABN details.
- Organisation information.
- Detailed project plan (maximum 30 pages).
- Project logic.
- Supporting evidence.
- Risk management and mitigation plan.
- Detailed project budget using the mandatory template.
- Bank account verification.
- Two years of financial statements.
- Position descriptions and personnel CVs.
- Letters of support from consortium members (if applicable).
- Evidence of Traditional Owner engagement.
- Evidence of consultation with Native Title Representative Bodies or Native Title Service Providers.
- Governance documentation.
- Business and strategic plans.
- Organisational policies.
- Required declarations.
Applying for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Debris Management and Mitigation Round support
Applications must be submitted online through GrantConnect.
Register your interest with GrantHelper to explore your alignment with this grant and how we can assist you to increase your chances of success.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Debris Management and Mitigation Round resources
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