Grants supporting First Nations people to manage Country aligned with Traditional Owners’ objectives and create career pathways in cultural, environmental, and natural resource management sectors.
Current status of program
CLOSED
To register your interest in future rounds or discuss alternative grant opportunities please contact us here.
On this page you will find
What is the Indigenous Rangers Program Expansion?
The National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) is offering up to $165 million from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2028 to expand the Indigenous Rangers Program (IRP).
This round aims to create up to 500 full-time equivalent ranger positions (over 800 jobs). The IRP supports First Nations peoples in managing Country using traditional knowledge alongside Western science, and provides career pathways in cultural and natural resource management.
Indigenous Rangers Program Expansion level of support
1. Minimum grant: $650,000 over 3 years.
2. No maximum cap, but funding may be reduced for value-for-money or project viability concerns.
3. Indicative full-time ranger cost: $110,000 per year (includes salary and operational costs).
4. Additional funding options:
- Up to $100,000 for assets to support ranger activities
- Up to $200,000 start-up funding for new IRP organisations
- Up to $50,000 for capacity building
- Up to $50,000 for strategic planning (not available to previously funded projects)
Indigenous Rangers Program Expansion important dates
- This program is currently closed
- Register your interest with GrantHelper
Indigenous Rangers Program Expansion objectives
The IRP Expansion Round 2 aligns with the Closing the Gap targets and has clear objectives:
- Empower First Nations peoples to manage and improve their natural and cultural environments.
- Increase employment and career pathways in Indigenous land and sea management (with a strong focus on employing women).
- Strengthen First Nations language and culture.
- Foster economic opportunities for Indigenous organisations
Projects and expenditure eligible for Indigenous Rangers Program Expansion support
Activities must employ Indigenous rangers and support:
- Threatened species management (e.g., feral cat control)
- Cultural heritage protection
- Language and cultural strengthening
- Biosecurity monitoring
- Partnerships with research and commercial organisations
- Dedicated strategies to increase women rangers, including:
- Career pathways and mentoring
- Junior Ranger Program initiatives
- Culturally safe workplaces for women.
Ineligible Expenditures
Grants cannot be used for:
- Activities not aligned with program objectives
- Land or building purchases (except approved facilities)
- Retrospective or preparatory application costs
- Lease or purchase of assets >$5,000 without prior approval
- Redundancy payments, fines, legal settlements, gifts, or compressed-air diving equipment (without written approval).
Other Indigenous Rangers Program Expansion important details that you will need to know
Organisations eligible for Indigenous Rangers Program Expansion support
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Hold cultural authority and legal access to land (including maps and letters of endorsement from relevant Traditional Owner bodies).
- Use the mandatory Engagements, Activities and Budget Template.
- Hold an Australian Business Number (ABN) and be registered for GST if applicable.
- Be financially viable and comply with prior Commonwealth agreements.
- Belong to eligible entity types, including:
- Registered Native Title Body Corporate (RNTBC)
- Prescribed Body Corporate (PBC)
- Traditional Owner Corporations or Groups
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Corporations (under CATSI Act)
- Australian companies, incorporated associations, cooperatives
- Australian local, state or territory government bodies.
Note: Existing IRP Expansion Round 1 recipients can only apply for new projects with different Traditional Owner groups.
Indigenous Rangers Program Expansion assessment criteria
Applications are assessed on:
- Community involvement & cultural competence (7 points)
- Delivering IRP outcomes (7 points)
- Governance, capability & capacity building (7 points)
Applicants must meet a minimum score of 14/21, with at least 4 points in each criterion.
How do I get the Indigenous Rangers Program Expansion?
Applicants must:
- Read and understand the guidelines.
- Ensure eligibility for the funding. Applicants that do not meet all the eligibility criteria will not be considered.
- Deliver the project/s as outlined in the application.
- Provide complete information requirements.
Additional priority considerations will be given to:
- Priority to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander controlled organisations.
- Higher weighting for projects employing more women rangers.
- Extra consideration for activities on Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) without existing IRP activities
Information to prepare for the Indigenous Rangers Program Expansion application
Applicants should prepare and provide the following documentation with their application:
- Completed Engagements, Activities and Budget Template
- Include an itemised budget (GST exclusive), breakdown of costs per financial year, full-time equivalent ranger positions requested, and evidence of community engagement.
- Evidence of cultural authority
- Written endorsement from a relevant Traditional Owner representative body (e.g. Prescribed Body Corporate, Native Title Representative Body) for the project area.
- Endorsement must be dated within 6 months prior to application.
- Evidence of legal access to land and/or waters
- Written permission from landholders where land is not owned or leased by the applicant.
- A map outlining the area of proposed ranger activities.
- Bank account details
- Evidence of bank account, such as a copy of a current bank statement.
- Financial documentation (for non-government applicants without a current NIAA grant agreement)
- Most recent financial statements (audited expenditure report, income and expenditure statement, or balance sheet).
- Certificate of Incorporation (if applicable).
- A completed ATO Statement by a supplier (reason for not quoting an ABN to an enterprise) form (if applicable).
- Referee details
- Contact details for two referees to support claims made in the application.
- Additional requirements for joint applications (if applicable)
- Letters of support from all partner organisations, detailing roles, experience, and resources to be contributed.
Important:
- Maximum application file size: 10MB; individual attachments: 2MB.
- Larger attachments must be emailed separately to IndigenousRangersGrants@niaa.gov.au with application and submission numbers referenced.
Applicants should also ensure:
- All eligibility requirements are met.
- The draft grant agreement (available on GrantConnect) has been read and understood.
- They are prepared to commence activity by 1 October 2025 if successful.
Applying for the Indigenous Rangers Program Expansion
Apply via GrantConnect using the online form and required attachments.
Register your interest with GrantHelper to explore your alignment with this grant and how we can assist you to increase your chances of success.
Indigenous Rangers Program Expansion resources
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