Caring for Country Council Grants Program

Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan Caring for Country Council Grants Program

 WSROC and the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure would like to acknowledge the Darug, Dharawal and Gundungurra, the Traditional Custodians of the Cumberland Plain and extend our respect to all the Elders past and present, and to all First Nations people who call Western Sydney home.

 

The Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan acknowledges thousands of generations of continuous Aboriginal connection to the land that makes up Western Sydney and their deep connection, knowledge, understanding and custodianship of the landscape.

 

What is the CPCP Caring for Country Council Grants Program?

The Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan (CPCP) Caring for Country Council Grants Program (the Program) is a NSW government-funded program delivered in partnership between the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC), and the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI).

 

The  grants program is one of the implementation initiatives under the Caring for Country Aboriginal Outcomes Strategy 2024-33 (the Strategy).

 

DPHI have set up a Caring for Country working group with key delivery partners, including local councils within the Cumberland Plain region, Greater Sydney Local Land Services, Sydney Water and NSW Parks and Wildlife, to exchange information, ideas, and to work collaboratively to deliver actions and programs related to the Strategy.

 

The grants program has been designed based on discussions and feedback held in the working group meetings on the best way to deliver on-ground projects that meet the needs and aspirations of the Traditional Custodians and Aboriginal communities within the CPCP region.

 

Who is the Grants Program open to?

The grants program is open to 9 Councils within the CPCP region with the intention of supporting them to increase their capacity to engage and collaborate with the Traditional Custodians and local Aboriginal communities in their areas to deliver meaningful on-ground Caring for Country Initiatives in partnership with them.

The nine councils engaged in the Caring for Country partnership are:

Under Round 2 of the Caring for Country Council Grants Program, a total of $244,000 is available, with each council able to apply for an equal allocation of up to $27,000.
 
The grant funding can be used for projects that include, but are not limited to, traditional fire management, cultural mapping, habitat restoration, Indigenous food security initiatives, waterway health, Aboriginal local language revitalisation and projects that recognise and protect Aboriginal culture and heritage.

 

Applications for Round 2 grants are now closed!

The Caring for Country Council Grants Program is a non-competitive grants program open to the above 9 councils. Guidelines 2 pic for web

Caring for Country grant applications must meet the criteria of the Caring for Country Council Grant Guidelines. 

 

To apply, download to your desktop, complete and return the Round 2 funding application template at this link (Word.doc). Or download a PDF version here.

All applications are to be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 
Separate to the equal allocation of up to $27,000, the participating councils may also submit an optional Expression of Interest (EOI) outlining additional work they could undertake should underspend funds become available.
 
Applications close on 30 April 2026.

 

The timeline for these programs is outlined below:

Round two grants timetable

Who should I contact for more information or further assistance?

All inquiries regarding the grants Program should be directed to WSROC by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Want to know more about the Caring for Country Aboriginal Outcomes Strategy?

 To achieve the above outcome, the Department co-developed the Caring for Country Aboriginal Outcomes Strategy 2024–33 (the Strategy) for the CPCP with Western Sydney’s Aboriginal communities.

The Strategy is a 10-year plan to implement Western Sydney’s Aboriginal communities’ visions for a healthy country.

The Strategy aims to:

  • Improve the health of Country
  • Promote Aboriginal culture and knowledge
  • Support the Aboriginal communities to maintain distinctive relationships with land and waters in Western Sydney, and
  • Support economic participation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

The Strategy focuses on 4 themes and 18 associated actions that were prioritised during the engagements. All of the projects funded under the grants program will need to align with one or more of the actions in the strategy.

To find out more about how the Department is partnering with Western Sydney’s Aboriginal communities go here

  

Want to know more about the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan?

The Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan (CPCP) is a strategic biodiversity certification that provides upfront biodiversity approvals, supporting new housing, jobs and infrastructure in Western Sydney. The CPCP will offset impacts to native vegetation from development by protecting important biodiversity through a network of private and public conservation lands across Western Sydney.

The Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan (CPCP) was finalised and approved under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act in August 2022 and received Commonwealth approval in March 2024.

The CPCP commits to 8 social, environmental and economic outcomes. One of these outcomes is to promote Aboriginal culture and knowledge; help enable Aboriginal communities to maintain distinctive cultural, spiritual and physical relationships with land and waters in Western Sydney and support economic participation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

To find out more about the CPCP go to the CPCP website.

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