Organisations championing the ecological health of Australia’s inland waters and coastlines were recently notified of their inclusion in Nature Impact Collective’s second funding round. With each of these organisations poised to do more great work in this crucial area for biodiversity and nature, our members are thrilled to be gifting them a share of a total pool of AU$2.25 million.
This year Nature Impact Collective has retained its focus on freshwater, allowing us to build upon our learnings from our 2024 collective giving round, while extending the reach to look ‘downstream’ to the connected saltwater ecosystems of estuaries and coasts. Australia’s water systems remain a critical issue for nature, having endured historic degradation and continuing to face new threats like climate change and industrial expansion.
Geographically, this funding round returned to some regions identified as high priority last year. In continued support for evidence based advocacy to inform management of the Murray-Darling Basin, we have funded Wentworth Group. In addition, the leading restoration and environmental water management role of the Murray-Darling Wetlands Working Group has been supported with funding. This builds upon our round one funding support for the Murray-Darling Conservation Alliance and Environmental Justice Australia.
In the north, we are supporting four peak conservation bodies to work together in the new Northern Australia Conservation Alliance (NACA). The Alliance aims to build collective power and stronger national advocacy in the face of the current water grab and fossil fuel boom, towards long lasting protection of waterways and nature. NACA will be coordinated by Environment Centre NT, who received funding in our 2024 funding round.
And in Far North Queensland Rainforest Rescue are receiving funding from us at this crucial time as they push for reforestation opportunities following the collapse of the cane industry. For 25-years, they have worked to protect and restore the biodiverse-rich Daintree and its catchment of creeks and tributaries, all connected to the health of the mangroves, coastal areas and the Great Barrier Reef.
Nature Impact Collective has also leaned into ecosystem funding this year – providing funding to establish new collaborations to build capacity to protect and restore rivers. In Tasmania, our outreach identified great potential for Environment Tasmania and Landcare Tasmania to work together. Our funding will support them to bring their respective advocacy and grassroots catchment management skills to a state-wide river focus.
We are also supporting the Biodiversity Council in strengthening their capacity to continue being a trusted voice for nature and embark on an important project to establish a national Nature Media Centre. The important goal here is to raise public awareness and support for nature protection through strategic media engagement and support for grassroots biodiversity campaigns.
Recognising the crucial role of Indigenous land and sea management, incubator funding has been provided to the newly forming Southern Australian Aboriginal Land and Sea Management Alliance. This will enable Alliance leaders to put in place a legally incorporated organisation with strong governance, positioning them for future investment.
Nature Impact Collective is continuing along the path of trust-based philanthropy and flexible funding, with feedback from organisations funded in 2024 confirming that this has empowered them to strengthen their organisational capacity and allowed for new avenues to be explored or deepened that otherwise wouldn’t have.
We look forward to building an ongoing relationship with these organisations over the coming year and beyond, and to learn from them along the way about better funding for nature and impact.
To follow our journey in funding nature, and the progress of these organisations, subscribe to our quarterly update here.
Nature Impact Collective is happy to link up philanthropic funders with the leaders of the organisations we support. If you are interested, please reach out to our CEO Esther Abram at [email protected]
Find out more about their work:
Tasmania’s Rivers – Environment Tasmania
Tasmania’s Rivers – Landcare Tasmania
Murray Darling Wetlands Working Group
Northern Australia Conservation Alliance
Photo: Huon River Tahune, Tasmania
Rachel Honnery