First Nations communities encouraged to apply
First Nations-led and First Nations-directed organisations in remote, rural and regional
communities across Australia are encouraged to apply for grants of up to $20,000 through FRRR’s
Community Led Climate Solutions program (CLCS), which opens today.
In total, $400,000 is available for projects that address climate change at a local level by implementing
activity or building awareness of practices and solutions that can reduce emissions and help communities
create positive and sustainable environmental, social and economic outcomes.
The program can fund a wide variety of First Nations climate-focussed initiatives including projects that
support local communities to adopt clean energy practices; educate community members; reduce
emissions; implement low carbon power sources; embrace reuse and regenerative practices; support
solutions that deliver sustainable agriculture and food systems; encourage biodiverse ecosystems; or
ensure the transition is just for all.
Jill Karena, FRRR’s Head of Granting, said that although the program is open to all community groups
across remote, rural and regional Australia, FRRR is keen to back First Nations communities to lead their
own climate journey.
“Remote, rural and regional communities across Australia are experiencing climate impacts in different
ways, because every place is different. This program recognises that and allows for NFPs to shape the
climate solutions that will work in their context - whether that’s educating people about what climate
action can look like, improving energy resilience by enhancing community infrastructure, restoring
habitat, building capability, or testing solutions and sharing their impact,” Ms Karena said.
“A great example is Yued Aboriginal Corporation, who we supported with a grant on their journey to
establish a nursery for seed collection and native propagation by Yued Noongar Rangers.
“We have also funded projects that educate locals on ways to lessen or mitigate the impacts of a changing
climate. For instance, we supported Deadly Science’s Deadly Weather initiative to provide 30 schools
across remote and regional Australia with weather monitoring kits, teaching resources and
implementation support to build local capacity for climate awareness, adaptation, and action.
“Other communities are actively seeking ways to transition to sustainable energy. In Borroloola in the
Northern Territory, we’ve funded the Ngardara Cooperative’s work supported by Original Power, which
will see the community leading the establishment of their own solar microgrid, providing them with a
sustainable energy source and reducing their reliance on diesel-powered electricity.
“These are just a couple of examples of what can be funded. We know that groups in remote and very
remote communities face some unique, practical challenges when it comes to applying for grants, like
digital connectivity. We encourage anyone thinking about applying for a grant to first take a look at the
program guidelines to check whether we can back your idea. Then, reach out to our team to have a yarn
about the idea and application,” Ms Karena said.
Applications close 5pm AEDT, 12 March 2026, with grants to be announced in late June. Projects funded in
this round must be delivered between July 2026 and July 2027.
Learn more about what makes a good application at a free online Grantseeker Workshop, including a Q&A
session, on 17 February 2026, 12pm–1 pm AEDT. Register via Humanitix.
To learn more about eligibility and apply, visit: https://frrr.org.au/community-led-climate-solutions.
Since launching in 2023, the CLCS program has awarded 67 grants, distributing $1.6 million to support
locally‑led climate solutions. Funding in Round 4 is supported by the generous contributions of the Paul
Ramsay Foundation, Elders Insurance in partnership with the QBE Foundation, Hand Heart Pocket and the
Sidney Myer Fund. FRRR welcomes interested trusts, foundation and corporate organisations to join this
collaboratively-funded program.
Early insights from the evaluation of Round 1 projects show strong community engagement and
meaningful on‑the‑ground outcomes. Many projects have improved the general understanding of climate
solutions, reducing misconceptions and strengthening collaboration, while also delivering tangible
environmental and operational benefits such as reduced waste, restored land and lower energy costs.
“These changes are significant because they’re long‑lasting and transferable,” Ms Karena said. “They build
momentum by making climate solutions visible, relevant and accessible to everyday people, helping
ensure that the transition to a low‑emissions future is fair and inclusive. We’d love to be able to fund even
more of these kinds of initiatives and invite new partners to join us.