Community Programs (DELWP) - Frequently Asked Questions (COVID-19)
Thank you to everyone who has contacted staff from the Community Programs teams at the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning over the past few weeks to discuss our grants programs, volunteering under coronavirus (COVID-19), and to raise the questions or concerns that you have about your current and future projects. While we all work through this challenging time, we appreciate you getting in contact to discuss these issues with us.
Please read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) update from our team, which provides details about the impact of COVID-19 on the various grants programs that we help deliver, including the possible variation of projects that have been delayed due to COVID-19. The FAQ also includes a list of ideas for staying involved in volunteering while at home and following government COVID-19 measures. We hope this list provides some useful ideas for ways to stay connected with wildlife volunteering communities, and some helpful suggestions about how you can continue to do your work.
Community Programs (DELWP) - Frequently Asked Questions (COVID-19)
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Wildlife Rehabilitator Bushfire Grants Now Open
We are supporting authorised Wildlife Rehabilitators to care for wildlife affected by bushfires in the 2019-2020 fire season.
More information or to apply for a Wildlife Rehabilitator Bushfire Grant
About the Wildlife Rehabilitator Grants
The Wildlife Rehabilitator Grants Program provides funding to support wildlife rehabilitators including shelter operators and foster carers, to purchase a range of equipment and infrastructure to assist with the operation of their facilities and to attend training.
The program aims to help wildlife rehabilitators to:
- increase their knowledge/skills in the care of wildlife
- improve their facilities to treat, house and rehabilitate wildlife for release
- improve the standard of wildlife care provided for specialist species (e.g. raptors) or threatened species (e.g. brush tailed phascogales)
- have held a current permit as a shelter operator or foster carer for at least two (2) years.
- are undertaking their rehabilitation activities from their registered location.
- are the only person applying from a given address (i.e. only one grant per address)
- have no convictions for fraud or convictions under the Wildlife Act 1975 or the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 during the past ten years
- have submitted all Completion Statements for previous funding from this program
- have the consent of the property owner.
- Wildlife Rehabilitator Grants (2019/20) - Guidelines (PDF, 487.8 KB)
- Wildlife Rehabilitator Grants (2019/20)- Guidelines (accessible) (DOCX, 5.0 MB)
- Wildlife Rehabilitator Grants (2019/20)- Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 270.2 KB)
- Wildlife Rehabilitator Grants (2019/20)- Frequently Asked Questions (accessible) (DOCX, 119.7 KB)
Wildlife Rehabilitator Grants 2019 have been allocated and funding is being distributed
This year a total of $200,000 was available through the Wildlife Rehabilitator Grants 2019/20 program for individual Victorian wildlife rehabilitators, including shelter operators and foster carers.
The 2019/20 grants are capped at $2,000 (ex GST), with an additional $500 for fire personal protective equipment, per eligible applicant.
Who is eligible to apply?
Individual wildlife rehabilitators in Victoria who:
Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions
Other Resources
Grants Online Information Sheet for Community Users (PDF, 308.7 KB)
Grants Online Information Sheet for Community Users (accessible) (DOCX, 400.7 KB)
For further information, including shelter records and wildlife shelter and foster carer authorisation guides, visit:
Help for Injured Wildlife
Help for Injured Wildlife is an online tool, making it easier to find help for injured wildlife anywhere in Victoria.
The online tool gives you information about wildlife rehabilitators, rescue organisations and veterinarians in your local area who can care for the type of animal in need of help, such as a kangaroo or koala.
For more information on the Help for Injured Wildlife tool click here.