GO8642: Indigenous Ranger Biosecurity Program - Ranger Capability Building Grants - Round 4

The Australian Government is inviting applications from Indigenous Ranger organisations with current fee-for-service contracts with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the department), via a restricted process, to apply for a grant under the Ranger Capability Building Grants Program, Round 4.

For this grant, $5 million (GST exclusive) is available over the 2026–27 and 2027–28 financial years.

Grant agreements will be up to 2 years in length.

The Indigenous Ranger Biosecurity Program helps protect Australia’s $100 billion agriculture industries by partnering with Indigenous Rangers to provide vital surveillance needed for the early detection of biosecurity threats across northern Australia.

The intended outcomes of the grant program are: Increased capacity of Indigenous Rangers to undertake current and future biosecurity fee-for-service activities for the department.

Improved quality of biosecurity surveillance data and reporting.

Increased community awareness of high-risk pests and diseases.

Improved work health and safety for Indigenous Rangers in remote areas.

Increased skills and capability of Indigenous Rangers to enhance their career pathways.

Create a career pathway for Rangers with specialist skills in biosecurity.

Facilitate Indigenous-led leadership, mentoring and training for rangers in pests and diseases and surveillance technique.

Support achievement of place-based biosecurity objectives of traditional owners.

Assist in integration of traditional First Nations environmental practices into biosecurity monitoring and surveillance.

To be eligible, an applicant must be one of the organisations listed in Appendix A and must have received an invitation to apply through GrantConnect.

Eligible organisations were identified as Indigenous Ranger organisations with a signed contract arrangement with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry for one or more Indigenous Ranger groups to undertake biosecurity monitoring and surveillance work for the department.

An eligible applicant with more than one ranger group in its fee-for-service contract may submit one application covering multiple ranger groups, but must provide the allocation of funds to each ranger group.

Applicants cannot receive funding from another government source for the same purpose.

Applicants must comply with applicable laws and maintain required qualifications, permits, insurance, registrations, licences, work health and safety requirements, Working with Children or Working with Vulnerable People checks, industry licences or registrations, and Australian Skills Quality Authority accreditation where applicable.

Applicants seeking funding for a Biosecurity Ranger or Biosecurity Project Officer must have a staff remuneration structure aligned to a relevant state, territory or nationally recognised award and/or registered enterprise agreement.