Wildlife Rehabilitation Grants Program

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Grants Program is a cornerstone of our commitment to supporting frontline wildlife rehabilitators across New South Wales. Through this program, member groups and independently licensed rehabilitators can apply for funding (typically from $500 up to $5,000) to purchase essential equipment or construct/upgrade animal enclosures — resources that are otherwise often beyond reach for volunteer-run organisations.

In the 2025–26 round, for example, a total budget of $50,000 has been allocated to support projects focused strictly on equipment or enclosures, with up to two grants per group (and one per independent licensee) available. Applications are assessed by a dedicated Grants Committee using criteria such as need, excellence, and value for money.

Over recent years, these grants have enabled remarkable outcomes: incubators and intensive care units for birds and mammals, expanded enclosures for macropods, assisted release enclosures, medical equipment for koala care—and more. In 2023-24 alone, NWC awarded over $55,500 across multiple groups, enabling projects large and small throughout the state.

Perhaps just as importantly, the grants program embodies NWC’s role as a peak body that not only advocates and coordinates, but also invests directly in capacity-building for its members. In a challenging fundraising climate, it helps bridge the gap between need and action—ensuring grassroots rescuers can continue their vital work of caring for sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife.