Indigenous fishing and forestry grants

The Queensland Government has provided up to $300,000 to support projects for Indigenous peoples to have more economic opportunities around fishing and forestry, particularly in their own sea and land country.

There are 2 grants available under the Indigenous Fishing and Forestry Grants Program:

• Cape York Economic Pathways Grant
• Queensland Indigenous Business Grant.

The program guidelines (PDF, 290KB) outline:

• the evaluation criteria
• how the program operates
• how funding is allocated.

Cape York Economic Pathways Grant

The Cape York Economic Pathways Grant program supports activities and projects that:

• identify new Indigenous economic pathways
• address key market failures in economic pathways in the Cape York region
• support Cape York seafood and forestry exporters
• enhance fishing and forestry businesses' understanding of new markets
• contribute to Cape York economic growth through increased domestic and international exports of fisheries and forestry product and service marketing.

Your project must be within the Cape York region. You can apply for up to $40,000.

The grant is open to:

• individuals
• licensed commercial fishers
• charter fishers
• landowners
• industry groups
• peak bodies
• councils
• statutory bodies
• incorporated bodies
• associations.

Queensland Indigenous Business Grant

The Queensland Indigenous Business Grant supports activities and projects that assist Indigenous businesses to purchase assets to scale up seafood production and processing for increased market opportunity and jobs.

The grant is open to Indigenous businesses in Queensland. Applicants must also make a financial co-contribution of 25% or more of the cost of their project.

Your project must be under $20,000.

Please note that entities (for example, consultants) applying on behalf of Indigenous peoples or individuals, must provide evidence that they are applying on their behalf.

Proof of identity

Applicants of both types of grants must provide proof that they are an Indigenous person:

• a certificate of Aboriginality
  or
• a statement from an Indigenous land council or community organisation that the person:
  • is of Indigenous descent
  • identifies as an Indigenous person
    and
  • is accepted as an Indigenous person by the community in which they live.

Project criteria

Your proposed project or activity must meet at least one of these criteria.

Read the grant guidelines (PDF, 290KB) to see what projects are eligible, and what will not be accepted.

• Economic growth

  • Contribute to regional economic growth and jobs through increasing domestic and international exports of fishery and forestry products and service marketing.
  • Open up new markets and improve access to existing markets.
  • Increase stability and viability of existing and new supply chains.

• Responsible and sustainable fishing and forestry practices and education

  Fishing practices

  • Promote responsible fishing practices.
  • Develop and implement codes of practice (CoP) with the inclusion of Indigenous Owners and communities.
  • Develop and implement best management practices within Indigenous commercial fishing, seafood supply chain.
  • Develop training programs or videos for Indigenous peoples and communities to get involved in commercial fishing, seafood supply chain.

  Forestry

  • Promote, develop and implement responsible forestry practices with the inclusion of Indigenous Owners and communities.
  • Implement sustainable plantation and native forestry management practices with Indigenous foresters and industry supply chain members.
  • Develop programs to educate and uplift training and skills in forestry practices.

• Promotional campaigns

  • Promote Indigenous fishing, seafood supply chain and forestry businesses.
  • Promote inclusion of these businesses in Queensland's sustainable seafood and timber industry.
  • Indigenous commercial fisher mental wellbeing.

• First Nations Investment Principles

  Project contributes to:

  • closing the gap targets or social determinants of Indigenous health
  • preserving, protecting and promoting Indigenous cultural intellectual property
  • intergenerational, rural or remote economic development.