DRAFT Citizen Science Funding Toolkit
for the Great Barrier Reef Citizen Science Alliance
Corporations can support citizen science through grants and corporate sponsorships.
The main industries operating in the Great Barrier Reef region include:
Additional industries that may be interested in partnerships with citizen science organisations include:
Education
Products and services targeted at Queensland Families
Eco-friendly businesses operating in Queensland
Government agencies support citizen science through policy, regulation, community infrastructure, and a variety of pathways that indirectly benefit citizen science objectives.
Traditionally, government agencies support citizen science organisations directly through grantmaking.
Government agencies can also fund citizen science through fee-for-service contracts and subsidized loans.
Government agencies that are most relevant to citizen science in the Great Barrier Reef include:
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
Queensland Office of the Great Barrier Reef
Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
Philanthropic foundations provide grants and technical support to citizen science groups in Australia. Learn more at:
Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network
A community sector bank is a financial institution that specialises in non-profit organisations. They offer products, services, and terms that are more amenable to the assets, context, and limitations in which citizen science organisations operate.
Learn more:
Bendigo Bank Community Sector Banking
Governments
Corporations
Philanthropic individuals can provide grants and loans to citizen science organisations.
In conservation fundraising, philanthropic individuals who are very wealthy are often referred to as High-Net-Worth Individuals (HNWI) or Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals (UHNWI). Personal relationships are necessary to speak to HNWI and UHNWI.
Philanthropic individuals who are not considered to be HNW or UHNW may be accessed through crowdsourcing and social media.
Philanthropic Individuals
Philanthropic Foundations
Investors
Every person or entity who provides capital for your organisation should recieve measurable returns on their investment (ecological, social, and/or financial benefits). They are all investors.
Investors can include corporations, governments, foundations, philanthropic individuals, members, community-sector banks, social finance funds, and the public. Descriptions and examples of these investors in Australia are listed below.
Social finance funds can provide low- or no-interest loans to entities that meet strict criteria. Often the funds have a specific purpose - for example reducing poverty - and funding is allocated to maximise the efficent attainment of that goal. While there are not yet any funds that are specifically targeting the Great Barrier Reef, some of the activities of citizen science organisations may meet social finance fund criteria. Another common term for this category is 'Impact Investing,' i.e., creating postive social or environmental impacts alongside financial returns.
Learn more:
Social Enterprise Finance Australia
Social Ventures Australia Social Impact Fund
National Australia Bank Impact Investing Readiness Fund
Community Banks
