Sustainable Schools Grants
Increasing sustainability across NSW public schools and preschools
We're empowering students and schools to make their learning environments more sustainable.
School Infrastructure NSW’s Sustainable Schools Grants invite all NSW public schools and preschools to apply for funding up to $15,000 to deliver hands-on, sustainability-focused projects that link to the NSW curriculum.
The grants are part of a 4-year, $10 million program that gives schools the opportunity to develop innovative hands-on projects that help students learn about environmentally sustainable practices and take real steps to enhance the sustainability of their school environment.
Projects may include, but are not limited to initiatives to improve:
- biodiversity and connect students to nature
- energy, water and waste efficiency
- environmental education, behavioural change and capacity building.
This is the fifth and final round of grants and schools can apply between 27 February and 20 March 2023. Projects must be implemented in 2023.
Parents or students wishing to get involved can talk to their Principal or school staff member.
School applications
Schools can register their interest for round 5 now to receive application information and resources.
The department's Sustainable Schools Grants intranet contains detailed information and support for schools.
*Non-government schools and preschools not owned and operated by the NSW Department of Education are ineligible to apply.
99 schools receive grant in round 3
List of schools
School or preschool name |
Project Title |
Electorate |
---|---|---|
Sustainable Food Miles and Waste |
Heffron |
|
native edible garden |
Ryde |
|
Outdoor Indigenous Learning Space |
Maitland |
|
Barkers Vale Public School Biodiversity and Future Food Security Initiative |
Lismore |
|
Sustainability Plan |
Murray |
|
The R3 Project: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle |
Pittwater |
|
Giiyong Dreaming Cultural Garden |
Bega |
|
Pollination, Flowers and Tucker |
Charlestown |
|
War on Waste – be part of the solution not the pollution |
Blue Mountains |
|
Sustainable Native Garden |
Bathurst |
|
Birds of a Feather |
Bega |
|
Yarning Circle- Rejuvenation and Upgrade |
Gosford |
|
Brocklesby- A home for our pollinators |
Albury |
|
Sustainable Garden |
Murray |
|
Sustainable Solutions |
Riverstone |
|
Aquaculture tech mandatory |
Charlestown |
|
Environmental Upgrade |
Epping |
|
Children on Country, Biodiversity on Country - Phenology Calendar Project |
Oxley |
|
Healthy Habits - Sustainable Food Garden |
Clarence |
|
Kitchen, Indigenous and Bush Tucker Garden |
Tweed |
|
Bush Tucker Outdoor Learning Space |
Northern Tablelands |
|
Connecting Threads - Uniform & Textile Upcycling |
Keira |
|
Happy Hen House and Bush-Tucker Garden |
Miranda |
|
Cronulla Public School - Gardening for good |
Cronulla |
|
Closing the Loop |
Strathfield |
|
Garden to Plate |
Blacktown |
|
EHPS Garden, Sustainability and Indigenous Cultural Integration |
Ryde |
|
Sustaining an entire community |
Northern Tablelands |
|
Dhaga Bidhal at Empire Bay |
Terrigal |
|
Edible Garden |
Wagga Wagga |
|
Forbes Public School Community Conservation Corner |
Orange |
|
Greening Up Gardeners Road School |
Heffron |
|
Active Users of Passive Spaces |
Kogarah |
|
Reducing Waste and Increasing Biodiversity |
Mulgoa |
|
Sustainable Back Yard Systems |
Clarence |
|
Buzzing Biodiversity - Joining the Dots and Reconnecting the Corridors |
Murray |
|
Native Plant Wellness Walk |
Goulburn |
|
Waste Not Want Not |
Camden |
|
The Farm |
Gosford |
|
Hop, Hope, Hopetown! |
Wyong |
|
The Cycle of Waste |
Hornsby |
|
Bush Tucker Garden & Yarning Circle |
Kiama |
|
Interactive Garden Beds - Indigenous and Sensory |
Monaro |
|
JPS Waste - Let's Get Sorted! |
Albury |
|
Pedal Power is Pumping! |
Blue Mountains |
|
The Snowy Mountains Khancoban Project |
Albury |
|
KHHS Native Nursery |
Wakehurst |
|
Battle of the Slime: Fish v worms! |
Cronulla |
|
Precious Plastic |
Wagga Wagga |
|
Kulnura Grows Greener |
Gosford |
|
Eco Mania |
Lane Cove |
|
LPS Waste Reduction Program |
Blue Mountains |
|
Lomandra Garden to Plate Project |
Campbelltown |
|
Waste reduction |
Holsworthy |
|
Sustainable Food Garden: Inclusive Outdoor Classroom |
Maroubra |
|
Indigenous Cultural Garden |
Kiama |
|
B33 Garden (Building Biodiversity with Bush Tucker Garden) |
Blacktown |
|
Moree Secondary College Waste and Litter Champions |
Northern Tablelands |
|
Bottles, Bees and Biodiversity |
Lake Macquarie |
|
Engaging, green spaces across the years |
Bega |
|
Moss Vale Regional Paddock 2 Plate Collaboration |
Goulburn |
|
Mulwaree's War on Waste |
Goulburn |
|
Sensory/ Native/Indigenous Garden |
Cootamundra |
|
The NPS Kitchen and Garden Sustainability Project. |
Barwon |
|
Gather and Grow Garden |
Wakehurst |
|
Binnowee Bunji |
Wallsend |
|
North Rocks Bush Tucker Garden |
Baulkham Hills |
|
An Inclusive, Integrated and Sustainable Community |
Shellharbour |
|
An Appetite for Cultural Cuisine |
Myall Lakes |
|
Bee Utopia |
Oatley |
|
Getting it Right from the Start |
Wyong |
|
Aquaculture system and vegetable production upgrade and expansion |
Monaro |
|
Corridors of Reflection and Connection |
Mulgoa |
|
Shortland Bush Tucker Garden |
Wallsend |
|
Reducing Waste and Increasing Biodiversity |
Londonderry |
|
Stanmore Pollinator Buzz |
Newtown |
|
Rainwater Irrigation Project |
Miranda |
|
Composting for our Future at Tharbogang |
Murray |
|
Good Grazing Goats: Sustainable Invasive Plant Removal. |
Wakehurst |
|
Louisa Lawson's Garden |
Cootamundra |
|
A Taste of Sunshine |
Seven Hills |
|
Building a sustainable future |
Miranda |
|
Footprint Investigators |
Murray |
|
Ag @ Toora |
Barwon |
|
Bush Tucker Garden and Native Bee Habitat |
Ballina |
|
Sustainable Growth Hub |
Shellharbour |
|
Castlereagh Connection |
Barwon |
|
Wayeela Cooinda Preschool - Caring for Country Sustainability Project |
South Coast |
|
Reducing Waste and Increasing Biodiversity |
Blue Mountains |
|
Look, Think and Act Green at Westlawn Public School |
Clarence |
|
Honey-Rama at Willyama |
Barwon |
|
Permaculture Education Garden |
Myall Lakes |
|
Kitchen Garden |
Wollongong |
|
Wollumbin War on Waste |
Lismore |
|
Sensory Garden |
Lake Macquarie |
|
Sustainability Homebase Phase 1 |
Lismore |
|
Developing an understanding of Sustainable Farming Practices |
Wagga Wagga |
|
EcoYoo - Green Goblins |
Murray |
|
The Growing Garden |
Penrith |
Previous Sustainable Schools Grants projects
Erskine Park High School
Mt Ousley Public School
Pop-up market garden stalls, worm farming workshops and beehive keeping were just some of the activities Mt Ousley Public School students embarked upon when they tapped into local community expertise and resources.
When Wollongong City Council officers ran composting and worm farming workshops for schools, the students at Mt Ousley were inspired to produce videos, presentations and signage to educate their entire school community about waste initiatives.
Their composting system now diverts about 8.5 kg of waste from landfill each day and fertilises their garden beds.
A parent beekeeper educated students about the importance of bees and how bees make honey, and the school has since purchased a native beehive.
A local community expert was engaged to work with the children to educate, design, and construct 6 'no dig' garden beds. The gardens now provide vegetables and herbs to students and the community. One of the major highlights for students was "cooking produce from our garden with our parents".
Students have gained an in-depth understanding of the sustainable benefits of 'paddock to plate' and taken this idea one step further by using a pop-up market stall concept to allow the community to purchase produce harvested from the school's garden.
Staff have also benefited from teacher professional learning and advice from local visiting professionals. This has increased their confidence and willingness to use and contribute to the ‘food forest’.
"We've enjoyed watching the excitement, achievements, failures, curiosity and pride the students have gained from their involvement. Their general wellbeing has improved, and they are engaged in their learning," one staff member said.
The school's top tip to other schools interested in implementing a Sustainable Schools Grants project is the importance of forming a committee and getting buy-in from school staff, according to project lead Sally Anderson. “It became easier to run the program when more staff became involved,” she said.