How we support our members

Being a member of Landcare Victoria is about joining a community of people striving to achieve integrated sustainable agriculture and environmental outcomes, fostered by on-ground, community-led action. At Landcare Victoria, we support our members in the following ways.

Governance, strategy and project development support

We provide tailored advice to landcare groups developing their capacity to meet governance and risk management requirements, and resource our membership with topical publications, webinars, workshops, and network peer-to-peer learning opportunities.

We work with partners and stakeholders to communicate and promote best practice, evidence-based thinking, innovation and responsiveness to new information and technology, with a commitment to striving for strategically relevant, tangible outcomes.

We facilitate participation in research and development projects to foster early access to innovation relevant to landcare, and investigate and pursue opportunities for landcare in emerging carbon and environmental services markets.

Training and development opportunities for our state-wide network

We provide and promote state-wide training and development opportunities to build the capacity of our membership to work effectively within their communities, with the aim of delivering strong outcomes in landscape restoration and sustainable agriculture.

Our Annual Landcare Forum is hosted in a different region every year, encouraging information sharing and learning across landcare networks and the wider community.

Grant and asset management auspice support

One of the key functions of Landcare Victoria is to provide an overarching legal structure through which Member Groups can operate their local branches with efficiency. Our legal structure as an incorporated association, with Tax Concession Charity status and Deductible Gift Recipient endorsement, means that we are well placed to support or ‘auspice’ the activities of our member groups.

Landcare Victoria is able to support member groups by auspicing grant applications, assisting unincorporated Member Groups to register trailers with VicRoads, and acting as an authorised signatory on land management agreements and building leases.

Accessible and affordable insurance cover

The most simple and affordable way for many groups to become insured is to join Landcare Victoria Inc. Member Groups that maintain their annual subscription with us are covered by the policies that we take out on behalf of our membership base, with costs shared between approximately 600 groups.

The Landcare Victoria Inc. insurance package is available to all members and includes:

• Public and Products Liability cover: Protects your organisation if third parties suffer an injury or property damage as a result of your organisation's activities
• Voluntary Workers Personal Accident cover: Volunteers of all ages will be covered if accidental injury or death occur whilst performing their duties
• Association Liability cover: Cover for your organisation's directors and officers against legal obligation for actions arising from their duties

You can download our annual insurance overview for more information about the coverage offered in 2023/24.

Fundraising support

Landcare Victoria has established a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) Fund called the Landcare Victoria Fund that allows for tax-deductible donations in support of landcare. Landcare Victoria Member Groups may utilise the fund in support of their own fundraising activities.

Advocacy for grassroots landcare

We champion effective policy for landcare, informed by our deep knowledge of Victorian landcare communities, the innovations and opportunities they pursue, and our understanding of barriers that prevent landcare meeting its potential. Our representative Board and Members Council draw expertise from each of the ten regions and actively inform our policy development and advocacy work.

We amplify the voices of the landcare community by working closely with Victorian and Australian Government agencies to ensure that government-provided support to landcare is effective and responsive to the needs of the landcare community and the challenges we face.

How to become a member

Landcare Victoria Inc. will accept as members any not-for-profit group with at least 5 members, with purposes that align with our statement of purposes (see Landcare Victoria Inc. Rules), and whose activities are similar to "normal Landcare activities" and therefore can be covered by the member insurance package. All membership applications are submitted to the Landcare Victoria Inc. Committee of Management (also known as the Board) for approval.

Membership registrations are now open for the 2023/24 year. For more information, please click here.