Australia: Aboriginal Community Mitigation and Crisis Management Grants Program

Deadline: 16-May-21

The State Government of Victoria is seeking applications for the Aboriginal Community Mitigation and Crisis Management Grants Program to address unmet needs in strengthening Aboriginal communities’ resilience against natural disasters.

• Aboriginal communities still lack culturally safe crisis management plans that can help to ensure culturally appropriate responses to bushfire crises, so funding is needed to support future bushfire mitigation and planning strategies.
• The sector requires further support to address the increased pressure on Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) and their staff to deliver recovery programs for the 2019-20 Eastern Victorian fires and prepare for future bushfires.
• There is a need to ensure that communications between Government departments, agencies, ACCOs and other community stakeholders are streamlined and consistent.

Streams

The program has two streams, which will be disbursed on a competitive basis.

• Stream 1: Crisis management, mitigation and planning – Grants of up to $450,000 are available to support Aboriginal organisations with readiness to develop and implement disaster crisis planning and mitigation initiatives on bushfire-affected Country. Examples of projects that may be funded in this stream are:
  • pre-bushfire season planning and mitigation works
  • public safety initiatives
  • bushfire crisis mitigation/management training and capacity building for Traditional Owners
  • bushfire crisis mitigation/management training and capacity building for Aboriginal communities.
• Stream 2: Improved Aboriginal infrastructure to better prepare for future emergency events – Grants of up to $1 million are available for projects that address the structural needs of bushfire-affected Aboriginal communities. Examples of projects that may be funded in this stream are:
  • rebuilding/reparation/replacement works on bushfire-affected Aboriginal infrastructural assets
  • construction of new, or the upgrade of currently dilapidated, local emergency shelters and facilities
  • restoration of community kitchens, emergency water supply and sewage management facilities, to safeguard their ability to remain operational during a disaster event/throughout the bushfire crisis
  • fire-proofing existing community-gathering spaces to protect against fire risks.

Ineligible Funding

Grants cannot be used for:

• offsetting of salaries or operating costs for existing staff or contractors
• feasibility studies, business plans, cost benefit analysis and economic impact studies
• projects that may have a negative impact on existing businesses/services
• passing on funding to a third party in the form of a sponsorship or grant
• the cost of works or activities covered by insurance.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible, an organisation must be either:
  • an Aboriginal organisation that is an incorporated legal entity
  • a social enterprise with a clearly stated purpose or mission related specifically to supporting Aboriginal communities in bushfire recovery.
• The organisation must also have the capability to report to BRV on the outcomes and activities of the funded project.
• Applicants for the ACMCM grants must have had their Country directly impacted by the 2019–20 bushfires, with the following Local Government Areas and Alpine Resorts being in scope:
  • Local Government Areas:
    • Ararat, Alpine, Ballarat, East Gippsland, Glenelg, Golden Plains, Greater Bendigo, Indigo, Mansfield, Moyne, Northern Grampians, Pyrenees, Southern Grampians, Strathbogie, Towong, Wangaratta, Wellington and Wodonga.
  • Alpine Resorts:
    • Falls Creek, Mount Buller, Mount Hotham and Mount Stirling.
• Applicants must also have:
  • a current Australian Business Number (ABN)
  • no outstanding final reports or financial reports required for any previous government grant programs.

Ineligible Applicants

• State and Federal government agencies
• Individuals and sole traders
• Unincorporated community organisations
• Commercial enterprises
• Fixed trusts
• Local Government Authorities (LGAs) including LGA managed, operated, administered and regulated trusts (can act as an auspice).
• Registered primary and secondary schools, preschools, TAFE institutes and universities (can act as an auspice)
• Commercial enterprises are not eligible to apply for a grant alone (they can partner with an organisation as a sponsor and only provide contributions).

For more information, visit https://www.vic.gov.au/aboriginal-community-mitigation-and-crisis-management-grants