Australia: Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund

Deadline: 11-Dec-20

The NSW Government is seeking applications for Bushfire Local Economic Recovery (BLER) Fund to provide $250 million of further funding to support the social and economic recovery of communities affected by bushfire in 47 regional NSW Local Government Areas.

The objective of the BLER Fund is to support economic and social recovery at a local and regional level in areas impacted by the 2019- 2020 bushfires. The BLER Fund will support job retention and creation in these regions, strengthen community resilience and reduce the impact future natural disasters will have on their communities. The majority of funding should be committed to the areas most impacted by the fires.

It will support projects that retain and create new jobs in regional areas, build resilience and increase preparedness for future bushfire seasons.

Categories

Funding is available in the following three categories:

Infrastructure projects, such as roads to support increased industrial development.
Environmental projects, such as regeneration activities.
Programs including social, business and environmental education initiatives.

Funding Information

The grant funding for individual projects is dependent on the project type.

Infrastructure projects must seek a minimum of $400,000 with a maximum available grant of $20 million.
Environmental projects including rehabilitation, remediation and resilience improvements must seek a minimum of $200,000 with a maximum available grant of $4 million.
Programs, including social, business and environmental education initiatives must seek a minimum of $200,000 with a maximum available grant of $4 million.

Eligible Projects

To be eligible projects must:

Support the recovery of the local community’s economy, social well-being, environment or improve resilience to future natural disasters
Be able to commence within six months of the funding deed being executed by the Department and be completed by 30 June 2022
Align with one of the following categories:
- Enabling infrastructure;
- Industry and business development;
- Social development;
- Natural environment and resource development;
- Built environment adaption.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must hold an Australian Business Number (ABN), Australian Company Number (ACN) or be registered with NSW Fair Trading under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 or other Act.
An applicant must be one of the following entities:
- Councils;
- Joint Organisation of Councils;
- not-for-profit organisations, including business chambers, industry associations and charities;
- research or academic organisations;
- State Government corporations;
- Local Aboriginal Land Councils.
For-profit organisations and state government agencies may be considered eligible applicants only where projects will deliver a clear public benefit;
A public/private partnership may only seek funding where the lead applicant is an eligible entity;
Section 355 committees of council are eligible to apply for funding, but the council will be required to execute the funding deed should the project be successful;
Applicants must have or be able and willing to purchase at least $20 million in public liability insurance.