Deadline: 8-Sep-21
The Australian Government is inviting Expression of Interest applications via an open competitive process for grants under the Future Drought Fund – Drought Resilience Innovation Expression of Interest (EOI) and Grants Program.
The Future Drought Fund (the Fund) is a long-term investment fund that provides a sustainable source of funding to help Australian farmers and agricultural-dependent communities and businesses become more prepared for and resilient to the impacts of drought. Established under the FDF Act, the Fund is part of the Australian Government’s Drought Response Resilience and Preparedness Plan.
Objectives
Consistent with the Future Drought Fund’s Funding Plan, all applications must address one or more of the following funding objectives, including:
- to grow the self-reliance and performance (productivity, profitability and sustainability) of the agricultural sector
- to improve the natural capital of agricultural and for better environmental outcomes
- to strengthen the wellbeing and social resilience of rural, regional and remote agricultural dependent communities.
Categories
- Ideas Grants: The Ideas Grants are designed to assist applicants who have submitted a proposal that has merit but requires further development before larger investments are considered. This funding is intended to support grantees to undertake further co-design and idea development, for example, engaging experts to support project development, or provide commercialisation advice.
- Proof-of-Concept Grants: The Proof-of-Concept Grants support feasibility and/or viability testing for innovative ideas intended to deliver products, new processes and services that help to build drought resilience for farmers and agricultural-dependent communities and businesses.
- Innovation Grants: The Innovation Grants support projects that contribute to improved drought resilience and are focused on development, extension, adoption and activities to prepare for commercialisation.
Type of Grants
- 3 grant types are available in this EOI and grant opportunity.
- Ideas Grants will provide $50,000 (GST inclusive) for one year.
- Proof-of-Concept Grants will provide funding of up to $120,000 (GST inclusive) for one year.
- Innovation Grants will provide funding of between $300,000 to $1.1 million (GST inclusive) per year for a maximum of 3 years.
- For the Proof-of-Concept Grants and the Ideas Grants, all grant activity must be completed within 12 months, and the final report must be submitted by 30 June 2023.
- For the Innovation Grants, all grant activity must be completed by 30 June 2024 with a final report submitted by September 2024.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applications are sought from eligible entities or consortia with a lead that is an eligible entity. To be eligible to apply for a grant, the lead applicant must be based in Australia and capable of entering into a legally binding and enforceable agreement with the Commonwealth.
- Eligible entity types are outlined below:
- Persons
- Sole Traders
- Partnership
- Companies
- Cooperatives
- Incorporated Associations
- Indigenous Corporations, registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth)
- a registered higher education provider for the purposes of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (Cth), that is registered in a provider category that permits the use of the word ‘university’
- Local Governments
- Non-corporate State or Territory Statutory Authority
- Corporate State or Territory Entity
- Statutory Entity
- Trustee on behalf of a Trust
For more information, visit https://www.communitygrants.gov.au/grants/future-drought-fund