Deadline: 26-Feb-2024
Applications are now open for the Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Prepare and Recover program to support communities in remote, rural and regional communities across Australia to implement initiatives that prevent and prepare for future climate-related impacts, or recover from existing disasters in the medium to long-term timeframe, generally one to ten years after a disaster.
Funding Information
- Grants up to $25,000 are available for a broad range of initiatives to strengthen the capacity and capability of local people, organisations, networks and systems that help communities to be informed, skilled, connected and resourced for the future.
What can be Funded?
- A broad range of charitable activities are considered under this program, including:
- Delivering, or providing projects, events, programs, initiatives and services;
- Purchasing or hiring equipment and materials;
- Community infrastructure;
- Organisational capacity building;
- Community resource development;
- Proportionate costs associated with staffing as required to deliver the activity.
What can’t be Funded?
- There are several areas that they cannot fund through this program:
- Projects that support core business and areas of responsibility of Federal, State and Local Governments;
- Solely ongoing core organisational operational costs (e.g. rent, utilities, regular wages, loan repayments);
- The encouragement or advancement of sport, recreation and social activities are not considered charitable activities under Australian law. Applications from sporting organisations need to clearly demonstrate charitable outcomes and benefit to the wider community that are above and beyond the sporting activities of the club;
- Overseas travel and overseas projects;
- Prizes, gifts, trophies or awards;
- Political lobbying.
Types of Projects Supported
- SRC Prepare and Recover aims to support projects that:
- Assist communities prevent and prepare for, respond to, or recover from disasters, weather events or climate impacts;
- Demonstrate broad community benefit, are locally determined, support collaboration and build capacity for the future;
- Build networks or resources so that local communities can share information, increase climate related knowledge, and strengthen social connection;
- Aim to ‘build back better’ infrastructure following a disaster event, accounting for historical and future climate risks;
- Recognise First Nations knowledge and strengthen cultural practices to foster healing, connection and care for Country;
- Have limited ability to attract funds from other donors or government
- FRRR funds projects aligned with the following types of charitable projects and outcomes:
- Bringing people and community organisations together to foster stronger, more resilient communities;
- Fostering and celebrating a sense of identity, diversity and cultural connection within the community;
- Supporting diverse groups within remote, rural and regional communities including, but not limited to, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, culturally and linguistically diverse, those living with disability, and LGBTQIA+;
- Improving community health and social wellbeing;
- Enabling people to develop skills, knowledge and confidence to lead and contribute to the prosperity and renewal of their community.
Eligibility Criteria
- To apply, you must meet the following criteria:
- Applicant organisations must be a not-for-profit organisation with either an Incorporation Certificate and/or an ABN. If you are unsure if your organisation is a registered not-for-profit (e.g. if you are a Co-operative, Other Unincorporated Entity, Public Company, or Trust), please contact FRRR;
- There are three streams of funding available within the Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Program: Small and Vital, Prepare and Recover, and Rebuilding Regional Communities. Organisations may submit their application in one of these streams per SRC grant round, and any other applications in this round will be considered ineligible;
- Project must be for charitable purposes and offer clear public benefit;
- Not-for-profit organisations with or without DGR-1 endorsement are eligible;
- Organisations can submit one application per grant round;
- Projects must benefit communities in remote, rural or regional Australia.
Ineligible
- You will be considered ineligible if the:
- Application is submitted by individuals, sole traders, private or commercial businesses (as per the submitted ABN);
- Application is submitted by an organisation that is not a legal entity (i.e. a registered not-for-profit), without the written consent of the governing/partnering body who holds the ABN/Incorporation Certificate;
- Application is submitted without required financial information;
- Final report/s from any FRRR grants awarded in the previous seven years have not been acquitted (delivery organisations should check with legal organisation to see if there are any outstanding final reports);
- Application is for a project or activity that has already occurred/is occurring prior to the announcement of funding;
- Application is incomplete. Note: Due to the volume of applications received, applications are assessed based on the documentation received at the time of application. FRRR is unlikely to follow up missing documentation after applications have been submitted.
For more information, visit FRRR.