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Westpac has announced that its Disaster Relief Package is available for customers who are suffering hardship as a result of the recent disasters. Westpac's Disaster Relief Packages aim to offer immediate practical help to assist customers to manage the impact of natural disasters on their finances.

Grants of up to $2000 can be accessed to help cover temporary accommodation, food and clothing.

Depending on the nature of disasters, our Disaster Relief Packages generally offer the following:

Home loan and insurance customers

• Affected customers with Westpac home loans may apply to defer repayments for up to three months.
• Affected Westpac customers with Home and Contents insurance may be eligible to receive assistance including emergency funds and temporary accommodation. Contact us to find out if you are eligible or to make a claim.

Business customers

• Affected businesses with existing loans can request loan restructuring without incurring the usual bank establishment fees.
• Affected business customers with merchant facilities are eligible to receive assistance including monthly terminal access fee waivers for up to three months. Contact us to find out if you are eligible on 1800 029 749.

Credit cards, term deposits and personal loans

• Affected credit card customers may apply to defer repayments to their card for up to 90 days.
• Customers wishing to purchase replacement goods may apply for a personal loan at a discounted interest rate with no establishment fee.
• Westpac will waive interest rate adjustments for affected customers wishing to withdraw term deposits.
• Customers experiencing severe hardship may also be offered a halt on all interest accrual on unsecured credit products for a period of up to three months.

Extending the Disaster Relief Package to support volunteer firefighters
The Disaster Relief Package has been extended to support volunteer firefighters active in fighting the current bushfires across NSW, Victoria & South Australia and offers financial assistance to affected customers including:

• Home loan repayment deferral for up to 3 months
• Interest waivers, fee cancellations and term extensions

Additional support now available for NAB business and agribusiness customers directly impacted by bushfires includes:

• $2,000 grants to help restart or reopen and cover the cost of damaged property, equipment, fencing – and for loss of stock or livestock. NAB business and agribusiness customer wishing to access the grants should call NAB’s dedicated team on 1300 023 429 (8am-5pm, Mon-Fri; 9am-1pm, Saturday – AEST/AEDT)
• Up to a three-year deferral of interest and repayments for existing NAB loans where individual circumstances warrant
• A commitment not to foreclose upon, or force the sale of existing loans for up to three years
• $1 billion in concessional loans to customers seeking support to restructure existing facilities to assist in repairs, restocking and re-opening for business
• Support and counselling by making NAB’s Employee Assistance Program available to customers.

CommBank's Emergency Assistance Package is for customers and businesses affected by bushfires, floods and storms. We've also extended our Emergency Assistance Package to all volunteer firefighters. The package includes loan restructuring and waiving of selected fees and charges.

The package includes:

• Emergency accommodation assistance for CommInsure customers whose homes have been damaged by bushfire, flood or storms
• Expediting claims to CommInsure for customers seeking help through their home, contents and car insurance
• Customised assistance for Commonwealth Bank home loan, credit card and personal loan customers who may experience difficulties because of the bushfire, flood or storms
• Considering requests for additional loans including emergency credit limit increases (subject to credit approval).
• Loan restructuring for business customers with existing loans
• Waiving fees for temporary and damaged merchant EFTPOS terminals, as well as merchant fees on EFTPOS terminals and e-Commerce facilities until trading recommences
• Waiving prepayment charges for the month following the event, for affected customers wishing to access term deposits and Commonwealth Investment Bonds ahead of the maturity date
• Waiving other selected fees and charges

ANZ's assistance includes:

• The ability to suspend repayments on loans, including credit cards, for up to three months (which may include interest capitalisation)
• Temporary interest rate relief on lending for customers experiencing extreme financial distress in areas impacted by the fires
• Waiving of fees associated with restructuring business loans considered necessary due to bushfire impacts
• Access to term deposits early without incurring any fees
• Assistance for affected customers with ANZ Home and Contents insurance as they may be eligible for measures such as emergency funds and temporary accommodation

The Farm Innovation Fund provides low interest loans to helps farmers to:

• Improve farm productivity by reducing risks and improve efficiencies by building fodder and grain storage facilities, sheds, fencing, roadworks and solar power conversions.
• Manage adverse seasonal conditions by improving water efficiencies with irrigation systems, cap and piping of bores, new dams, install water tanks and desilting of ground tanks.
• Ensure long term sustainability by increasing the viability of a farm business and improve pasture and soil health, plant trees for shade and wildlife corridors, eradicate weeds, flood proof property and fence riverbanks.

he NSW Government is offering $50,000 interest-free loans to primary producers to implement systems and management practices that enhance the sustainability of their farm business. The loan term is seven years and there are no repayments required in the first two years.

This loan will fund:

• The transport of stock, fodder and water
• Genetic banking of breeding herds
• Installation of on-farm fodder and water infrastructure
• Activities that promote profitability and resilience as a result of the on-farm investment

Armidale Regional Council is offering immediate relief to ratepayers experiencing genuine financial hardship due to the Coronavirus pandemic by allowing a three month payment deferral period. Ratepayers and members of the community experiencing financial hardship due to loss of income who cannot make payments on other fees and charges, including water utility payments owed to Council can also apply for hardship and will be assessed on a case by case basis.

While many businesses have been adversely affected by COVID-19 and are reducing their workforces, there are some areas of the economy which have an increased demand for workers.

This includes jobs in health and care sectors, transport and logistics, some areas of retail, mining and mining services, manufacturing, agriculture and government sectors, among others.

Aims to enhance recreational freshwater fishing opportunities, to support local communities in the stocking high value native fish species, to assist in the development of regional aquaculture industries and to increase community and industry involvement in, and awareness of responsible stocking.

Under the program, community groups apply to the NSW Recreational Fishing Trust (funded by the recreational fishing licence) for matching funds to purchase native fish from licensed commercial hatcheries for stocking rivers and dams in the Murray Darling system and east of the great divide. Dollar-for-dollar funding is available for Murray Cod and Golden Perch for western drainage stockings and Australian Bass for eastern drainage stockings.

Matana’s focus is on improving the welfare and wellbeing of young people from severely disadvantaged or marginalised backgrounds, or whose concerns and issues are not readily funded from other sources.

Recognising that disadvantage takes many forms, they prioritise projects and organisations that address the causes of youth disadvantage by:

• Providing programs primarily targeting school retention and increased education achievement for students who are at risk of dropping out of school or who have already dropped out. The focus is on early identification, customised learning and mentoring.
• Providing programs that target employment skills development, employment and career pathways and transitions into employment.
• Providing programs that target social and community connectedness, personal significance and social and emotional outcomes.
• Providing services in geographical areas across Australia where funding is difficult to source.

There is no minimum or maximum amount, but as a guide, grants are usually in the range of $1,000 to $10,000.

Providing support for people undertaking projects that will make a positive difference to the natural living environment, in land, sea or air, rural or urban.

They are looking for projects around flora and fauna conservation or threatened mammal conservation.

These projects should involve any of the following:

• monitoring, recording and sharing data
• delivering community education
• providing community capacity building (e.g. training)
• research and science

The objective of the CCCF Special Circumstances Grant Opportunity is to support continuity of child care, in particular in disadvantaged or vulnerable communities, where service viability is affected by:

• an unforeseen event or circumstance outside the control of the service,such asa natural disaster or extreme weather event, or
• another event or circumstance,which would result in market failure for the community.

The program provides funding with the intention of empowering community and creating an environment where every child has the opportunity to reach their potential.

CAGES Foundation will intentionally seek to fund DGR 1 organisations with high levels of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation, influence, identity and leadership. The foundation’s principle around self-determination is best enacted through supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led organisations however they also recognise the need to build skills and capabilities in these organisations and the communities they exist in. They believe an effective way to do this is to support respectful partnerships between non-Indigenous and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations where two-way learning and capacity building at an organisational and community level is intentional.

Every day across the country IGA Community Chest raises funds to support local communities, charities and other worthwhile causes. It could be in response to a major event like floods or bush fires or something as simple as new soccer balls for the local under 8’s.

ING are looking for change makers working on an early-stage business that will create positive social impact through trade of a product or service. They know that growing a dream into a sustainable and impactful business requires passion and dedication but also knowledge and skills that you may not yet possess.

Dreamstarter Scholarships exist to support you on that journey by providing the funding you need to participate in learning programs that provide the skills, knowledge and networks for you to develop or grow your social business.