Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative – Community Impact Program

This initiative is investing in the future, enabling agriculture-dependent communities to identify and act on their drought preparedness priorities at a grassroots level.

It will do this by investing in projects that seek to strengthen social and community networking, support, engagement and wellbeing by delivering a tailored package of support that includes:

• Community Impact Grants: Working with locally led community organisations to develop and deliver a program of support to strengthen community networks, capabilities and facilities that support drought preparedness (delivered by FRRR); and
• Community Leadership Activities: Supporting community members to develop their leadership skills to contribute to drought resilience in their community (delivered by ARLF).  

The program will provide 35 grants – one for each region – with a maximum total value of $12.1 million, to be implemented over a two year period. The grant size for each region will be negotiated as part of the multi-stage application process and may range between $200,000 and $500,000 (see below). Should total demand for funds exceed the grant funding available, grant values will be reduced proportionately.

There are two regions for the Northern Inland in this program as follows:

• Region 4 - North-West
  • Gunnedah
  • Liverpool Plains
  • Narrabri
  • Tamworth
  • Walcha
  • Moree Plains
• Region 5 - Northern Tablelands
  • Armidale
  • Glen Innes Severn
  • Gwydir
  • Inverell
  • Tenterfield
  • Uralla

Eligible activities must contribute to the outcomes of the Community Impact Program and may include, but are not limited to:

• Community-focused activities that support priorities in a Future Drought Fund Regional Drought Resilience Plan.
• Networking events such as field days, conferences, forums, summits and seminars relating to drought preparedness that build depth of social connection, a shared sense of purpose and longer-term community belonging that can be drawn upon in future drought.
• Initiatives that improve capability, coordination, and collaboration between professional, social or community networks, or other community organisations and sectors in local communities that can be drawn upon in future drought.
• Projects, initiatives or events that increase skills, knowledge and understanding of the risks posed by drought and climate change.
• Leadership or other capacity building activities where local people and communities have opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought in remote, rural and regional Australia.
• Capability development support for local community organisations so that they can better serve the interests of their community.
• Initiatives that support, encourage, or extend the participation in current or future Regional Drought Resilience Planning, particularly in remote or very remote locations.
• Minor infrastructure improvements, or equipment upgrades to new and existing meeting places to support community wellbeing, improve connectivity and increase knowledge sharing that specifically relates to drought preparedness. This should constitute no more than 10% of the overall project budget.
• Staffing, and reasonable program delivery costs to support the coordination and delivery of planned activities.