Floods financial grants: your questions answered

Support to assist recovery

A range of different funding is available to help people and businesses recover from the 2022 floods.

Find more detail on:

• emergency financial support for people,
• support for business
• and support for farmers.

See the list of highly impacted suburbs eligible for the:

• February and March 2022 storm and flood disaster recovery small business grant
• Flood recovery rental support payment.

There is a range of grants to help flood-affected communities get back on their feet, including:

• Back Home grant

• ECEC Services and Public Schools Support package

• Clean-up and recovery grants
• Primary Industry Support package
• Northern Rivers Business Support package
• Northern Rivers critical infrastructure program
• Flood Property Assessment Program  
• Local Council Support package
• Rural Landholder grants.

There is also localised information and resources including:

• legal and insurance support for flood victims
• clean-up advice 
• guidance for tenants and landlords
• help if you lose your home
• advice to repair or rebuild your property
• emotional and trauma support.

$112 million Back Home grant

Under the Back Home grant scheme, uninsured households who cannot claim other disaster relief and have homes declared as damaged or destroyed may be eligible for up to $20,000 cash grants. 

It will include one-off payments of $20,000 for owner-occupiers, $15,000 for landlords, and $5000 for renters across the Hawkesbury, Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed Local Government Areas.

In addition to the 8 hardest hit LGAs, the grant is available for owners and renters with households in areas like:

• Agnes Banks 
• Barcoongere 
• Berambing 
• Bilpin
• Bucketty
• Cattai 
• Coombadjha 
• Dirty Creek 
• Halfway Creek
• Hernani
• Leets Vale
• Lower Portland
• Maraylya
• Newton Boyd
• Putty
• Sherwood
• Tabulam
• Ten Mile Hollow
• The Gulf 
• Upper Corindi 
• Urbenville
• Vineyard 
• Wisemans Ferry
• Woodenbong.

The funds can go towards any clean-up costs to restore housing to a habitable condition, such as:            

• inspection and safe reconnection of utilities, such as electrical, gas, water, hot water and sewerage equipment not otherwise the responsibility of utility companies;

• necessary replacement or repairs to damaged essential household goods such as refrigerators, ovens, washing machines and microwaves

• necessary replacement or repairs to damaged equipment such as computers and tools

• replacing other essential household contents

• moving to a new property

• necessary structural repairs including roof, flooring, walls, fittings (owner-occupier/owner). 

People can apply for the Back Home grant via Service NSW. 

Low-income earners who are successful in their application for the Disaster Relief Grant (DRG) are unable to apply for the Back Home grant. Anyone who doesn’t qualify for the DRG can apply for the Back Home grant.

$67 million ECEC Services and Public Schools Support Package

The NSW Government announced a $67 million support package to help our flood-affected public schools, early childhood education and care (ECEC) services and higher education sector in the Northern Rivers and North Coast to recover from the devastating severe weather they have experienced this year.

The package focuses on student and staff wellbeing, trauma training for school leaders to support students and staff and replacing educational resources. Initiatives announced include:

• psychology and counselling services for staff in government schools and ECEC services
• education hardship fund for families in highly impacted communities to support learning and extra-curricular activities over the course of 2022
• emergency grants for ECEC services which can be used to purchase resources and activities which improve physical or educational learning environments
• emergency grant payments to government school staff for new teaching and learning resources
• emergency funding to support resourcing for re-establishment of digital services to allow teaching and learning at flood affected government school sites
• apprentice and trainee support
• recovery training fund package targeting jobseekers, affected communities with training to support recovery of communities in flood affected regions
• vocational education hardship fund for learners to replace training materials
• psychology and counselling services for TAFE staff.

Support for Early Childhood Education and Care Services

Applications for Early Childhood Education and Care Flood Recovery Grants are closed.

This grant was available to eligible early childhood services in disaster-declared areas. The funds were to repair or replace damaged equipment and infrastructure. Funds can be used on resources or activities that have already been purchased or completed.

Education Hardship Fund

Up to $500 is available to eligible public school students in flood-affected areas. Parents and carers can use the funds for items or activities to support student learning and wellbeing. Students can access the funds through their account held at their public school. Schools will contact parents and carers with instructions.

The funds can be accessed over the course of 2022 and 2023. There is no option to seek a refund, withdraw or hold on to the fund beyond 2023.

Examples of eligible items or activities include:

• excursions camps, incursions
• school organised formals
• competition fees
• subject fees
• canteen purchases
• uniforms 
  • school uniform (from school-run or P&C uniform shops), end of school year jerseys and ancillary items
  • subject uniform e.g. hospitality uniform
• student fees associated with TAFE (for example, White Cards)
• calculators
• in-school tutoring. e.g. music tutor
• sport participation 
  • weekly sport
  • carnivals
• school photos
• family costs incurred with involvement in school theatre/musical performances
• ongoing weekly extra-curricular programs (for example, dance or gymnastics programs).

If a student’s needs cannot be provided by the school, the principal, with agreement from the parent or carer, may source these items at local providers, using funds in the student account.

Important notes:

• the funds cannot be used towards voluntary school contributions, or ‘cashed out’ for personal use
• students moving to another NSW public school (such as transitioning from Year 6 to Year 7) will have their remaining funds transferred to the new school
• students moving to an Independent or Catholic school will not be able to access their unspent funds after their move as a funds transfer is not available
• students completing their studies in their final school year will need to make sure that they have used their funds before they leave school.

Vocational Education Hardship Fund and Apprentice and Trainee Support

As part of the NSW Government’s North Coast Flood Recovery Support Package, the Vocational Education Hardship Fund and Apprentice and Trainee Support provide financial support for learners working, living or studying in the local government areas (LGAs) of Ballina, Byron, the Clarence Valley, Lismore, Kyogle, the Richmond Valley and Tweed who are:

• apprentices
• trainees
• school-based apprentices and trainees (SBATs)
• government-funded vocational education and training (VET) Smart and Skilled learners.

What is the Vocational Education Hardship Fund?

The purpose of the Vocational Education Hardship Fund is to provide a grant for government-funded vocational education and training (VET) Smart and Skilled learners to replace training materials and assist with their recovery from the floods.

What is the Apprentice and Trainee Support package?

The Apprentice and Trainee Support package was established to provide apprentices and trainees with a grant to replace critical equipment, learning materials and allowance to travel to a place of study or work.

What grants are available?

Grants of $500 are available to Smart and Skilled learners, and grants of $1,000 are available to apprentices, trainees and school-based apprentices and trainees to support their continued engagement in employment, education and training. 

Who is eligible? 

Apprentices, trainees, SBATs and Smart and Skilled learners who live, work or study in the LGAs of Ballina, Byron, the Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, the Richmond Valley and Tweed may be eligible.

VET learners under the Smart and Skilled program, apprentices, trainees and SBATs who were enrolled in training or study between 1 March 2022 and 30 April 2022 can apply. 

Individuals are eligible for a single payment of this grant irrespective of the number of training programs they may be enrolled in. 

The NSW Department of Education will verify that individual learners were enrolled in the required timeframe and meet eligibility criteria prior to making grant payments. 

How can I apply for one of the grants?

Eligible individuals can apply for one of the grants by using the grants application form. We encourage individuals to print the form double-sided if possible.

Applicants can lodge their completed forms in-person at one of four NSW Flood Recovery Service Centres. Please note that printed application forms are also available at these sites:

Applicants can also post their completed forms by mailing them to:

Training Services

Reply Paid 91310

PARRAMATTA NSW 2150

How long will applications be open?

Applications will be accepted in-person at the NSW Recovery Service Centres from 14 June to 4 July 2022. Applications returned by mail will continue to remain open until 9 December 2022.

When will I be paid?

Following lodgement of the application form and verification of eligibility, it will take approximately 2 weeks for payment to flow through to your nominated bank account.

What if I wasn’t directly impacted by the floods?

We recognise the impact of floods varies so any apprentice, trainee, SBAT and Smart and Skilled learner who lives, works or studies in the LGAs of Ballina, Byron, the Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, the Richmond Valley and Tweed and was enrolled in training or study between 1 March 2022 and 30 April 2022 can apply. 

Why can’t I email my application form to you?

We are unable to accept returned application forms via email as the completed application forms will contain sensitive information that cannot be transferred through electronic means due to cyber security implications.

Do I need to provide receipts of purchase?

Applicants will not be asked to provide receipts to support their applications, however, applicants will be asked to make a declaration on their application attesting that the grants will be used to replace equipment lost due to the floods and to assist with recovery towards their education and training.

If you have any questions or require further information, please contact us at Training Services NSW on 13 28 11.

$182 million to extend clean-up and recovery grants

What are the extended clean-up grants?

This element of Economic Recovery Package provides a further $182 million to extend the clean-up and recovery grants to an additional 12 disaster declared local government areas (LGAs). This support is now available to all 58 disaster declared local government areas.

The funding and grants are designed to support the clean up and remove damage and debris for flood-impacted households and businesses.

The money will also as support local government areas (LGAs) that have been flood-affected.

Read more about support specific to your local area.

What is the eligibility criteria?

Eligibility varies by the different programs, as outlined below:

Clean up – flood and storm-impacted households and businesses are eligible.

Primary Producer Grants – up to $75,000 in disaster support for flood-impacted primary producers who can demonstrate greater than 50% income from primary production, see full details on the Rural Assistance Authority website.  

Small Business Recovery Grants – up to $50,000 in disaster support for flood-impacted (direct impacts) small businesses and not-for-profits, see full detail on Service NSW. 

Council Recovery Grants – disaster-declared councils are eligible for the $1 million grant which  can be used by councils to help:

• people whose homes or belongings have been damaged
• clean up and restore damaged essential public assets.

What is the value of the support?

Clean up: Up to $50 million over two years (FY21-22 to FY22-23) to extend immediate clean-up assistance measures. 

Primary Producer Grants: $20 million in FY22-23 for the extension of primary producer recovery grants (up to $75,000) to the additional 12 disaster-declared LGAs.

Small Business Recovery Grants: $100 million over two years (FY21-22 to FY22-23) for the extension of small business and not-for-profit organisation recovery grants (up to $50,000).

Council Recovery Grants: $12 million to support the extension of the $1 million local council recovery grants to additional 12 disaster-declared LGAs that have not otherwise been eligible to claim the one-off payment

How and where to apply

Information on flood assistance and support programs can be found through Flood grants and other support. Read more on clean-up support, small business grants and primary producer grants.

Agencies involved

The funding allocation is split across the different programs. The agencies involved include:

• Resilience NSW
• Department of Regional NSW
• Environment Protection Authority
• Department of Customer Service and Service NSW
• Office of Local Government
• NSW Rural Assistance Authority

$150 million for a Primary Industry Support package

What is the primary industry support package?

This program will support, recovery, rebuilding and resilience efforts for primary producers and industries which have been significantly impacted by floods.

The Department of Regional NSW has commenced on the ground analysis and industry consultation to better understand the scope and scale of the impact. 

The program will complement the existing $75,000 Special Disaster Grant that is available to all impacted primary producers.

The program builds upon successful previous programs run by the Department of Regional NSW in response to previous natural disasters, including the $140 million Bushfire Industry Recovery Package and the $80 million Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Package.

What is the eligibility criteria?

People considered primary producers who have been significantly impacted by the 2022 floods will be eligible under this program.

The program and key eligibility requirements will be co-designed between the government and industry so the program meets the unique recovery needs of affected industries. 

The program will ensure that significantly impacted industries (such as the nut industries, beef cattle, dairy, oysters, etc) and others are covered through various support mechanisms. 

The program is open to all 58 disaster-declared LGAs.

What is the value of the support?

$150 million total for the package, including:

• up to $100 million for Critical Producer Grants providing rapid support grants for significantly impacted primary producers for recovery and rebuild.
• up to $50 million for sector recovery and resilience projects that support supply chain efficiencies and recovery and rebuilding efforts.

How and where to apply

Apply now online at Rural Assistance Authority or by calling the RAA on 1800 678 593.

Agencies involved

The program will be delivered by the Department of Regional NSW.

The funding split and eligible rates of support for industries will be determined through the co-design process for the program and in consultation with industry.

The program will be shared a on equal 50-50 basis between the NSW and Australian Government. 

$150 million for a Northern Rivers Business Support package

What is the Northern Rivers Business Support package?

The Northern Rivers Business Support package will be available to businesses in the seven impacted Northern Rivers LGAs, including:

• Ballina Shire Council
• Byron Shire Council
• Clarence Valley Council
• Kyogle Council
• Lismore City Council
• Richmond Valley Council
• Tweed Shire Council.

Businesses in these LGAs are eligible to be assessed for grants based on their size, with:

• up to $10,000 for eligible small businesses
• up to $200,000 for medium sized businesses
• and rapid support grants for major employers in the region.

What is the eligibility criteria for the Northern Rivers medium size business grant?

Small Business Flood Support: $10,000 grants to small businesses and not-for-profit organisations that are either directly, or indirectly, impacted by floods .

These grants are designed to support these businesses to meet their operating costs to survive during the period in which the local economy is depressed.

See the Treasury definition of a small business to understand more about the criteria.

The $10,000 Small Business Northern Flood Grant will help eligible businesses cover business costs and survive the immediate impacts of the flooding event.

These costs may include, but are not limited to, the following expenses:

• salaries and wages
• utilities and rent
• government fees and charges (including local government rates)
• financial, legal or other advice
• marketing and communications
• perishable goods, or
• other business costs.

To be eligible for the grants businesses and not-for-profits must have:

• an Australian Business Number (ABN) and have been operating in New South Wales on 1 January 2021
• derived at least $75,000 in turnover in the year ended 30 June 2021 or 30 June 2020 (must use the financial year for the Australian Tax Return most recently lodged with the ATO) from a business physically located in one of the seven highly impacted Northern Rivers LGAs including Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed.
• an aggregated annual turnover of between $75,000 and $10 million (inclusive) for the year ended 30 June 2021, or 30 June 2020 (must use the financial year for the Australian Tax Return most recently lodged with the ATO).
• experienced a decline in turnover of 40% or more during the month of March 2022, compared to March 2021 or March 2020 due to the impacts of flooding, which has, for example, led to reduced consumer demand, labour shortages and supply chain disruptions. 

Note: Businesses that receive the $50,000 Flood Disaster Recovery Small Business Grant will not be eligible for the $10,000 Small Business Northern Flood Grant. 

What is the eligibility criteria for medium-sized business flood support?

This support is for businesses employing more than 20 employees that have been impacted by floods, with financial assistance grants of up to $200,000 to assist with clean-up, essential repairs and replacement not covered by existing insurance.

Read more about the Northern Rivers medium size business grant.

Regional NSW has commenced consultation with businesses in the Northern Rivers areas and this will be incorporated into a detailed Economic Impact Assessment that will inform program design.

The program design, guidelines and eligibility criteria will be finalised in consultation with Resilience NSW and the Australian Government to meet the specific needs of medium-sized businesses in the impacted regions.

What is the eligibility criteria for large business flood support?

Large Business Flood Support: Rapid support grants (in addition to existing support mechanisms) for major employers in the region that have been disproportionately impacted to recover and retain skilled jobs in local communities.

Regional NSW has commenced consultation with businesses in the Northern Rivers areas and this will be incorporated into a detailed Economic Impact Assessment that will inform program design.

The program design, guidelines and eligibility criteria will be finalised in consultation with Resilience NSW and the Australian Government to meet the specific needs of large businesses in the impacted regions.

What is the value of the support?

The Northern Rivers Business Support Package will provide $150 million in assistance to businesses in the Northern Rivers LGAs and will target key industry sectors (such as food processing, tourism, manufacturing) to help stimulate the local economy and retain jobs.

The three streams of funding under the Northern Rivers Business Support Package include:

• Small Business Flood Support ($80m)
• Medium Business Flood Support ($20m)
• Large Business Flood Support ($50m).

How and where to apply

The Large Business Support Package is still being confirmed.

Apply for the Medium Business Flood Support Package.

Note: Businesses that receive the $50,000 Flood Disaster Recovery Small Business Grant will not be eligible for the $10,000 Small Business Northern Flood Grant. 

Agencies involved

Regional NSW for medium and large grants and Service NSW and NSW Treasury for $10,000 Small Business Northern Flood Grant.

$145 million to repair Northern Rivers critical infrastructure

What are the Northern Rivers critical infrastructure repair and replacement grants?

For urgent repairs and replacement of water and sewerage critical infrastructure capacity in the Northern Rivers disaster declared LGAs to ensure the 7 Northern Rivers LGAs have safe and potable drinking water.

What is the eligibility criteria?

A set of priority projects have been selected in consultation between Public Works Advisory, Department of Planning and Environment (Water) and local councils targeting the most severely impacted areas in the Northern Rivers.  

Given the extent of the damage to water and wastewater infrastructure, and other council-owned infrastructure, it is expected that the cost of restoring the services is beyond the capacity of the councils.

What is the value of the support?

$145 million over 3 years.

How and where to apply

No applications will be required. 

Priority and targeted projects have been selected based on the urgent needs assessments of re-establishing reticulated water and wastewater services to 7 Northern Rivers LGAs. 

Agencies involved

This package of works will be jointly delivered by Department of Regional NSW (Public Works Advisory) and Department of Planning and Environment (Water) in conjunction with the 8 local government water authorities.

$142 million for a Flood Property Assessment Program

What is the Flood Property Assessment Program?

From April 2022 the program will provide support to both insured and uninsured property owners in the 58 disaster declared LGAs.

The program will provide free structural assessments of eligible flood impacted properties.  

For properties found to be beyond economic repair and uninhabitable, demolition and removal of waste will be undertaken at no cost.

The program builds upon the successful bushfire clean-up program which cleared more than 3,600 properties after the 2019-20 bushfires.  

What is the eligibility criteria?

The program will be available to insured and uninsured owners of property that has been assessed as being damaged (slight, moderate or severe) or destroyed.

The program will be open to owners of NSW flood-impacted properties used for residential, small business or primary production purposes.

What is the value of the support?

The $142 million program is a preliminary cost estimate based on an estimated 1,000 residential and 500 commercial properties requiring demolition, based on damage assessments to date.

How and where to apply

Further details, including how to register and eligibility criteria, will be announced soon. Get notified of the program by registering with Service NSW.

Agencies involved

This package of works will be delivered by the Department of Regional NSW (Public Works Advisory).

$120 million for a Local Council Support package

What is the Local Council Support package offering?

The Local Council Support package will provide grants to impacted Local Councils to assist with urgent and medium-term financial and operational challenges.

There is $40 million to provide grants to councils to address urgent operational challenges.

Another $80 million will establish a working capital fund, which will provide concessional loans to supplement councils where residents are unable to pay their rates.

What is the eligibility criteria?

Available to all affected LGAs but targeted at the highly impacted ones.

What is the value of the support?

The government has committed $120 million for the Local Council Support package including:

• $40 million over three years (FY21-22 to FY23-24) to provide grants to NSW Councils to address urgent and medium-term financial and operational challenges, to be overseen under a reconstruction and recovery program.
• $80 million in FY21-22 to establish a working capital fund which will provide concessional loans to supplement councils when residents are unable to repay their rates, due to hardship from the flood and subsequent recovery, and to assist in recovery support to be administered by the Department of Planning and Environment.

How and where to apply

The Office of Local Government will work directly with councils in highly impacted LGAs.

Agencies involved

Department of Planning and Environment (Office of Local Government).

$35 million for Rural Landholder Grants

What are the Rural Landholder Grants?

These will offer payments of up to $25,000 for impacted rural landholders, who are not currently eligible under existing support mechanisms, including insurance or special disaster assistance.

Recipients must be able to demonstrate losses and damage beyond the vicinity of the residential dwelling.

What is the eligibility criteria?

The Rural Landholder Support package is available to all disaster declared LGAs.

The key criteria is that applicants:

• are normally charged rates under the Local Land Services Act 2013, or hold a Class A Aquaculture Permit under the Fisheries Management Act 1984
• hold property of at least 10 hectares (24.7 acres) in size
• have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
• do not receive the majority of their income from primary production
• earn at least $20,000 per annum from primary production in the current financial year
• were in active primary production at the time of the declared natural disaster event.

What is the value of the support?

The Government has invested up to $35 million, over 2 financial years (FY21-22 to FY22-23).

How and where to apply

Online applications for the Rural Landholder Grants are open. 

For further information on the Rural Landholder Grants, go to raa.nsw.gov.au, call 1800 678 593 or email rural.assist@raa.nsw.gov.au

The Rates and Fees Waivers program will contact eligible applicants directly over the coming weeks with further details. 

Agencies involved

This program will be led by Department of Regional NSW, including $35 million Rural Landholder Grants (Rural Assistance Authority).

$13.3 million for the NGO Flood Support Program

What is the purpose of the NGO Flood Support Program?

The program is designed to:

• support critical service delivery by NGOs in the 7 highly impacted Northern Rivers LGAs.
• enable social cohesion and respond to community feedback about local decision making by supporting local community-led social recovery.

Grant funding is expected to be used flexibly. This allows eligible service providers to provide targeted support to communities throughout the recovery period, and to adapt that support as needs change.

What is the eligibility criteria?

1. Operating in any of the following 7 Northern Rivers LGAs: Richmond Valley, Clarence Valley, Lismore, Kyogle, Tweed, Ballina, Byron.

2. Delivering services to support individuals, families and communities.

3. Experiencing an increased and continued demand for services since the February/March 2022 floods.

4. Incorporated organisations that are registered and approved as not-for-profit bodies by NSW Fair Trading, or

5. Not-for profit companies limited by guarantee and must have ACNC, DGR and/or ORIC status. 

How and where to apply

The 2-stage application process involves an eligibility assessment and a funding application.

At the first stage, organisations need to demonstrate eligibility. Eligible organisations will then be invited to the second stage to submit an application for funding.

Applications will be processed by the Department of Communities and Justice. Read more about the program and register at NGO Flood Support Program.

For more information, email: SPC-GrantsHub@facs.nsw.gov.au