Community Assets Program 2024

Only the four eligible LGA’s can apply for the Community Assets Program 2024.

Eligible applicants are: 

• Cabonne Shire Council
• Forbes Shire Council
• Lachlan Shire Council
• Parkes Shire Council

Councils must be a legal entity and have or be willing to purchase at least $20 million in public liability insurance.

For further details about eligibility, refer to the program guidelines. 

Eligibility is determined by declarations of natural disasters by the NSW Government.

Location that are eligible include Cabonne, Forbes, Lachlan, Parkes

Projects must:

• be for the repair, restoration and/or betterment of Council-owned or managed community infrastructure that was directly damaged by the severe weather and flood events from August 2022 (declared as AGRN 1030 and/or 1034)
• not meet the definition of an essential public asset as defined under the DRFA
• be able to commence construction within 12 months of funding approval.

Projects must be able to commence construction within 12 months of funding approval and be completed by June 2027.

The project must be completed by 30 June 2027.

Eligible grant costs include:

• expenditure directly related to damage from severe weather and flood events from August 2022 (AGRN 1030 and/or 1034) that have not been covered through other government funding and/or insurance claims
• the delivery of eligible projects, including project management expenses or costs up to 10% and contingency and cost escalation expenses or costs up to 20% of the requested funding and that are not considered business as usual
• non-fixed assets or equipment up to 5% of total requested funding per project
• repair and restoration works directly related to severe weather and flood damage that has not yet commenced
• betterment works on directly damaged community infrastructure not yet commenced to support disaster resilience
• costs associated with planning approvals or other legislative requirements such as heritage requirements
• salary/wages and entitlements for employees specifically engaged for the project(s)
• retrospective costs*.

* Retrospective costs may be eligible on the basis that the works were required to urgently ensure safety, continuing service provision and/or accessibility to the public or property. This will be determined at the discretion of the Assessment Panel. It is recommended that applicants applying for retrospective costs contact the Department at floods.recovery@regional.nsw.gov.au to discuss their project prior to applying for funding.

Ineligible project costs include:

• total and/or partial project costs already covered by insurance and/or funded through other NSW or Australian Government programs
• costs for the primary purpose of waste clean- up and/or make-safe works for directly damaged community infrastructure
• repayment of existing debts or budget deficits
• financing of budget deficits or insurance
• administrative, overhead, operational and/or maintenance costs not related to the project
• improvements or repairs to residences
• business as usual and/or explicitly commercial activities
• salary/wages and on-costs for existing, budgeted employees – unless the work is project specific and above and beyond their business-as-usual remit
• costs related to buying or upgrading non–fixed equipment or supplies unless it is a small component (less than 5%) of a larger fixed project
• costs related to new state or local government infrastructure that did not exist prior to the eligible disaster
• costs spent for assets not located in eligible LGA’s
• costs that require recurrent or ongoing funding from the NSW

Examples of projects not eligible include:

• assets that meet the definition of an essential public asset under the DRFA 2018 including roads, tunnels and utility bridges
• assets that are not owned or managed by the applicant
• assets that are associated with the function of an essential public asset under the DRFA 2018 including road furniture and retaining walls
• projects that have been funded through other government grant(s)
• repair projects or elements of repair projects where the applicant has claimed and received insurance*
• assets that were not directly damaged in the severe weather and flood events declared under ARGN 1030 and/or AGRN 1034
• projects that do not relate to the repair, restoration or betterment of community infrastructure
• projects for the primary purpose of waste clean-up and/or make-safe works
• projects that would be more appropriate under other government funding
• projects that would fund the day-to-day operations and/ or business as usual activities of the organisation
• projects that require ongoing funding from the NSW Government
• projects which have a sole focus on erosion and sedimentation management including riverbank areas**
• projects that are not aligned to the objective of the Community Assets Program
• projects whose activities are explicitly of a commercial nature.

* Applicants must seek to claim insurance on asset repairs where relevant prior to seeking Government funding. If an asset owner has not made an insurance claim, the applicant must justify why not. If an asset received a part insurance payout, the unclaimed/uncovered/uninsured component only will be considered under the Community Assets Program 2024.

** except where the erosion and sediment management project relate directly to the repair, restoration and/or betterment of an eligible community asset.

Examples of eligible projects include the repair, restoration, or betterment of directly damaged local community infrastructure that does not provide a function to an essential public asset including:

• recreational and services buildings including libraries, youth and senior citizen facilities, tourism and arts and culture facilities
• sport and recreation facilities including showgrounds and racecourse precincts, playing fields and courts
• parks and playgrounds including equipment, furniture, fencing, shades, facilities and amenities
• holiday and caravan park facilities
• cultural heritage and identity of place assets
• wharves, jetties, boat ramps, boardwalks, footpaths, walking trails, community club structures
• pedestrian bridges, car parks, electric vehicles charging stations, retaining walls, landscaping, river/creek banks and signage in public spaces.