Community Resilience Grants Program

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This program provides grants to support local not-for-profit organisations in the Northern Rivers to continue to provide critical services supporting the recovery of the region after the 2022 floods.

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Key information

  • Status: Closed
  • Grant amount: Up to $100,000
  • Application opened: 15 November 2023
  • Application closed: 4 December 2023, 5:00 pm

Program objective

This program has been developed in response to the February and March 2022 floods that significantly impacted the 7 local government areas (LGAs) of the Northern Rivers: Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed.

The Community Resilience Grants Program will provide grants to support local not-for-profit organisations to continue to provide critical services to individuals and families, and to connect communities to recovery services including housing, food, health and wellbeing and financial services, as well as services that provide community connection, supporting the recovery of the region.

This program will include an option for eligible organisations to access funds to support their operations and develop longer-term operating models where appropriate. 

The program is delivered by Northern Rivers Community Fund (NRCF).

This program is funded and administered by NSW Reconstruction Authority.

Eligibility

Who can apply

Organisation type

  • Incorporated organisations registered and approved as not-for-profit bodies by NSW Fair Trading.
  • Not-for profit companies limited by guarantee (must have Deductible Gift Recipient status and/or be registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission).
  • Indigenous corporations registered with the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations.
  • Local Aboriginal Land Councils.
  • Not-for-profit organisations established under Royal Charter or dedicated NSW legislation.

Gross revenue

An annual gross revenue of less than $5M.

Location

Eligible organisations must deliver flood recovery and/or resilience services to support individuals, families and communities that reside in the 7 Northern Rivers LGAs: Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed. 

NRCF may prioritise local Northern Rivers-based organisations in the allocation of funding. 

Governance

Organisations must have an ABN, be able to demonstrate that they are financially viable, and likely to remain so over the duration of the project. 

Read the Community Resilience Grants Program Evaluation Report Executive Summary. (PDF 523.07KB)
 

Types of projects funded under this grant

The grant funds can be used to deliver appropriate services that support recovery and respond to community need. Services funded under this grant need to:

  • enhance community-based recovery for the region
  • build on and leverage community recovery and resilience support services being provided

Grant funds can also be used to strengthen and build capacity of recovery and resilience organisations to develop longer-term operating models.

Types of projects that will not be funded under

  • flood mitigation and future preparedness projects
  • one-off emergency relief response
  • provision of emergency housing and temporary accommodation.

Most recent recipients

All recipients (20)

What your application needs to include

Applicants can preview the form through the Northern Rivers Community Fund’s online grants portal before starting a grant application.

1

Essential criteria and assessment

Grants will be assessed on the following criteria including:

1. Community need

  1. Clearly define the ongoing community need and demand for recovery and resilience support services including:
    • community connection activities
    • individual and community capacity building
    • improved living situations including housing and food
    • Improved health and wellbeing
    • outreach and services referral support
    • financial capability building
    • an ability to understand and respond to the ongoing needs of our local communities.

2. Activities and goals

  1. Describe the activities of the project or program and how it will contribute to addressing community need for recovery and resilience.
  2. Describe the goals for the project; what does success for this project look like?

3. Provide an accurate budget with realistic costs

4. Organisational capability and viability

  1. Demonstrate the capability to deliver responsive and flexible community-based recovery support services for the duration of the project.
  2. Show your organisation’s experience to deliver the project.

Applications will initially be reviewed for general program eligibility, and then assessed. Applications may also be prioritised to ensure equitable geographic distribution across the seven Northern Rivers LGAs and across impacted stakeholder groups.

The assessment process may prioritise applications from organisations that primarily deliver recovery and resilience services in response to the community recovering from disaster declaration under AGRN 1012.

2

Guidance and support

Northern Rivers Community Fund’s friendly grants team will support you with your application before it goes to the assessment panel. We will help make sure you have the right documents uploaded and we may ask for clarification about your project.

Talk to us early and we may be able to help you resolve any challenges.

Contact Northern Rivers Community Fund’s grants team on 0499 862 886, or email grants@nrcf.org.au.

Start the application

Applications for this grant are now closed.

After the application is submitted

Successful applications will be decided by: Northern Rivers Community Fund Board, with oversight by the NSW Reconstruction Authority.

Applications will be reviewed for general program eligibility.

All eligible grants will then be assessed by a panel of community representatives, program stakeholders, Northern Rivers Community Fund (NRCF) Board Members and NSW Reconstruction Authority representatives, who are knowledgeable and experienced in relevant local issues and grant funding.

Applicants will formally be notified by 15 December 2023 if their application has been successful or unsuccessful. Applicants must ensure their contact details are up to date and that the applicant is contactable during November.

Should your application be successful, you will be required to enter into a Funding Agreement with Northern Rivers Community Fund. This agreement will outline the nature of the partnership including how the grant shall be used and the reporting requirements.

All funding decisions are final. The Northern Rivers Community Fund Board reserve the right to not recommend projects for funding.

Support and contact

If you have any questions about the grants program, contact Northern Rivers Community Fund’s grants team on 0499 862 886, or email grants@nrcf.org.au.

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