This grants program provides financial support to local councils and eligible public land managers to help them manage flood risk in their communities.
Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: $2 from government for every $1 provided by the applicant (from council revenue), except where special consideration is provided.
- Application opened: 4 April 2024
- Application closed: 16 May 2024, 5:00 pm
Program objective
The program objectives are to provide technical and financial support to councils and
eligible public land managers to:
- reduce the impacts of existing flooding and flood liability on communities and to
reduce private and public losses resulting from floods - make informed decisions on managing flood risk by preparing flood risk
management plans (and associated background studies) under the flood risk
management process - implement flood risk management plans to reduce flood risk to both existing and
future development, and reduce losses through a range of property, flood and
response modification measures as outlined in the Flood risk management manual
(2023) - provide essential information to the NSW State Emergency Service to enable the
effective preparation and implementation of local flood plans to deal with flood
emergency response.
Projects which cannot demonstrate that they meet the objectives of the program will be
considered ineligible for funding.
Flood Prone Land Policy
The program supports the implementation of the NSW Government's Flood Prone Land Policy, which is outlined in the Flood Risk Management Manual.
Support provided through the program usually involves $2 from the government for every $1 provided by the applicant.
The Floodplain Management Program funded 35 projects totalling $6,818,477 in the 2023–24 funding round to assess the risks and reduce the impacts of flooding in NSW.
This program is funded and administered by Environment and Heritage.
Eligibility
Who can apply
The following organisations are eligible to apply:
- local councils
- county councils
- other government bodies with equivalent flood risk management responsibilities to local councils (e.g. Lord Howe Island Board, Hunter Local Land Services).
Local councils can also work together in a group, provided that
- one council is the lead agency in terms of signing of the funding agreement, managing monies and reporting on the project
- a relevant Joint Organisation applies for and manages the funding.
Types of projects funded under this grant
Generally, the highest priority will be given to:
- flood studies or flood risk management studies and plans (or reviews) where existing communities are exposed to flood risk, but this risk is not fully understood or managed, or with significant development pressures
- the next stage of a mitigation work that is integral to a stage in progress; for example, the next stage of a levee project or works to offset the impacts from a levee project being constructed
- mitigation works that are identified as a high priority in flood risk management plans adopted by councils.
What will be funded
Stage 1
Flood study (including data collection).
Stage 2
Prepare or review a flood risk management study and plan.*
Undertake a review of a range of flood risk management plans consistent with Section 4.6 the Flood risk management manual (2023).
Undertake strategic flood risk management activities consistent with Table 2 of the Flood risk management manual (2023) to inform council’s integrated planning and reporting framework, land-use planning and support NSW State Emergency Service emergency management planning.
Produce updated information using existing flood model results across a number of study areas to support management of flood risk consistent with the Flood risk management manual (2023) and toolkit.
Stage 3
Investigation, design and/or feasibility study (where required) for works and new flood warning systems identified in a flood risk management plan.* This stage must be undertaken for all new flood warning systems and for works projects that are likely to exceed a total implementation cost of $500,000 ex GST.
Stage 4
Implementing actions identified in a flood risk management plan* (noting projects must have completed the requirements of Stage 3 where applicable), this includes but is not limited to:
- structural works such as levees, detention basins, floodgates and flow conveyance improvements (if these are extensive works requiring a high level of funding, they should be broken into stages)
- flood warning systems (it is mandatory that investigation and design of flood warning systems is undertaken prior to implementation of the system)
- evacuation management
- upgrades of flood assets that have reached the end of their design life
- voluntary house raising (further information on the eligibility criteria and implementation of voluntary house raising is available in the Floodplain Management Program Guidelines for voluntary house raising schemes)
* All reports, datasets and design and work as executed plans collected or created in the development of any flood project completed under this program must be submitted to the NSW Flood Data Portal before acquitting the project.
Guidelines for applicants 2024–25
Voluntary purchase (further information on the eligibility criteria and implementation of voluntary purchase projects is available in the Floodplain Management Program Guidelines (PDF 1014.28KB) for voluntary purchase schemes).
What can’t you apply for
Funding will not be provided for:
- GST – the project cost is to exclude GST.
- Retrospective projects – funding is not available for activities currently underway, completed or contractually committed to prior to the awarding of grants to successful applicants or prior to approval of the project work plan.
- Administration costs – unless otherwise approved in writing by the department, all internal costs (including on-costs) associated with the core activities of the applicant are ineligible for funding. An applicant’s core activities include preparing study briefs, reviewing proposals and tenders, researching and copying records, attending meetings, contract and grant administration, accounting costs, staff costs associated with liaising with the public and with government agencies. Costs related to the education of residents via mailouts, workshops or other methods will be funded where those costs are deemed to be reasonable and well justified.
- Project management costs – unless specifically approved at the time of application.
- Non-monetary contributions as matching funds – an applicant’s matching funds must be in the form of monetary contributions from council revenue and cannot include in-kind, voluntary contributions or funding from other parties.
- The financial co-contribution required for projects funded through other NSW or Commonwealth programs.
- Contingencies – should not be included in the application or work plan.
- Projects the applicant can reasonably be expected to undertake without financial assistance from the program, such as local drainage works.
- Maintenance of assets or replacement of assets that have not been appropriately maintained.
- Additional funding of more than 30% of the original amount awarded after commencing the project.
- Road warning signage to address a traffic management issue (note that road warning signage can be funded if it is an important element of broader flood mitigation works).
- Data management within council systems.
What your application needs to include
Address the assessment criteria
Essential criteria
All applicants must be able to demonstrate:
- the project meets the objectives of the Floodplain Management Program
- capacity to deliver the project, past grants management history, available resources and financial commitment, proposed timeframe, and whether the project is realistic based on completion of prerequisite consultant briefs, preconstruction work or approvals
- commitment to maintain any works in a condition suitable to meet its design intent for the design life
- the project is consistent with the intent of the NSW Flood Prone Land Policy and the flood risk management process outlined in the Flood risk management manual (2023) has been followed.
Projects must meet all four essential criteria to be eligible for funding.
Other criteria
Applications will also be assessed on:
- the extent to which the project is cost-effective in addressing one or more of the program’s priorities
- the technical feasibility, effectiveness and efficiency of the risk mitigation solution as examined through scoring of information on projects provided in the implementation project prioritisation form (note, these criteria are specific to investigation and design, works projects and voluntary purchase/voluntary house raising projects. See Instructions on completing the form for more details)
- the level of community support
- the priority of the project stage with regard to the relevant adopted flood risk management plan (if applicable)
- the need to manage flood risk in the area and how effectively the application demonstrates addressing the risks.
An application will be awarded a reduced ranking if it is not well thought out or it has unclear objectives or outcomes.
The agreement will need to be signed by the general manager (or someone with delegated authority) within 45 days of the formal grant offer.
What applicants will need to contribute
Assistance under the program is $2 from government for every $1 provided by the applicant (from council revenue), except where special consideration is provided.
Contributions to the project from other funding sources (not council revenue) must be removed from the whole project cost prior to applying the funding ratio, except for
voluntary house raising.
A voluntary house raising scheme involves raising residential properties above a minimum design level and must comply with the council’s relevant development control plan.
Special consideration
If an applicant is unable to match the program’s funding contribution, they may apply for special consideration.
The applicant’s financial capacity will be assessed considering its per capita general purpose grants under the Local Government Financial Assistance Grants, as established by the Local Government Grants Commission.
If special consideration is awarded, the applicant is eligible to:
- an increased government contribution towards the cost of the project
- claim project management costs (capped at a maximum of 10% of the total project cost) undertaken either:
- internally (with the costs used as in-kind contributions to match funding)
- externally (selected by a competitive process and funded as a specific cost).
- internally (with the costs used as in-kind contributions to match funding)
Partnerships
Where a group of local councils are working together in partnership (either under the lead of one of the councils or a relevant Joint Organisation), then the lead council or Joint Organisation can claim a maximum of 10% of the total project cost for project management.
Eligible project management costs include:
- A project manager or staff member employed specifically for the project, who is selected by a competitive process. It does not include payment for staff already
employed by the organisation submitting the application that will be supervising/project managing or working on the project as part of their usual duties
unless approved by Grants Branch in writing.
- Administrative costs directly related to the funded project. This can include those
costs noted under ‘What will not be funded?'
Start the application
Please visit the link below to start your application and download the grant documents:
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: An independent panel, which includes expert and stakeholder representation, will assess and prioritise applications on a statewide basis. Projects recommended for funding are provided for consideration and approval by the appropriate department delegate.
Applications will be checked to confirm eligibility and completeness. Ineligible, late or incomplete applications will be considered ineligible for funding.
Applications will then be reviewed by department technical staff.
Details of successful applications will be placed on the department’s website. All applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application.
Support and contact
Phone: Grants Branch – Flood on 02 9895 6494
Email:coastalestuary.floodgrants@environment.nsw.gov.au
Postal Address: Environment and Heritage Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Locked Bag 5022, Parramatta NSW 2124