The Floodplain Management 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: 6 March 2025
- Application closed: 11 June 2025, 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
- 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.
This program is funded and administered by The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Eligibility
- Local councils
- County councils
- Other government bodies with floodplain risk management responsibilities equivalent to those of local councils, such as the Hunter Local Land Services and the Lord Howe Island Board.
Who can apply
Local government 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.
Eligible organisations can be found on the Local Government Directory.
Who can’t apply
- individuals
- industry joint ventures
- for-profit businesses
- profit-distributing corporations (limited by shares).
Types of projects funded under this grant
Applications can be made under 4 independent project stages.
Stage 1: Flood study
Preparation of a flood study, including data collection.
Stage 2: Flood risk management study and plan
- Preparation or review of a flood risk-management study and plan.
- Undertake a review of a range of flood risk management plans consistent with section 4.6 of the Flood risk management manual.
- the development of a status report identifying eligible organisational governance, knowledge and management arrangements and related gaps and related priorities for improvements to support eligible organisations develop their flood risk management framework
- desk-top review of related flood studies and flood risk management studies and plans for sensitivity of flood behaviour and flood risk management decisions to climate change impacts based on existing information.
- Undertake strategic flood risk management activities consistent with Table 2 of in section 4.3 of the Flood risk management manual to inform eligible organisations 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 toolkit.
Stage 3: Investigation and design/feasibility study
- 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: Implementation
- Implementing actions identified in a flood risk management plan (noting projects must have completed the requirements of Stage 3 where applicable), including but not limited to:
- structural works, such as levees, detention basins, flood gates and improved flow conveyance
- flood warning systems
- evacuation management
- voluntary purchase or house raising.
Guidelines for applicants 2025
Voluntary purchase and voluntary house raising (further information on the eligibility criteria and implementation of voluntary purchase projects is available in the Floodplain Management Program guidelines (PDF 702.6KB).
What can’t you apply for
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
- projects or activities 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.
Financial and funding restrictions
Financial and funding restrictions include:
- additional funding of more than 30% of the original amount awarded after commencing the project will not be considered
- GST – the project cost must exclude GST
- an applicant’s matching funds must be in the form of monetary contributions from applicant revenue and cannot include in-kind, voluntary contributions or funding from other parties. The matching funds must be a monetary contribution
- the financial co-contribution required for projects cannot be funded through other New South Wales or Commonwealth programs.
Administrative and management costs
Funding is not available for:
- all internal costs (including on-costs) associated with the core activities of the applicant, unless otherwise approved by the Grants Branch. An applicant’s core activities include:
- preparing study briefs
- reviewing proposals and tenders
- researching and copying records
- attending meetings
- administering the contract and grant
- accounting costs
- staff costs associated with liaising with the public and with government agencies
- costs related to the education of residents via mailouts.
- project management costs, unless specifically approved at the time of application
Floodplain Management Program guidelines for applicants 2025–26 10 - data management within applicant systems.
Specific items and activities
Funding is not available for:
- contingency funds – these should not be included in the application or work plan
- 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).
Example projects
Previous grants awarded can be viewed here - Floodplain grants awarded | Floodplains | Environment and Heritage
What your application needs to include
You can download the full guidelines:
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.
Projects must meet all 4 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 house purchase/voluntary house raising projects. See Appendix A for instructions on completing the form for more details)
- the level of community support
- the priority of the project stage regarding 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 if 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.
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: Secretary of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
Successful applications will be decided by: An independent panel, which includes expert and stakeholder representation, will assess and prioritise applications on a statewide basis and make recommendations. Projects recommended for funding are provided for consideration and approval by the Secretary.
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
Program evaluation
Project planning activities will take place between October 2025 and March 2026.
Projects should be completed within 3 years of the grant offer.