Financial assistance to support NSW small business and non-profit organisations impacted by severe weather
From today, small businesses and non-profit organisations in NSW will be able to apply for grants of up to $25,000 to help them recover from the Mid North Coast floods and Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
As applications for the new grants open via Service NSW, more than $5.6 million has been paid to residents ($180 payments to individuals or up to $900 per household) to help with their immediate needs following the May floods which severely impacted regions between the Central Coast and Grafton.
The ‘Recovery Grants for Small Business and Non-Profit Organisations’ will provide much-needed assistance to eligible applicants in the 28 affected Local Government Areas (LGAs) to help pay for costs of clean-up and repairs or to re-stock and reopen where they suffered direct damage.
Jointly funded by the Commonwealth and NSW Governments under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, the grants can be used towards expenses such as the cost of safety inspections, essential building repairs, cleaning equipment, materials needed to resume trade, disposing of debris and spoiled stock, or leasing temporary space.
An initial payment of up to $5,000 is available for immediate costs of eligible activities and a further amount of up to $20,000 is accessible with additional documentation to support subsequent claims.
The quickest way to apply is through the Service NSW website or via the Service NSW Business Bureau app. Where possible, Service NSW encourages people to have the following information and documentation with them when applying for the Recovery Grants:
- A MyServiceNSW Business Account with up-to-date details
- ABN
- Proof of identity, including:
- a document showing your full name and date of birth, and
- details from two identity documents (like an Australian driver licence, Medicare card or passport)
- Bank account details to receive the payment
- Recent documentation including Rates Notice / Lease Agreement, photographic evidence of damage, evidence of payment and details of any insurance held.
For more information about the program guidelines, including impacted LGAs, and to apply, visit: www.service.nsw.gov.au/business/recovery-grant
Service NSW will be conducting local outreach to assist businesses with the grant and Business Concierge team members will be at Recovery Centres. More details are available at: www.service.nsw.gov.au/services/recovery-centres
Wide-ranging support for Mid North Coast and Hunter flooding
In response to flooding in May, the support available from today is in addition to the Personal Hardship Assistance payments, Commonwealth Disaster Recovery Allowance, the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment and the $25,000 Primary Producers grant.
Eligible people can also receive a one-off payment of $180 or up to $900 per household for Personal Hardship Assistance to help cover costs such as food, clothing, medicines and emergency accommodation through Service NSW.
More than 16,000 applications for the Personal Hardship Assistance have been paid to impacted households since applications opened Friday 30 May 2025, totalling more than $5.6 million in people’s pockets.
The majority of applications have been for individuals, with about a third for households with dependents. Taree, Port Macquarie, Rutherford, West Kempsey and Wingham have seen the highest number of applications to date. People can check the Service NSW website for information and how to apply: https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/individual-flood-grant-agrn-1212
Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib said:
“The NSW Government is working with the Commonwealth to provide a wide range of support for communities impacted by the recent severe weather.
“Some of these regions have been hit with two natural disasters in recent months, so we are providing assistance for small businesses and non-profit organisations to help them bounce back.
“The grants of up to $25,000 will help with the clean-up efforts and are part of a raft of disaster recovery support payments to assist affected communities.
“During the floods I heard from impacted businesses on the Mid North Coast and Hunter about how devastating this disaster has been and these grants will help communities rebuild.”
Minister for Recovery and Minister for Small Business Janelle Saffin said:
“Recovery isn’t something that happens overnight. It takes time, but it’s good that we have some immediate assistance out there so that people can begin to get back on their feet.
“If you need help, please contact Service NSW to be put in touch with the Business Bureau team to answer any questions you may have.”