Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions related to the Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program.
Overview
An eligible applicant must be primarily based in one of the 78 Local Government Areas that were disaster declared under AGRN 954 and AGRN 960 as at July 2021:
- Armidale
- Ballina
- Bathurst
- Bega Valley
- Bellingen
- Blacktown
- Blue Mountains
- Bogan
- Brewarrina
- Byron
- Cabonne
- Camden
- Campbelltown
- Canterbury-Bankstown
- Central Coast
- Central Darling
- Cessnock City
- Clarence Valley
- Cobar
- Coffs Harbour City
- Coonamble
- Cumberland
- Dungog Shire
- Eurobodalla
- Fairfield
- Georges River
- Gilgandra
- Glen Innes Severn
- Goulburn Mulwaree
- Greater Hume
- Gunnedah
- Gwydir
- Hawkesbury
- Hornsby
- Hunters Hill
- Inner West
- Inverell
- Kempsey
- Ku-ring-gai
- Kyogle
- Lachlan
- Lake Macquarie City
- Lismore City
- Lithgow
- Liverpool
- Liverpool Plains
- Maitland City
- Mid-Coast
- Moree Plains
- Muswellbrook
- Nambucca Valley
- Narrabri
- Narromine
- Newcastle City
- Northern Beaches
- Oberon
- Parramatta
- Penrith
- Port Stephens
- Port-Macquarie-Hastings
- Queanbeyan-Palerang
- Richmond Valley
- Shoalhaven
- Singleton
- Snowy Monaro
- Sutherland
- Tamworth
- Temora
- Tenterfield
- The Hills
- Tweed
- Upper Lachlan
- Uralla
- Walcha
- Walgett
- Warren
- Wingecarribee
- Wollondilly
The $80 million Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program (SFIRP) is one component of the NSW and Australian governments $200 million Phase Three Storm and Flood Recovery Package. All projects supported through the package are jointly funded by the NSW and Australian governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
The Department of Regional NSW conducted extensive analysis to better understand and document the direct damage experienced from the February and March 2021 storms and floods. This has been supported by direct engagement through state and regional recovery subcommittees, industry working groups and direct consultation with industry representative organisations. This has informed the targeted industries which are prioritised under the SFIRP.
The SFIRP is managed by the Department of Regional NSW.
The SFIRP Supply Chain Support Grant will be delivered by the Rural Assistance Authority (RAA) as a complementary project to their current Special Disaster Grant (Phase Two).
The SFIRP Sector Recovery and Resilience Grant will be delivered by the Regional Recovery Programs Team within the Department of Regional NSW.
The application period was extended for both SFIRP streams in late February 2022.
Applications for the SFIRP Supply Chain Support Grant have been extended from 3 March 2022 to 30 June 2022. The SFIRP Sector Recovery and Resilience Grant has been extended by up to 6 weeks, with successful projects to be announced from May 2022.
These extensions were provided in response to the natural disasters that have continued to impact primary producers and industries since the SFIRP opened.
SFIRP Supply Chain Support Grant
The SFIRP Supply Chain Support Grant provides direct funding to support the medium to long-term recovery of primary producers in identified industry sectors.
Funding will support primary producers rebuild and recover in the medium to longer-term with the aim of supporting job security, future resilience and enabling future production.
Get details on the SFIRP Supply Chain Support Grant, including
SFIRP Sector Recovery and Resilience Grant
The SFIRP Sector Recovery and Resilience Grant provides funding to support sector-wide recovery and resilience building initiatives. The SFIRP Sector Recovery and Resilience Grant will support the medium to long-term recovery and resilience of storm and flood impacted primary industries in NSW.
Approximately $30 million in funding has been allocated for these grants.
The SFIRP Sector Recovery and Resilience Grant is designed to support sector-wide recovery and resilience. Projects are required to demonstrate that the activity and/or outcomes will be available and support a diverse industry group.
While projects for individual businesses may be economically beneficial to a producer, they have limited benefit for the industry as a whole.
Projects considered for funding under the SFIRP Sector Recovery and Resilience Grant must be primarily focused on recovery from the storm and flood events and build resilience and/or preparedness to future natural disasters in targeted industries. Eligible activities that could be funded under the SFIRP Sector Recovery and Resilience Grant is outlined in the SFIRP Framework.
Industry engagement will be undertaken to better understand the unique impacts of the storms and floods, and highlight the key recovery needs of industries. Engagement will be led through a Working Group consisting of representatives from key industry organisations and relevant NSW and Australian government agencies.
Projects will be identified and co-designed by industry and government through the Working Group. Projects will target sector-wide recovery, resilience, and innovation and seek industry investment guidance. Additional industries and organisations may be included in this process upon approval by the Working Group.
Industries not included in the SFIRP Framework were invited to submit a request to be considered as part of the Sector Recovery and Resilience Grant. The request period opened on 30 September 2021 and closed on 30 November 2021. No applications were received by the Department.
Each invited applicant will be required to submit a detailed business case for the proposed project, which will be assessed against the criteria outlined in the SFIRP Framework.
Business cases will be expected to identify how the project outcome will benefit the broader industry and, as part of their development, demonstrate that comprehensive industry consultation was conducted regarding the proposed project.
All applications will be assessed by the Department of Regional NSW to confirm they comply with the SFIRP Framework and meet key eligibility requirements. Project alignment with the SFIRP Framework and Assessment Criteria will be assessed by an Assessment Panel who will make funding recommendations based on their review of all eligible applications.
Successful projects are expected to be announced from May 2022.
All projects funded by the SFIRP Sector Recovery and Resilience Grant must be completed and all funds expended by 30 May 2024.