Community Drought Support Program

This program aims to strengthen the resilience of drought-affected Queenslanders by building on existing community support mechanisms to increase access and participation in the community.

The objectives of this grant funding activity are to deliver community drought support to:
- Enable place-based responses in drought-affected communities that improve wellbeing, connectedness, build resilience and support the community to thrive.
- Enable drought-affected Queenslanders to access assistance that alleviates hardship and cost of living pressures.
- Invest in quality responsive services and supports that respond to the needs of drought-affected communities.
- Encourage local and regional organisations the opportunity to apply and to play a role in supporting individuals and communities to thrive.

There are two funding streams available:
1. Flexible Financial Hardship payments
- Applicants are expected to identify groups, individuals, households and families who require assistance with their cost of living pressures specific to each local government area.
- This stream has been prioritised and represents 80% of the total available funding.

2. Community events or activities
- Applicants are expected to identify community and individual needs and conduct local community programs and activities, events, sporting and social support initiatives that enhance community connectedness and help participants to link with relevant support networks.
- Funding will be provided as a contribution and will not cover the full costs of the event or activity.

Organisations can apply to deliver either or both, flexible financial hardship payments and/or community events and activities, in one or more drought-declared local government areas. Organisations are not required to deliver both parts of the package.

Grants between $12,000 and $200,000 are available.

Funding has been allocated based on a rating system which takes into account the total length of time that the local government area has been in drought and indicators of vulnerability). Please refer to the Guidelines for the funding available to each drought-declared local government area.

A total funding pool of $5 million (excluding GST) is available in 2020-21.

Eligible applicants must:
- Have an Australian Business Number (ABN).
- Be registered for GST.
- Be registered in Queensland.
- Be located in the drought declared local government area.
- Have no outstanding financial or reporting requirement with the department.

Eligible costs include, but are not limited to:
- Operating costs
- Event or activities costs
- Flexible Funding Hardship payments

Eligible events or activities include, but are not limited to:
- Existing events and subsidised entry fees
- Comedy nights
- Outdoor movies
- Sporting events
- Arts performances
- Campdraft and horse sports days
- Christmas events
- Morning teas or high teas
- Pamper day
- Fishing trip/golf day
- Family fun day

The main assessment criteria include:
1. Flexible Financial Hardship (FFH) Payments
- Describe their capability and capacity to deliver Flexible Financial Hardship payments.
- Describe how the Flexible Financial Hardship payments will be distributed in the local government area and who is their target demographic.
- Describe their capacity to work collaboratively with relevant stakeholders.
- Describe the benefits to the local community that flexible financial hardship payments will deliver.

2. Community events
- Describe their capability and capacity to deliver the proposed community events or activities.
- Describe what events or activities are planned to be delivered in the local government area and who is their target demographic.
- Describe their organisation’s capacity to work collaboratively with relevant stakeholders.
- Describe the benefits to the local community that community events or activities will deliver.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete list of the assessment criteria.

The following are ineligible for funding:
- Major capital costs such as building and construction costs
- Purchase of vehicles
- State or federal departments
- Partnerships
- Trusts