Queensland Bushfires – Category C Flexible Funding Grants Program

This program aims to provide flexible grants to Queensland-based non-government organisations, research bodies, industry groups and peak bodies, community groups, and Local Governments in the 23 disaster-affected local government areas of Brisbane (City), Bundaberg, Gold Coast (City), Cook, Fraser Coast, Gladstone, Gympie, Ipswich, Livingstone, Lockyer Valley, Mareeba, Noosa, North Burnett, Redland, Rockhampton, Scenic Rim, Somerset, South Burnett, Southern Downs, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville, and Whitsunday.

There are two types of grants available:
- Small grants: Between $2,500 and $50,000
- Large grants: Between $50,001 and $100,000

A total funding pool of $6 million (GST exclusive) is available over two years from 2020 to 2022, of which $4.2 million is available in Round 2.

The funding round dates are:
- Round 1: Opened 6 May and closed 3 June 2020
- Round 2: Opened 21 December 2020 and closed 11 February 2021

Eligible applicants include:
- Organisations and agencies based in Queensland, or evidence of a Queensland-based auspicing agency if applicant is based outside of Queensland.
- Organisations such as community groups, local Councils, non-government organisations, peak and industry groups, and research bodies.
- Groups and organisations with no outstanding financial liability, service delivery or performance issues for funding previously and currently provided by the Queensland Government.
- Groups and organisations who hold the appropriate public liability insurance required to undertake their project and all related activities, consisting of a minimum value of $10 million. If applicants do not hold appropriate public liability insurance, projects must be auspiced by an agency who does meet public liability insurance requirements.
- Groups and organisations with a registered Australian Business Number (ABN). If groups or organisations do not have an ABN or an auspicing agency with an ABN, they will need to submit a completed Australian Tax Office Statement of Supplier Form with the application.

Eligible projects include those that promote:
- Recovery from the impact of the disaster
- Community education and information
- Planning for the community’s future
- Disaster preparedness and building community capacity
- Healing and self-expression
- Community connectedness and identity
- Capturing of stories

Please refer to the Guidelines for the list of examples of eligible initiatives and target groups.

The main assessment criteria whether the applications meet the program objectives and eligibility criteria, and:
1. Small grants
- Demonstrate how the project contributes to the recovery of the community from the impact of the disaster and/or contributes to the future disaster preparedness of the community.
- Include evidence of community support for and participation in the project.

2. Large grants
- Demonstrate how the project contributes to the recovery of the community from the impact of the disaster and contributes to the future disaster preparedness of the community.
- Include demonstrated evidence (additional to support letters)of significant community support for the project.
- Include evidence of inclusive processes used to identify and prioritise the project/s such as community engagement or community development plans; and endorsement by the Local Recovery Groups and/or Local Disaster Management Group.
- Include demonstrated evidence (additional to support letters) of community participation in the development and implementation of the project.
- Include confirmation of alternative funding source of any ongoing costs (e.g. maintenance of facilities).
- Include a lite project plan noting significant milestones supporting the objectives of the proposal.

The following are ineligible for funding:
- Groups and organisations based outside of Queensland with no Queensland-based auspicing agency.
- Individuals, or individual businesses or primary producers.
- Clean up activities.
- Replacing losses covered by insurance or claimable through other funding sources.
- Privately owned cultural assets, including collections, buildings and spaces.
- Capital works/places/objects owned by a State or Commonwealth Government department, agency or authority.
- Restoration of infrastructure such as buildings, roads or bridges.
- Environmental restoration.
- Covering existing debts or budget deficits.
- Projects that:
a) Are not related to disaster recovery from or future disaster resilience.
b) Have a political or religious outcomes focus.
c) May have a negative impact on existing businesses/services.
- Projects benefiting individuals or individual businesses or primary producers.
- Facilities that are not open to the whole community.