Queensland Resilience and Risk Reduction Fund (QRRRF)

This program aims to help local communities better prepare for future disasters. It builds on the former Queensland Disaster Resilience Fund.

The objectives of the program are to support projects that deliver disaster resilience and risk reduction outcomes for Queensland communities that:
- Align with the Queensland Strategy for Disaster Resilience (QSDR) objectives:
a) Queenslanders understand their disaster risk
b) Strengthened disaster risk management
c) Queenslanders are invested in disaster risk reduction
d) Continuous improvement in disaster preparedness, response and recovery
- Address identified risk priorities (including those assessed in the Queensland State Natural Hazard Risk Assessment 2017).
- Align with the priorities of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework.

Funding of up to $2 million per project is available, as a subsidy towards eligible project costs.

All applicants are expected to make a financial contribution towards the eligible project costs. Eligible applicants demonstrating a limited capacity to self-fund the project may seek an exemption from this requirement for consideration during assessment of the project proposal.

A total funding pool of $13.1 million is available for 2019-20, comprising $4.8 million from the Commonwealth Government and $8.3 million from the Queensland Government.

Eligible applicants include (but are not limited to):
- Local government bodies constituted under the Local Government Act 2009 or the City of Brisbane Act 2010, and the Weipa Town Authority
- Regional Organisations of Councils
- Regional Natural Resource Management bodies
- River Improvement Trusts
- Water authorities and local water boards (Category 2 only)
- Queensland Government departments and agencies
- Incorporated non-government organisations (including volunteer groups)
- Not-for-profit organisations.

Collaborative projects are encouraged and may be lodged as a joint application between eligible applicants. An eligible applicant may also submit a joint application with an ineligible applicant.

Joint applications require one applicant to nominate as the lead applicant.

The lead applicant must be an eligible applicant, and will be responsible for the project from lodgement through delivery, reporting and acquittal.

Priority will be given to Queensland-based applicants, including Queensland-based branches of national organisations.

Eligible activities include:
1. Infrastructure projects: Projects that improve resilience and functionality of at-risk infrastructure or communities, may include (but are not limited to):
- Upgrading existing assets such as:
a) Transport assets including roads, bridges, culverts, floodways and causeways
b) Drainage management pump stations, stormwater systems and major drains
c) Weather warning and monitoring systems (e.g. weather stations in high risk bushfire areas, storm tide warning systems, river height monitoring, flood and rain gauges)
- Planning and designing infrastructure for the primary purpose of community resilience or disaster risk reduction.
- Constructing new, or upgrading existing shelters, evacuation centres and places of refuge (e.g. for protection against cyclones and/or bushfires).
- Constructing new natural hazard mitigation infrastructure that reduces/mitigates against disaster risk (e.g. detention basins, floodgates, backflow prevention devices, diversion channels and storm surge protection).
- Constructing new or upgrading existing fire trails and associated measures.

2. Non-infrastructure projects: Those aimed at improving Queensland communities’ disaster risk understanding, preparedness, resilience, response and recovery, including (but are not limited to):
- Natural hazard risk assessments and studies.
- Research and/or development projects.
- Development of evacuation and emergency action plans.
- Development of regional-scale resilience/risk reduction strategies to address/mitigate natural hazard risk in the area.
- Community preparedness, education and training programs.
- Appointment of community or regional resilience officers to address the identified need.
- Capacity building programs for local volunteers.
- Research/studies to identify and address bushfire mitigation priorities across the State.
- Flood modelling and mapping, and flood risk management studies and plans.
- Purchase of disaster management equipment (e.g. generators, portable communications kits, lighting towers and frequency radios).
- Bushfire related fuel reduction activities (e.g. slashing and burning).
- Recovery capability and/or resilience building programs.

Please refer to the website for the complete list of eligible activities and costs.

The main assessment criteria include:
- Need identification
- Socio-economic benefits
- Collaboration/regional approach
- Financial soundness and value for money

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

The following are ineligible for funding:
- Projects that have already commenced or are already complete.
- Project not undertaken in Queensland and not benefitting Queensland communities.
- Purchase of an asset or works to an asset that will not be owned and/or controlled by an eligible applicant.
- Purchase of land or buildings (e.g. land buy-back schemes).
- Works constructed on land that is not owned or controlled by an eligible applicant, except where it has permission to construct on Government-owned land and where the applicant has demonstrated that it has tenure over the land.
- Projects of a commercial nature for the applicant or any partner applicant.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete list of restrictions.