Funding for councils for drought relief projects

The extension of the Drought Communities Programme provides funding of $301 million to eligible councils for drought-affected regions of Australia. The program supports local community infrastructure and other drought relief projects for communities impacted by drought.

Funding targets projects that:

• provide work for people whose employment has been impacted by drought
• stimulate local community spending
• use local resources, businesses and suppliers
• provide a long-lasting benefit to communities and the agricultural industries they depend on

What are the eligibility criteria?

To be eligible, you must:

• have an Australian business number (ABN) and
• be an eligible council listed on this page (and on GrantConnect) or
• be invited to apply by the Minister

Eligible projects

To be eligible, your project must:

• be in an eligible council area
• meet project requirements
• include eligible activities and expenditure
• have at least $25,000 per application in eligible expenditure

You must complete your project by:

• 30 June 2019 for eligible councils announced in 2018
• 31 December 2019 for eligible councils announced in March 2019
• 30 June 2020 for eligible councils announced during the 2019 election campaign
• 30 June 2020 for the eligible councils approved for funding in September 2019
• 31 December 2020 for the eligible councils approved for funding in November 2019
• 30 June 2021 for eligible councils approved for funding in January 2020

For more information on eligibility and project requirements, check the grant opportunity guidelines.

Eligible councils

The following councils are eligible based on need and the economic impact of drought in the region.

We assess this using:

• rainfall deficiency data from the Bureau of Meteorology
• population and industry data – particularly reliance on agriculture

The Government monitors drought conditions across the country and may add more councils depending on conditions.

New South Wales

Northern Territory

Queensland

South Australia

Tasmania

Victoria

Western Australia

*Indicates an LGA with a population of less than 1,000 and funding of up to $500,000. Funding for all other LGAs is up to $1 million.

How do you apply?

You will receive an invitation to apply with a link to our online portal. The portal allows you to apply for and manage a grant in a secure online environment. You’ll need to set up a user account to get access.

You should read the grant opportunity guidelines and sample grant agreement before you apply.

To apply, you must:

• complete the online portal application form
• provide all necessary information and attachments 
• address all eligibility criteria

Your chief executive officer (or another officer authorised to sign grant agreements) must submit your application.