Eligible communities that don’t yet have their applications in to share in the Australian Government’s $280 million Black Summer Bushfire Recovery grants program have one day to do so.
National Recovery and Resilience Agency Coordinator-General the Hon Shane L Stone AC QC is urging eligible communities to get their grants program applications in by close of business on 6 October.
With Daylight Saving time, this means the following cut-off times apply:
· Queensland – 4pm, 6 October
· South Australia – 4:30pm, 6 October
· NSW/Vic/Tas/ACT – 5pm, 6 October
Mr Stone reminded communities that grant amounts can range from $20,000 to $10 million for projects in local government areas that were disaster-declared for the 2019-20 bushfires.
“Community groups, businesses and councils can all apply,” Mr Stone said.
“The deadline has already been extended an extra month to give people more time to apply, but this is now the absolute deadline so we can get money out the door soon. “
The Australian Government has made $2.8 billion available in support towards recovery from the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires, with $2.4 billion already spent to get people back on their feet.
The federal funds spent so far on bushfire recovery, alongside some co-contributions from the states and territories, has delivered:
· 200,000 recovery payments and allowances to individuals
· 27,000 grants and loans to small business and primary producers (jointly funded)
· 88,000 payments to assist back to school costs
· 3,200 payments to volunteer firefighters (jointly funded)
· More than 4,900 properties cleared (jointly funded)
· $304 million spent on nearly 400 Local Economic Recovery projects
· $27.1 million allocated to improve communications networks for communities faced with an emergency
· $150 million to support native wildlife and habitat recovery
