Future Drought Fund – Networks to Build Drought Resilience

This program aims to build community capacity by strengthening social and community networking, support, engagement and wellbeing. It supports training and networking events and foster projects that encourage connectedness for agricultural communities across Australia.

The objectives of the program are to:
- Improve the sharing of learnings amongst agriculture dependent communities.
- Increase social networking, support, engagement and wellbeing through building community network members’ skills and social network diversity and strategic capacity.
- Improve wellbeing and reduce social isolation through increasing participation in community networking events/conferences, stimulating higher rates of innovation in the local economy and the agricultural sector over time.
- Improve community networks access to risk management information and training, increasing the capacity of community networks to participate in regional drought resilience planning.
- Increase community economic development and diversification opportunities to improve access to meeting places and facilities, reducing social isolation and improving community wellbeing over time.
- Deliver small scale projects, such as improving meeting places for the network members, purchasing small equipment (such as computers, printers) to assist the management of the network, and community facilities that support community drought resilience.

Applicants can apply for a grant, which includes administrative funding, up to a maximum of $3.75 million (exclusive of GST). Administrative funding is capped at a maximum of 10% of the actual grant value sought.

Providers are required to make a financial co-contribution, or have secured a philanthropic contribution, of at least 30% of the grant.

Eligible applicants must:
- Be a legal entity with an Australian Business Number (ABN).
- Have an account with an Australian financial institution.
- Be capable of entering into a legally binding and enforceable Agreement with the Commonwealth.
- Be one of the following:
a) An Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander organisation, council or incorporated association
b) Company
c) Cooperative
d) Incorporated association
e) Sole trader
f) Partnership
g) Trustee on behalf of a Trust

Consortia applications are eligible to apply, providing all partners are eligible entities individually.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete eligibility requirements.

Eligible activities to be delivered include:
- Training of social network members to increase their community reach, dissemination of information that assists communities’ capacity building and skills to deal with risks posed by drought and climate change, collaboration with other social network members from diverse backgrounds and experiences to share information and maintain knowledge over the long-term, coordination and collaboration with other community organisations.
- Small-scale infrastructure projects to address social isolation and decline in community wellbeing and amenity value due to the impact of drought and climate change.
- Hosting ongoing community-related events directed at mitigating the impacts of drought and climate change by strengthening the social capital of communities.

Eligible proposals must demonstrate:
- Capacity and capability to lead and coordinate the delivery of the program’s activities nationally in agriculture-dependent communities.
- Experience managing grants programs, including the ability to engage with a diverse range of stakeholders across agriculture-dependent communities.
- A national presence and ability to address regional needs in agriculture-dependent communities across Australia.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete list of eligible expenditure.

The main assessment criteria include:
- Organisational capacity and capability to lead and coordinate the delivery of the NBDR Project nationally in agriculture dependent communities. (20 points)
- Ability to report on and provide public accountability on activities funded by the grant and demonstrate the impact of the project over time. (15 points)
- A national reach, with an on-ground presence and ability to address regional needs, ensuring the successful delivery of the project in all agriculture dependent communities throughout Australia that are vulnerable to drought. (20 points)
- Experience managing grant rounds and reporting on the outcomes of grant activities. (30 points)
- Ability to effectively undertake stakeholder engagement, communication and media activities for the NBDR Project. (15 points)

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

The following are ineligible for funding:
- Unincorporated association.
- Commonwealth, State, Territory or local government agency or body (including government business enterprises).
- Corporate Commonwealth Entity.
- Non-Corporate Commonwealth Statutory Authority.
- Commonwealth company.
- International Entity.
- Activities that:
a) Do not directly support agriculture dependent communities.
b) Benefit a single individual rather than build long-term drought resilience and enhance the public good in agriculture dependent communities.
c) Do not directly strengthen community networking, wellbeing and drought preparedness, or reduce the risk of social isolation associated with drought.
- Preparation of grant application materials.
- Protecting or patenting intellectual property.
- Creation of new institutions.
- Establishing new commercial ventures.

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