NSW Rural Fire Service Grants Programme

This programme aims to support works and projects that increase the resilience of NSW communities to bush fires.

There are two types of grants available:
1. Bush Fire Risk Mitigation and Resilience Programme
- Assists public land managers/owners to undertake bush fire mitigation works, to provide access for fire fighting, and to deliver projects that increase the resilience of NSW communities to bush fire.
- The funding is available to supplement resources of public land managers/owners and enable additional works to be implemented.

2. Brigade Mitigation Support Programme
- Supports NSW RFS Brigades in carrying out hazard reduction burning activities across the State.
- Applications for funding through this programme are prepared by the NSW RFS District Office, and are submitted by a NSW RFS Manager (or above) via the NSW RFS Grant Funding Portal.

Funding is allocated in accordance with BFCC Policy 1/2011 – Allocation Principles for Funding of Bush Fire Mitigation Works.

Funding provided is intended to resource extra mitigation activities that are additional to those supported by internal organisation budgets.

Funding applications for urgent hazard reduction burning can be submitted by NSW RFS and public land managers/owners at any time. For these types of applications, please contact Grants and Coordination Programmes to request a priority assessment.

Eligible applicants include:
- Local councils
- State Government Agencies
- Forestry Corporation of NSW
- NSW RFS
- Fire and Rescue NSW

Please refer to the Application Guide for the complete eligibility requirements.

Eligible activities include:
- Hazard reduction activities
- Fire trail works
- Community resilience projects

Please refer to the Application Guide for the list of examples of eligible activities.

The main assessment criteria include:
1. Hazard reduction
- The application must be for a single activity.
- All costs must be eligible for funding (costs should exclude GST).
- The costs are considered reasonable for the proposed scope of works (Applications >$50,000 require a scope of works and photos).
- The works must be spatially identified and scheduled for the relevant financial year in BRIMS.
- The proposed works must be bona fide hazard reduction.
- The proposal must relate to the BFRMP.

2. Strategic fire breaks
- Applications must clearly demonstrate that the works provide protection to assets identified in the BFRMP.
- The proposed works must extend well beyond routine maintenance of road sides/transport corridors and be of a sufficient width to reduce the risk of fire spread.

3. Fire trails
- The application must be for single Strategic Fire Trail identified in the BFMC FAFTPlan and bring the entirelength to the NSW RFS Fire Trail Standards.
- The fire trail works have been identified in the FAFT Plan Treatment Register.
- The Segment IDs identified in the application are valid or the fire trail is spatially identified in the FAFT Plan.
- All costs must be eligible for funding (costs should exclude GST).
- The costs are considered reasonable for the proposed scope of works,represent ‘value for money’ and support the operational capabilities required.

Please refer to the Application Guide for the complete list of the assessment criteria.

The following are ineligible for funding:
- Works required to comply with a condition of development consent imposed after 1 August 2002 based on advice from the NSW RFS.
- Works required to comply with a Notice or Order issued by the NSW RFS.
- Work that is unnecessary for fire suppression/mitigation (e.g. undertaken for commercial, tourism or stock movement purposes) or goes beyond that reasonably required to protect assets.
- Works that involve routine maintenance of roads, sports fields, managed recreation areas or similar.
- Fire trail work significantly beyond the requirements of the NSW RFS Fire Trail Standards.
- Inspection or assessment reports, such as environmental assessment (some exceptions apply for strategic fire trails identified through a FAFT Plan).
- Oversight, project management or other administrative costs (other than specialist input e.g. engineering certification of construction works).
- Payment of agency personnel costs that are part of normal business (e.g. normal salary cost for employees).
- Payment of agency personnel costs including overtime, penalty rates, allowances and the like.

Please refer to the Application Guide for the complete list of restrictions.