Community Recovery Flexible Funding Program guidelines

Purpose of the program

To provide flexible funding to implement projects that will support community's human and social recovery following a number of natural disasters and to be better prepared to respond to and recover from any future disaster events and to put forward proposals that support community recovery, and promote resilience and community cohesion so people feel better prepared for any future disaster. Ideally project priorities should be identified using community development and engagement activities.

Funding available under this initiative

Funding for this program is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments to implement community recovery projects to help local communities deal with the impacts of the disasters and to contribute to their disaster preparedness. Through this, the community will have the opportunity to identify what their recovery needs are and help them be better prepared for any future disasters. The community will have a stronger voice and gain better skills in managing their own and their community's recovery.

The Flexible Funding Program will fund projects that support local communities to recover from the impacts of the disasters and to help them prepare for future disasters. The projects need to deliver a community benefit and support the human and social wellbeing of community members based on what is important to them.

Funding Program

Projects funded through this program must meet the following criteria:

a)      Projects must contribute to the community's human and social recovery from the disaster4 (where applicable), support resilience and future disaster preparedness.

b)      Projects must not be eligible for funding or financial assistance from other funding sources (eg. other NDRRA Assistance Schemes; other Queensland or Australian Government assistance schemes, including the Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal Fund, Flood Fight Back Scheme etc).

c)      Projects must not have on-going funding requirements.

d)      Project/s must be completed by 30 June 2013. No carryover of funding will be approved beyond this date.

e)      Community consultation or support is evidenced (e.g. letters of support from community groups, minutes of public meetings and forums).

The Flexible Funding Program will fund projects that promote:

• Building community capacity and resilience
• Healing and community support
• Community connectedness and identity
• Communication and planning for the community's future and disaster preparedness
• Establishment of support networks to build connectedness and resilience in vulnerable community groups (eg. residents in aged care facilities, young parents, men's groups, people with a disability)
• Commemorative and reflective gardens
• Public memorials
• Community events and festivals
• Community arts and cultural projects
• Sport, recreation, health and wellbeing projects
• Community forums and leadership groups
• Engagement activities for community input into Local Community, Economic and Environmental Recovery and Reconstruction Plan (Local Plan)
• Development of a communication strategy promoting community safety and awareness · Temporary contracting of specialists, experts, professionals or practitioners to support and deliver endorsed projects
• Neighbourhood and community strengthening activities that focus on capacity building for future events
• Programs to establish and build resilience and delivered in collaboration with Emergency Management Queensland
• Workshops or information sessions on issues such as insurance awareness, seasonal preparation, flood and cyclone-proofing homes
• Other community education and information sessions.

Targeted projects should be relevant to specific groups including:

• Children and families
• Young people
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
• Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities
• Seniors
  Opportunities to actively involve local businesses and primary producers in the above projects is encouraged.

The Flexible Funding Program is unable to fund:

• Individuals, businesses or primary producers for personal hardship
• Facilities that are not open to the whole community
• Clean up costs
• Losses covered by insurance or claimable through other funding sources
• Privately owned cultural assets, including collections, buildings and spaces
• Capital works/places/objects owned by Local, Queensland or Australian Governments
• Purchase of land or property
• Existing staff positions
• Salaries or general operating costs not directly associated with delivering a project under the funding
• Cash prizes or commercial gifts
• Civil infrastructure such as roads or bridges
• Environmental restoration
• Covering existing debts or budget deficits
• Projects that are not related to recovery from natural disasters activated under NDRRA between November 2010 and March 2011
• Assets, infrastructure or equipment not related to eligible projects (e.g. generators)
• Projects that have a political or religious outcome focus
• Projects that may have a negative impact on existing businesses/services (refer National Competition Policy)
• Individual or personal support services that are eligible for funding under Category A of NDRRA
• Other activities, services, resources, equipment or products that may be eligible for funding through other categories of NDRRA or alternative funding sources.

These guidelines may be updated and revised from time to time as new information, ideas or recommendations emerge.

Recognition and acknowledgement of funding sources

The Flexible Funding Program is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under Category C of the NDRRA. It is a prerequisite of receiving NDRRA assistance that the financial contribution made by the Australian and Queensland Governments is acknowledged in all projects and products developed with NDRRA funding through the Flexible Funding Program.

For more information regarding acknowledgement text and signage requirements, please refer to the Guidelines for Acknowledgement and Recognition of Funding Source available from either:

• Department of Communities website
• http://www.communityservices.qld.gov.au/community/community-recovery/supportassistance/community-wellbeing/development-recovery-package.html or
• Department of Local Government and Planning (DLGP) website http://www.dlgp.qld.gov.au/grants-and-funding/flexible-funding-program.html 

1 Operation Queenslander: The State Community, Economic and Environmental Recovery and Reconstruction Plan 2011-2013.

2 For information on development of a Local Plan please refer to QRA website http://www.qldra.org.au/operation-queenslander/localplan

3 NDRRA: Community Recovery Package Guidelines 2011

4 NDRRA declared flood and severe tropical cyclone disasters that occurred between November 2010 and March 2011.

5 Contact QRA or LGAQ for advice about eligibility for funds under alternative schemes.