Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative – Community Impact Program

Through the Community Impact Program, which is part of the Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative, thanks to funding from the Australian Government via the Future Drought Fund, we’re investing in the future, enabling agriculture-dependent communities to identify and act on their drought preparedness priorities at a grassroots level.

It will do this by investing in projects that seek to strengthen social and community networking, support, engagement and wellbeing by delivering a tailored package of support that includes:

  • Community Impact Grants: Working with locally led community organisations to develop and deliver a program of support to strengthen community networks, capabilities and facilities that support drought preparedness (delivered by FRRR); and
  • Community Leadership Activities: Supporting community members to develop their leadership skills to contribute to drought resilience in their community (delivered by ARLF).  

Key Dates & Resources

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The Community Impact Program has closed.

How to apply

Please read the information on each of the tabs below to make sure this is the right grant for your project.

If you want to explore other grant options, please go to Find Funding Now.

I have a question, who can I talk to?

Contact our HRCPD team for any program related queries for the Community Impact Program.

  • NSW, QLD, VIC: Fiona Bradshaw
  • NT, SA, TAS, WA: Rachael Cilauro

Ph: 1800 170 020 or Email: [email protected]

Download the program guidelines for the Community Impact Program

The Community Impact Program is designed to support community members and not-for-profit organisations in remote, rural and regional Australia to drive local action that helps prepare for drought. It is part of the Australian Government’s commitment through the Future Drought Fund to support Australian agricultural communities to build drought resilience.

These Guidelines provide information about the Community Impact Program, which has two parts – the Community Impact Grants, and Community Leadership Activities that are available in locations listed in this document. Applicants may apply for both a grant and funded leadership activities through a multi-stage application process.

The Community Impact Grants will fund projects, events, initiatives, training, capability building and small-scale community infrastructure projects that assist local people and communities to prepare for future droughts through improved capability, and networks.

The Program is designed to support a wide range of locally relevant initiatives that will result in the following outcomes:

  • Communities identify and adopt innovative and transformative ways to build drought resilience;
  • A change in awareness of and attitudes to drought preparedness at the community level;
  • Communities learn and share innovative ways to build drought resilience;
  • An increase in the reach and activities of community leaders, mentors, networks, and organisations driving action on drought resilience;
  • Improved access to and greater utilisation of community infrastructure;
  • Communities build their local leadership, networks, and social support; and
  • Community leaders, networks and organisations have stronger capability to undertake strategic drought resilience planning

 

 

The Community Impact Program is available in 35 defined regions across remote, rural and regional Australia to enhance drought preparedness.

A national call in all 35 regions has been completed, and we’ve now moved into the program delivery phase.

Please review the list of regions and LGAs that are supported by this program.

The program will provide 35 grants – one for each region – with a maximum total value of $12.1 million, to be implemented over a two year period.

The grant size for each region will be negotiated as part of the multi-stage application process and may range between $200,000 and $500,000 (see below). Should total demand for funds exceed the grant funding available, grant values will be reduced proportionately.

While one collaborative proposal per region will be accepted, the funds may be disseminated via multiple funding agreements to reduce the risk and administrative burden on the lead applicant and ensure that activities and outcomes have wide engagement and benefits across the region. Any such arrangements would be considered as part of the application process. Funding agreements will only be entered into with not-for-profit organisations.

Priorities for program investment that will be considered when selecting successful applicants include:

  • Demonstrated understanding of drought preparedness as it relates to local needs and the unique geographical, climatic and community context;
  • Demonstrated community readiness to support the project at a local level;
  • Demonstrated collaboration and reach with a diverse range of community-based organisations at a local and/or regional level;
  • Alignment with other Future Drought Fund investments, such as Regional Drought Resilience Planning, Drought Resilience Research and Adoption Program or other community resilience initiatives;
  • Motivation and intent for participation in the program that is aligned with supporting long term social connection, capability building and an increased capacity for people and communities to adapt to change over time; and
  • Engagement and participation of the local community, specifically young people, and First Nations community members.
  • Applications that include locally based community organisations that have participated in the Future Drought Fund’s Regional Drought Resilience Planning, where applicable, will be prioritised. Where Regional Drought Resilience Planning is not yet underway, applicants will not be unduly penalised.

Note: All funding is targeted to the declared regions and LGAs listed in  this document.

Eligible activities must contribute to the outcomes of the Community Impact Program and may include, but are not limited to:

  • Community-focused activities that support priorities in a Future Drought Fund Regional Drought Resilience Plan;
  • Networking events such as field days, conferences, forums, summits and seminars relating to drought preparedness that build depth of social connection, a shared sense of purpose and longer-term community belonging that can be drawn upon in future drought;
  • Initiatives that improve capability, coordination, and collaboration between professional, social or community networks, or other community organisations and sectors in local communities that can be drawn upon in future drought;
  • Projects, initiatives or events that increase skills, knowledge and understanding of the risks posed by drought and climate change;
  • Leadership or other capacity building activities where local people and communities have opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought in remote, rural and regional Australia;
  • Capability development support for local community organisations so that they can better serve the interests of their community;
  • Initiatives that support, encourage, or extend the participation in current or future Regional Drought Resilience Planning, particularly in remote or very remote locations;
  • Minor infrastructure improvements, or equipment upgrades to new and existing meeting places to support community wellbeing, improve connectivity and increase knowledge sharing that specifically relates to drought preparedness. This should constitute no more than 10% of the overall project budget; and
  • Staffing, and reasonable program delivery costs to support the coordination and delivery of planned activities.

 

 

There are a range of areas that we cannot fund through this program, including:

  • Projects that are not located in remote, rural and regional Australia;
  • Projects that support core business and areas of responsibility of Federal, State and Local Governments;
  • Applications from sporting organisations need to clearly demonstrate charitable outcomes and benefit to the wider community that are above and beyond the sporting activities of the club, and clear linkage to drought resilience. This is because the encouragement or advancement of sport, recreation and social activities are not considered charitable activities under Australian law;
  • Prizes, gifts, trophies or awards;
  • Projects solely focused on animal welfare;

Please contact us to discuss your eligibility prior to lodging an application if you are unsure.

  • Activities that do not directly support agriculture-dependent communities;
  • Activities that do not directly strengthen community networking, wellbeing, drought preparedness, or reduce the risk of social isolation associated with drought;
  • Activities that duplicate existing projects or services in a particular community;
  • Activities where costs have already been incurred because the activity has already been undertaken or will have been undertaken prior to the start of the activity;
  • Activities outside of Australia or involving overseas travel;
  • Activities that provide private and/or commercial benefit rather than not-for-profit or social enterprises activities that enhance the public good in agricultural-dependent communities;
  • Business activities where the primary purpose is for profit;
  • Activities already funded through another Australian, state or territory, or local government program;
  • Provision of funding to any person or organisation who have outstanding final reports from a prior Australian Government grant of financial assistance;
  • Any costs that are not directly related to carrying out the activity such as:
  • preparation of grant application materials;
  • protecting or patenting intellectual property;
  • activities of a distinctly commercial or proprietary nature that are aimed at selling or attracting investment;
  • developing, building or producing commercial prototypes to commercialise a research project outcome;
  • creation of new institutions;
  • establishing new commercial ventures;
  • core business expenses not directly related to carrying out the activity, including administrative, overhead (and infrastructure not specified in a project budget) costs, staff salaries (unless directly engaged in delivering the Funding Program) and relocation costs, travel and living allowances;
  • financial support for feasibility studies;
  • hospitality or catering beyond reasonable costs for providing refreshments at activity-related events such as workshops or field days;
  • purchasing of infrastructure not specified in a project budget;
  • the conduct of activities that could be considered part of normal business or ongoing operations, unless integral to the delivery of the activity;
  • purchase or acquisition of land or buildings;
  • capital expenditure;
  • activities involving political advocacy;
  • production of clothing, equipment or merchandise for distribution;
  • subsidy of general ongoing administration of an organisation such as electricity, phone and rent; and
  • major construction or large capital works.

Please contact us to discuss your eligibility prior to lodging an application if you are unsure.

Applications are sought from locally based not-for-profit organisations that:

  • Agree to undertake community drought preparedness initiatives within the focus regions listed in the Eligible Regions and LGAs document.
  • Applicants must nominate a singular region, and proposed list of project delivery locations by Local Government Area (LGA), that may be some or all of the LGA’s listed in each region, or neighbouring regions;
  • Agree to act as the lead applicant and work in collaboration with other local organisations to plan and undertake activities over a multi-year period that contribute to the stated program outcomes;
  • Agree to work collaboratively with other delivery partners of the Future Drought Fund where relevant to maximise local investment and ensure a ‘joined up effort’;
  • Agree to work collaboratively with both FRRR, ARLF and an Evaluation Partner throughout the delivery of the program.

Applications that include locally based community organisations that have participated in the Future Drought Fund’s Regional Drought Resilience Planning, where applicable, will be prioritised. Where Regional Drought Resilience Planning is not yet underway, applicants will not be unduly penalised.

Lead applicants may submit a maximum of one application for a Community Impact Grant.

While proposals should reflect collaboration from multiple organisations, the primary applicant, known as a Community Partner Lead Organisation, must be a single legal not-for-profit entity.

One grant allocation will be provided for each region. If more than one group of local community organisations applies in each region, FRRR may work with applicants to explore the potential to expand the partnership opportunities under the strongest application.

To apply, your organisation must meet the following criteria:

  • Applicant organisations must be a not-for-profit organisation with either an Incorporation Certificate and/or an ABN.
  • Organisations with or without DGR-1 endorsement are eligible;
  • The proposed project must be for charitable purposes and offer clear public benefit;
  • Organisations can submit one application per grant round;
  • Projects must benefit communities in remote, rural or regional Australia that are agriculture-dependent.

Please note, you will be considered ineligible if the:

  • Application is submitted by individuals, sole traders, private or commercial businesses (as per the submitted ABN);
  • Application is submitted by an organisation that is not a legal entity (i.e. a registered not-for-profit), without the written consent of the governing / partnering body who holds the ABN / Incorporation Certificate;
  • Application is submitted without required financial documentation (see additional information on the second tab);
  • Overdue final report/s from any FRRR grants awarded in the previous seven years have not been acquitted (delivery organisations should check with legal organisation to see if there are any outstanding final reports);
  • Application is for a project or activity that has already occurred / is occurring prior to the announcement of funding;
  • Application is incomplete. NOTE: Due to the volume of applications received, applications are assessed based on the documentation received at the time of application. FRRR is unlikely to follow up missing documentation after applications have been submitted.

In addition to the Community Impact Grants, ARLF is offering a selection of optional and complementary Leadership Activities at no cost to the applicant. The Leadership Activities are designed to strengthen the leadership capabilities of communities to build individual and community drought resilience. They are underpinned in their design by the concepts of adaptive leadership, resilience, and network leadership.

During the application process, organisations will be invited to nominate an indication of the community’s two preferred Leadership Activities and the timeframe for delivery. Information about ARLF and each Leadership Activity is included in the Guidelines, or you can download a copy of the prospectus.

The ARLF will partner with community organisations to confirm and plan their selected Leadership Activities throughout the application and assessment process.

Community Impact Program: Definitions and Frequently Asked Questions

Please read the information below to help you learn more about the program.

If you have any further questions, please contact Nina O’Brien, Disaster Resilience & Climate Solutions Lead, by emailing [email protected] or free call 1800 170 020.

  • Drought Resilience: The ability to adapt, reorganise or transform in response to changing temperature, increasing variability and scarcity of rainfall, and changed seasonality of rainfall, for improved economic, environmental, and social wellbeing.
  • Agriculture-Dependent: Agriculture-dependent communities refer to remote, rural, and regional communities with a high economic dependency on agriculture and related industries.
  • Networks: An interconnected and open-ended circle of people linked by a shared interest, occupation, etc.
  • Not-for-profit: An organisation that does not operate for the profit, personal gain, or other benefit of particular people (for example, its members, the people who run it, or their friends or relatives).
  • Strategic Drought Resilience: Drought resilience that is achieved through a considered and collaborative process (with involved parties/stakeholders), which includes a plan to achieve a particular outcome.
  • Innovative Activities: Generating, diffusing, and applying knowledge to do new things or do existing things in new ways.

1 Derived from https://www.macquariedictionary.com.au/features/word/search/?search_word_type=Dictionary&word=strategy, retrieved 2022
2 Department of Agriculture, Water & Environment (2022) National Agricultural Innovation Agenda: Digital foundations for agriculture strategy (awe.gov.au). p.37

 

 

The Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative combines and builds on the previous Networks to Build Drought Resilience program (delivered by FRRR) and the Drought Resilience Leaders program (delivered by the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation – ARLF), so that together we can deliver a more effective and targeted approach. Thanks to funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, through this Initiative $29.6 million will be invested over three years to scale up and expand the reach of our community support in regional areas. By investing at a larger scale, the program aims to shift the dial on community drought preparedness in those regions and nationally.

 

 

The climate is changing and the frequency and severity of dry periods and droughts in the future is predicted to increase. Many individual farmers are taking proactive steps to prepare and respond, and it is important that the communities that they rely on also have opportunities to come together and do the same.

From our years working on the ground, we know that local people are best placed to know what they need. Having communities actively engaged in preparing for drought will help people engage with risk and take an informed approach to plan.

Through this Initiative, with the Australian Government’s support, we’re investing in the future, enabling agriculture-dependent communities to identify and act on their drought preparedness priorities at a grassroots level.

We will do this by investing in projects that seek to strengthen social and community networking, support, engagement and wellbeing by delivering a tailored package of support that includes the Community Impact Program, which offers a range of grants and community leadership activities. This program sits alongside four other elements of the Initiative.

 

 

  1. Community Impact Program: Grants between $200,000 and $500,000 provided by FRRR, plus on-the-ground support, including a range of leadership development activities provided for free to Impact Grant recipients by the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF).
  2. Expertise Pool: Access to specialist expertise to activate drought resilience initiatives (curated by FRRR).
  3. Small Network Grants: Up to $20,000 to develop and deliver one-off events or initiatives (led by FRRR).
  4. National Mentoring Program: Bringing together those who want to contribute to their community’s drought resilience with experienced mentors (led by ARLF).
  5. National Learning Network: Connecting individuals and organisations committed to building drought resilience, so they can learn from and support one another (led by ARLF).

 

 

FRRR and ARLF will bring our years of experience in working with rural communities to support local groups to develop, design and implement their project ideas. In addition to access to FRRR and ARLF staff, there will be local support on the ground, together with access to each of the elements of the program, including the expertise pool, mentoring and networking.

 

 

The Leadership Development Activities will be delivered by the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF). As Australia’s pre-eminent provider of rural leadership development, ARLF has proudly delivered transformational leadership development for 30 years. With 2,000 alumni working across industry, NGOs, corporate, government, community and family farms, these leaders are critical to the success of prosperous agriculture-dependent communities.

The ARLF exists for the greater good of rural, regional and remote Australia. Their vision is an Australia where regional communities thrive and strengthen the nation. They build the capacity of individuals and groups to act beyond themselves, to create action and change in their organisation, industry, or sector and, in their community. The ARLF develops and promotes leadership through its experiential leadership programs conducted across Australia and the Indo-Pacific region since 1992.

The ARLF is the only leadership development organisation with a national footprint and a focus on remote, rural and regional Australia. They are an independent not-for-profit based in Canberra, with staff and associates across the nation. ARLF is supported by government, businesses, and the community in realising its purpose to foster and exercise leadership for positive impact.

 

 

Drought preparedness is the ability to adapt, reorganise or transform in response to changing temperature, increasing variability and scarcity of rainfall and changed seasonality of rainfall, for improved economic, environmental and social wellbeing.

The Future Drought Fund’s vision is an innovative and profitable farming sector, a sustainable natural environment and adaptable rural, regional and remote communities — all with increased resilience to the impacts of drought and climate change.

 

 

It’s clear that the climate is changing and the frequency and severity of dry periods and droughts in the future is predicted to increase. Many individual farmers are taking proactive steps to prepare and respond, and it is important that the communities that they rely on also have opportunities to come together and do the same.

Having communities actively engaged in preparing for drought will help people engage with risk and take an informed approach to plan.

Drought can create difficulties in maintaining the social fabric or social capital of rural and regional Australia, which may threaten the viability of some rural communities. Despite sometimes sharing similar challenges, Australia’s rural and regional communities differ greatly — socio-economically, climatically, geographically, economically, and in their proximity to large regional centres.

Social capital is built on social networks of trust, mutual support and understanding. When people are part of social networks, they are more involved in community life. Community and economic diversity is an important factor in increasing resilience. Drought can reduce people’s ability to work together for the benefit of the whole community. For example, when people experience stressors impacting on their individual or family circumstances, they may have reduced capacity to engage in social and business networks. This may also reduce their capacity to empathise with their peers and learn innovative ways to manage through drought. It also reduces capacity to engage in community projects, sporting activities or voluntary work, all of which can help keep rural communities vibrant, prosperous and contribute to ongoing resilience against various shocks.

From our years working on the ground, we know that local people are best placed to know what they need. Through this program, with the Australian Government’s support, we’re investing in the future, enabling agriculture-dependent communities to identify and act on their drought preparedness priorities at a grassroots level.

 

 

FRRR provides funding and capacity building support at the hyper-local level. We have reach, relationships, networks, and know-how to align funding, big and small, to community-led solutions that build resilience and long-term viability and vitality of smaller remote, rural, and regional communities across Australia.

Please visit Find Funding Now to find other funding opportunities, including relief for other disasters.

 

 

Agriculture-dependent communities refers to remote, rural and regional communities with a high economic dependency on agriculture and related industries.

 

 

No. Your community just needs to be in one of the areas identified as eligible to apply on the map or in the Shires listed in the guidelines. This program is about preparing for drought, and is designed to build strong social connectedness, strengthen social capital, and support transformative activities that enable regional communities to be more prepared for, and resilient to, the impacts of drought.

 

 

This program is supported by FRRR and the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

 

 

Yes, we encourage applications for Arts projects. Applicants must address how the proposed project will contribute to the program objectives.

 

 

Councils can apply for funding provided the project demonstrates clear community benefit and aligns with the Future Drought Fund program objectives.

 

 

This is a multi-stage application process:

As part of the assessment process applicants may be interviewed by FRRR or our Future Drought Fund partners. As outlined here, those selected to move forward will then participate in a locally-based co-design process, which will help flesh out the project plan.

 

 

The applicant organisation must be a not-for-profit organisation with an ABN or Incorporation Certificate. Organisations with or without DGR-1 endorsement are eligible. The proposed project must be for charitable purposes and offer clear public benefit.

 

 

A Community Partner Lead Organisation is a locally based not-for-profit organisation that will:

  • Agree to undertake community drought preparedness initiatives within the eligible focus regions detailed here. Applicants must nominate a singular region and proposed list of project delivery locations by Local Government Area (LGA), which may include some or all the LGAs listed in each region, or neighbouring regions.
  • Agree to act as the lead applicant and work in collaboration with other local organisations to plan and undertake activities over a multi-year period that contribute to the stated program outcomes.
  • Agree to work collaboratively with other delivery partners of the Future Drought Fund where relevant, to maximise local investment and ensure a ‘joined-up effort’.
  • Agree to work collaboratively with both FRRR, ARLF, and an Evaluation Partner throughout the delivery of the program.

 

 

Contact us for a chat. We can put you in touch with the relevant partners in your local region so you can get involved. Many hands make light work.

 

 

Contact us for a chat. We can put you in touch with the other relevant partners in your local region and devise a way in which you can get involved where appropriate.

 

 

FRRR staff assess each application on its merit against each of the assessment criteria and compare it to other applications. Applications are then shortlisted for deliberation by the Future Drought Fund Program Advisory Committee, who make recommendations to the FRRR Board. The Program Advisory Committee membership represents a range of industry and program partners including representatives from ARLF and DAFF. The FRRR Board makes the final determination about which projects are funded, to ensure it meets their contractual obligations to the Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and ultimately that the projects are in line with the Future Drought Fund Act 2019.

 

 

A grantee must not commence work on the project activities before a grant agreement is executed with FRRR. Payment will not be back-dated for activities that commenced before the execution of the grant agreement, and no payments will be made unless a grant agreement has been executed.

 

 

Please ensure that you read the information on this page carefully and in the Guidelines. If you still have questions or are unsure about something, contact the Program Manager, Kate Nolan, via email at futuredrought@frrr.org.au, or free call 1800 170 020.

 

 

Please call us to discuss your ideas before you apply. The program is designed to be community-led, so we welcome your feedback and thoughts on the definition of the region.

 

 

We ask that you please call us to discuss this before you apply. Call 1800 170 020.

 

 

No, this program is designed to build capacity of people and communities, so while you can apply for small-scale infrastructure or equipment, it must not exceed 10% of your total budget. You can head to the Find Funding section of this website to see if there are other programs you might be eligible to apply for.

 

 

Community Impact Program: Program and Reporting Resources

Final Reports are due 25 July 2025 via Grants Gateway.

The information below will help you through the reporting and acquittal process for your Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative (HRCPDI) grant from FRRR. Click on each of the headings to learn more.

We would love to receive photographs and videos, along with your Final Reports. Please send them through to the email address below.

If you have any further questions, please contact Kate Nolan, HRCPDI Program manager, by emailing [email protected] or free call 1800 170 020.

Community Impact Program:

  • Final Report Due Date: 25 July 2025
  • Project Changes: Were there any changes to your project? If so, please describe.  
  • Project Activities: What did you do? What specific activities took place, where, when and who participated/benefitted?
  • Project Outcomes: Tell us about what you achieved. What was the most successful? What are you most proud of?
  • Project Learnings: Were there challenges? What would you do differently next time?
  • Additional Outcome Questions: A supplementary form that must be completed to help inform the evaluation on the outcomes and impact of your project. It appears in your Final Report as below.
Important
  • To see the questions on the supplementary form, a non-fillable PDF copy can be accessed here. This form should take approximately 25 minutes to complete. It will open in a new window and it will not save your answers if you partially complete it. The PDF includes all possible questions for all seven possible short-term outcomes (Headings PO1-PO7).
  • You will only be required to complete the questions relating to the two outcomes you select.
  • Nous has also developed a helpful guide for Community Partner Lead Organisations on relevant outcomes which can be located here.

“Lessons learnt from previous drought shared amongst the network are of such high importance, and this funding has created a platform for us to be able to do that across our community: making brave decisions to pick up your commodity and move it to a more safer place off your farm where someone else looks after it; for fear of hanging onto it in a drought, would devastatingly mean losing it all together. It is important to share real & raw drought stories like this within our drought preparedness forums, as it allows others insight, energy and a safe educational space other to think outside the box.”

Grant recipient from Networks to Build Drought Resilience program

“FRRR’s grant application was clearly set out, staff were friendly and helpful when I had a few questions, and the whole process was easily achievable. We are grateful for the opportunity to receive funding to improve Adavale Lane Community Centre so it can be accessed and used for the benefit of our whole community.”

Danielle Diener, Secretary – Adavale Lane Community Centre Incorporated, SRC R9

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