The Rebuilding Futures grant program seeks to support communities to strengthen their resilience to significant disasters by undertaking a wide range of medium to long-term community-led disaster recovery, prevention and preparedness projects for community benefit.
Round 6 is now open, offering grants of up to $25,000 for:
Stream 1 Disaster Resilient Communities – Communities impacted by disaster from 2019-2025
Stream 2 Disaster Recovery Support 2025 – QLD Communities impacted by Tropical Cyclone Alfred or Western Queensland Flooding
NOTE: Organisations may submit their application into ONLY ONE of these streams.
What are the program objectives?
The Rebuilding Futures program seeks to support communities to strengthen their resilience through long-term recovery from a significant disaster by undertaking community-identified and community-led recovery, prevention and preparedness activities for public benefit.
This grant round reflects a strengthened focus on supporting communities to be prepared and resilient as extreme weather disaster events increase in frequency. The round is open to remote, rural and regional communities across Australia who want to deliver projects that will support efforts to mitigate the risks of disaster via adaptation of both physical infrastructure and social connectedness and capacity.
Is this grant available in my area?
Applications are open to all remote, rural and regional communities who have been impacted by disasters or extreme weather events with a government disaster declaration between January 2019 through to December 2025.
Stream 1 Grants are open to applications from any remote, rural or regional community that has been impacted with a government disaster declaration (include the link) between January 2019 through to December 2025.
Stream 2 Grants are open to applications from QLD communities in these Local Government Areas which were impacted by either Tropical Cyclone Alfred or Western Queensland Flooding in 2025.
How much funding is available? Are there priority areas?
In Round 6, two grant Streams are offering funding of up to $25,000. You may apply for funding in one Stream only:
Stream 1 – Disaster Resilient Communities 2019-2025:
$300,000 is available for Recovery and Resilience Grants for remote, rural and regional communities with a government disaster declaration from 2019-2025:
Click here to check location eligibility.
OR
Stream 2 – Disaster Recovery Support for QLD Communities:
$300,000 is available for Disaster Recovery, Prevention or Preparedness projects for QLD communities impacted by either of these two disasters in these eligible remote, rural or regional LGA’s with a related disaster declaration:
Tropical Cyclone Alfred and associated severe weather (1-16 March 2025); or
Western Queensland surface trough and associated rainfall and flooding (21 March-19 May 2025).
Each Stream offers grants up to $25,000 for projects or initiatives that support medium to long-term recovery and resilience building of the local community.
What can be funded?
A broad range of charitable activities are considered under this program, including:
- Delivering, or providing projects, events, programs, initiatives and services;
- Purchasing or hiring equipment and materials;
- Community infrastructure;
- Organisational or network capacity building;
- Community resource development; and
- Proportionate costs associated with staffing as required to deliver the activity.
Rebuilding Futures grants in Stream 1 & Stream 2 aim to support projects that:
- Assist communities to prevent and prepare for, respond to, or recover from disasters and climate-related disruptions;
- Demonstrate broad community benefit, are locally determined, support collaboration and build capacity for the future;
- Build networks or resources so that local communities can share information, increase climate related knowledge, and strengthen social connection;
- Aim to ‘build back better’ infrastructure following a disaster event or climate-related disruption, accounting for historical and future climate risks;
- Increase the overall wellbeing and mental health of communities;
- Recognise First Nations knowledge and strengthen cultural practices to foster healing, connection and care for Country;
- Infrastructure preparedness approaches that use resilient materials and harness clever use of design to reduce future impacts of disasters and climate-related disruptions; and
- Have limited ability to attract funds from other donors or government.
Community-led initiatives will be supported that can achieve at least one of the following:
- Assist recovery from the impact of disaster and climate-related disruptions;
- Strengthen disaster prevention and preparedness for the future;
- Evidence outcomes of one or more of the 7 critical dimensions for building community resilience: Inclusion; Networks; Communication;
- Information; Self Organising Systems, Local Decision Making; and/or Resources.
All projects should demonstrate:
- Experience of a disaster impact or climate-related disruption that informs project design and delivery;
- Projects suit local community needs, priorities and interests being locally determined, supporting collaboration and building capacity for the future.
Where relevant, FRRR also wants to support projects that:
- Invest in outback, remote and less-resourced communities where they may be more highly impacted by disasters;
- Support First Nations-led initiatives that strengthen culture, Country, economic participation and reconciliation;
- Support communities to implement generational transition; and
- Build capacity and resourcing for a just and equitable energy transition.
- Applicants are welcome to discuss their application with FRRR staff by free calling 1800 170 020, or emailing granting@frrr.org.au.
What can’t be funded?
There are several areas that we can’t fund through this program. If in doubt, please contact us.
- Projects that are subject to an insurance claim;
- Projects that support core areas of responsibility of Federal, State, or Local Governments;
- Ongoing costs such as rent and utilities (unless it directly relates to the project);
- Projects that should be covered by your current insurance policy;
- The encouragement or advancement of sport, recreation, and social activities are not considered charitable under Australian law.
- 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;
- Overseas travel and overseas projects;
- Prizes, gifts, trophies, or awards;
- Political lobbying;
Projects that primarily benefit private business, a sole trader, or private interests; - Applications submitted by or for evangelist groups;
- Projects solely focused on animal welfare;
- Initiatives relating to pandemic recover, mice plagues, other environmental disease, economic disruptions, or other events causing significant community impacts.
Is my organisation eligible?
To apply, you must meet the following criteria:
- Applicant organisations must be a not-for-profit organisation with either an Incorporation Certificate and/or an ABN. If you are unsure if your organisation is a registered not-for-profit (for example, if you are a Co-operative, Other Unincorporated Entity, Public Company, or Trust), please contact FRRR.
- Projects must be for charitable purposes and offer clear public benefit;
- Not-for-profit organisations with or without DGR-1 endorsement are eligible;
- Organisations can submit one application per grant round;
- Projects must benefit remote, rural, or regional Australia; and
- Projects must take place in an eligible remote, rural or regional Australian community with a disaster declaration from January 2019-December 2025. FRRR will refer to the government disaster declaration information to inform eligibility, but it will not be the only basis on which an application is assessed and prioritised. If you believe that you are in a remote, rural or regional community disaster-affected between 2019-2025 and your region is not listed, please call us on 1800 170 020 to discuss the situation.
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 a non-legal entity and the nominated legal governing / partnering organisation has not provided written confirmation of their willingness to assume responsibility for management of the funds and acquittal of the project;
- Application is submitted without required organisational financial information and quotes or rationale for budget items over $1,000;
- Overdue Final Report/s from any FRRR grants awarded in the previous seven years have not been acquitted (delivery organisations should check with the 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 submission. FRRR is unlikely to follow up on missing documentation after applications have been submitted.
