Resilient Business Activation Program

Eligible applicants for Stream 1 are:

• Small and Medium sized businesses (between 1 and 199 FTE employees) who:
  • Hold an active ABN registered prior to 22 February 2022;
  • Were operating in an eligible location for at least 12 months prior to 22 February 2022;
  • Are physically located and operating in an eligible LGA and this is reflected as the main business location on the Australian Business Register;
  • Suffered significant Direct Damage to assets as a direct result of the disaster events;
  • Intend to continue or re-establish their main business operations within an eligible location; and
  • Can demonstrate they were financially viable prior to the disaster events.

Eligible applicants for Stream 2 are:

• Local councils

 In addition, applicants from both streams must meet all of the following requirements:

• have an Australian Business Number (ABN).
• be one of the following:
  • a company incorporated in Australia
  • an incorporated association or co-operative
  • a partnership
  • a sole trader
  • a local council
  • a Local Aboriginal Land Council
• not be insolvent, bankrupt or subject to ongoing legal proceedings.
• be able to demonstrate that they have at least $20 million public liability insurance or be willing to secure the insurance before entering into a Funding Deed if the application is successful.

Businesses may also be considered eligible if, in the determination of the New South Wales Government, exceptional circumstances apply. This may include, but is not limited to, consideration of businesses which are not registered within Northern Rivers as their main business location, however, can demonstrate they have significant operations within the Northern Rivers, and meet all other eligibility requirements.

Applicants can submit a joint application, but a lead applicant will need to be nominated. If the application is successful, the lead applicant will enter into the Funding Deed and be ultimately responsible for delivering the project.

Applicants and projects must be located in one of the below eligible location Local Government Areas (LGAs):

• Ballina Shire Council
• Byron Shire Council
• Clarence Valley Council
• Lismore City Council
• Kyogle Council
• Richmond Valley Council
• Tweed Shire Council

Eligibility is determined by declarations of natural disasters by the NSW Government.

Eligible Applicants must identify projects that are for the repair, resilience or restoration of infrastructure assets that benefit the local community and align with one or more of the Program objectives. Applicants must demonstrate local need and support, and that the project will continue to service the community into the future.  

Infrastructure projects must: 

• meet the definition of eligible infrastructure and/or re-damaged eligible infrastructure that has suffered Direct Damage (refer to Definition in Appendix A of Program Guidelines).
• be for the purpose of repair of directly damaged eligible infrastructure because of the eligible disaster declaration event (refer to Appendix A of Program Guidelines).

Eligible project costs include those associated with the delivery of eligible infrastructure projects. This includes project management and administration costs up to 10 per cent and cost escalation and contingency costs up to 25 per cent of the requested funding amount.

Ineligible costs include:

• Costs already covered by insurance and/or funded by other NSW or Australian Government grant programs for the same project;
• Financing, including debt financing, insurance or rental costs;
• Purchase of land or buildings;
• Administrative overhead, operational and/or ongoing maintenance costs;
• Business as usual and/or commercial activities;
• Funding for any ongoing staff or operational costs;
• Retrospective funding to cover any project component that is already complete before funding is announced; and/or
• Costs related to buying or upgrading non–fixed equipment unless considered essential to project delivery and are incidental costs to the overall project budget.

Ineligible projects include those that:

• Are not an infrastructure project;
• Are not located within an eligible LGA;
• Are the recipient of duplicate grant funding from another NSW or Australian Government grant program for the same project and/or insurance claims;
• Are for assets that were not directly damaged as a result of the Eligible Disaster Declaration Events and/or Eligible Infrastructure that have not undergone reconstruction works (refer to Definitions in Program Guidelines);
• Are for a privately-owned asset or are on private land, unless there is a clear public benefit, and the landowner has provided documented consent;
• Are for marketing, advertising or product promotion;
• Do not demonstrate alignment to the program Objectives; and/or
• Require ongoing funding from the NSW Government.

Examples of eligible infrastructure projects include:

• Repair and restoration of infrastructure providing an essential service to the local community.
• Funding for repairing or replacing damaged fixed equipment, machinery, or infrastructure essential to business operations.
• Implementation of resilient materials into infrastructure improvements, such as flood barriers, elevated foundations, waterproofing, flood-resistant doors and windows, and drainage systems.
• Enhancement of public spaces within the CBD through landscaping, installation of public art, street furniture (benches, bike racks), and aesthetic improvements.
• Upgrades to storefronts, signage, lighting, and facades.
• Restoration, adaptive reuse, or adaptive rehabilitation of historic buildings within a CBD.
• Implementation of building design, materials and construction methods designed to withstand extreme weather events.
• Infrastructure or maintenance projects that will enhance public safety in affected publicly accessible areas.

Applications are required to have a financial co-contribution of at least 30 per cent of the total grant amount.

Co-contributions must be cash and cannot be made in-kind, and evidence of the cash co-contributions must be provided as part of the application (for example, bank statements or shareholders financial statements etc.).

Applicants can indicate that there are extenuating circumstances preventing them from making the required co-contribution and these factors will be considered by the Assessment Panel.

Projects that maximise the co-contribution from the applicant, or other funding sources will be preferred.