Applications are now open for the Aboriginal Culture and Healing Flood Recovery Grant Program, a flexible, culturally responsive grant program to support Aboriginal communities to lead flood recovery.
The Aboriginal Culture and Healing Flood Recovery Grants Program – Round 2 was established to support Aboriginal communities, promote culturally safe recovery initiatives, and invest in projects that deliver on Aboriginal culture and healing outcomes based on interest coming from an initial grant round advertised in 2023.
Funding Objectives
- The Aboriginal Culture and Healing Flood Recovery Grants Program – Round 2 (the Program) is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) in relation to the Victorian Floods which commenced in October 2022 (AGRN 1037).
- The Program supports the dedicated line of recovery for Aboriginal Culture and Healing. This line of recovery was developed by Aboriginal Victorians and supported by the Victorian Government to meet the following culturally informed and responsive objectives:
- Aboriginal people’s unique experiences of trauma are addressed, and healing supported
- Recovery and resilience are strengthened through Aboriginal culture, knowledge, and the connection between country and healing
- Aboriginal communities have increased capability to lead recovery and healing.
Funding Information
- A grant pool of $1,200,000 (ex GST) has been dedicated to support the Aboriginal Culture and Healing Flood Recovery Grants Program.
- Grants will be available up to $160,000 (ex GST) to meet the recovery needs of Victorian Aboriginal communities affected by the October 2022 Victorian floods.
Activities that may be funded
- Employment of Aboriginal Recovery Officers
- On-Country healing events
- Traditional Owner-led recovery projects
- Cultural heritage impact assessment and remediation
- Assessment of impacts on bio-cultural values
- Projects healing Country and its values from the ongoing impacts of the October 2022 Victorian floods
- Recovery projects that also contribute to strengthening the resilience of Country to future flood impacts
- Lease of assets to support recovery needs (consistent with selection criteria)
Activities that won’t be funded
- Activities that are not specifically to address recovery needs from the October 2022 flooding
- Immediate relief needs of community evacuated from their homes that are eligible for support through Emergency Relief Centres (such as emergency food, shelter, relocation costs, and emergency payments)
- Offsetting of existing salaries, operating costs for existing staff or contractors
- Feasibility studies, business plans and cost-benefit analyses
- Projects that may have a negative impact on existing businesses/services
- Passing on funding to a third party in the form of a sponsorship or grant
- Purchase of vehicles, major plant and equipment
Also Apply for: U.S. Community Grant Program: $100,000 Grants for Two Years
Eligibility Criteria
- To be eligible, an organisation must be:
- an Aboriginal organisation that is based in Victoria and is an incorporated legal entity under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2001 (Vic), or the Corporation (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth), including a social enterprise (with a clearly stated purpose or mission related specifically to supporting Aboriginal communities in disaster recovery); and
- in an LGA directly impacted by the October 2022 Victorian floods.
- Applicants must have:
- the capability to report to the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations on the outcomes and activities of the funded project
- a current Australian Business Number (ABN)
- no outstanding acquittals with the State of Victoria or for any previous government grant program/s.
- Auspice organisations
- Auspice organisations can support unlimited applications from lead applicants.
- If your organisation is not incorporated or does not have an ABN, you may still apply if you are supported by an eligible auspice organisation that has agreed to manage the grant for you. An auspice arrangement is when a larger organisation assists a smaller organisation to fund a grant activity or event. The larger organisation is known as the auspice organisation. Your community group or organisation is known as the grant recipient.
- The auspice organisation will receive and manage the grant funding with your community group or organisation undertaking the actual project work.
- Partnership arrangements
- Applications will also be considered from multiple eligible groups working together in partnership to develop and deliver a project.
- One organisation will submit an application on behalf of all the organisations. This organisation is the lead organisation for the grant application and will receive and manage the grant funding. All other organisations must provide a letter of endorsement from their governing body/board for the project plan.
Ineligible
- State and federal government agencies (however they can auspice projects)
- Individuals and sole traders
- Unincorporated community organisations, unless supported by an eligible auspice organisation
- Commercial enterprises
- Fixed trusts
- Local Government Authorities including LGA-managed, -operated, -administered and -regulated trusts (can act as an auspice)
- Registered primary and secondary schools, preschools, TAFE institutes and universities (can act as an auspice)
- Commercial enterprises are not eligible to apply for a grant alone (they can partner with an organisation as a sponsor and only provide contributions)
How to Apply
For more information, visit Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations.
Deadline: 19-Aug-24
