After a nine-month funding drought after the Labor Government dumped the highly successful Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF), local government entities and not-for-profit organisations can now apply for capital works projects under the Growing Regions Program. Member for Wannon, Dan Tehan said the BBRF was a very popular program which supported projects in our rural and regional communities to create jobs, drive economic growth and build stronger regional and remote communities into the future, and lamented the loss of the program. Many our our councils had submitted shovel ready priority community and economic infrastructure projects, for round 6 of the program, but instead with the program being cancelled have been in a nine-month funding drought. These projects are critical to our communities and would deliver economic and social benefits to the community. Mr Tehan said he had been working and meeting with Local Government on a regular basis to assist in advocating for their priority projects at the national level and had offered to provide support to all the Councils applying for funding under the Growing Regions program, which opened today. The Growing Regions Program provides grants of between $500,000 and $15 million to local government entities and not-for-profit organisations. Round One applications will be assessed via a two-stage process. Applications for stage 1 assessment (Expression of Interest) open on 5 July 2023 and close 5.00 pm (AEST) on 1 August 2023. Eligible organisations to apply for funding are: * Incorporated not-for-profit organisations * Local governments * Organisations listed on page 10 of the guidelines. Most applicants will be required to contribute co-funding towards projects of at least 50 per cent of the total project cost (i.e., a minimum of $500,000). Lesser funding co-contributions are eligible for: • (Group 1) At least 10 per cent co-contribution for projects by First Nations Community Controlled Organisations, projects in ‘very remote’ locations or projects located in areas impacted by natural disaster from 1 May 2022 onwards where the specific project site was directly impacted by the disaster; • (Group 2) at least 30 per cent co-contribution for projects located in ‘remote’ locations or run by ‘low rate based’ councils listed on pages 8-9 of the guidelines. Further information on the fund can be found at https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/territories-regions-cities/regional-australia/regional-and-community-programs/growing-regions-program
