Future Drought Fund Strengthening Drought Resilience on Country

Overview

The Australian Government is inviting First Nations businesses, organisations or consortia (with a First Nations lead) via a restricted (by eligibility) process, as outlined in sections 4.1 and 10.4 of the Grant Opportunity Guidelines, to apply to deliver services under the Future Drought Fund’s First Nations Initiatives program. The Strengthening Drought Resilience on Country Program grant opportunity supports the Australian Government’s commitment to building drought and climate resilience in partnership with First Nations peoples. It will run from 2025–26 to 2027–28, with $12 million (GST exclusive) available to support up to six First Nations businesses and organisations, as Delivery Partners. As a devolved grant program, Delivery Partners will, with communities, undertake a co-design process to identify place-based, community-led projects (such as, local priority activities within the grant project) that build drought and climate resilience. Delivery Partners will manage grants and support the rollout of these activities. These initiatives aim to strengthen connection to Country and build resilience to dry times and climate impacts.  While Delivery Partners won’t directly run the place-based, community-led projects, they will play a vital role in enabling and supporting the communities in their successful delivery. Up to $1 million in administrative funding will be available to Delivery Partners, to manage the grant, plus up to $1 million in project funding to be distributed to selected sub-grantees (that they have identified) to deliver the co-designed place-based, community-led projects. The Program aligns with the National Agreement on Closing the Gap Priority Reform 2 - Building the Community-Controlled Sector.