Drought Communities Programme – Drought Community Support Initiative (DCSI)

This program aims to provide immediate financial assistance to eligible farming households who are facing hardship due to drought, as well as provide much-needed stimulus to local businesses.

Grants of up to $3,000 are available.

For Round 2, the funding is available through The Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul Society, in all eligible Drought Communities Programme Extension Local Government Areas. Only one DCSI (Round 2) payment is allowed per household from one of the delivery organisations.

On 28 January 2020, an additional 52 Local Government Areas were announced under the Drought Communities Programme Extension (DCP). DCSI round 2 funding is currently not available in these 52 LGAs.

On 20 February 2020, the Australian Government announced further funding of $82.75 million to continue crucial support for farming households battling the continuing drought.

Eligible applicants must:
- Have an Australian Business Number (ABN).
- Be invited to apply.
- Be one of the following community organisations:
a) St Vincent de Paul Society
b) The Salvation Army

Applications will only be accepted where they can provide evidence from their board (or Chief Executive Officer or equivalent if there is no board) that the project is supported, and that they can complete the project and meet the costs of the project not covered by grant funding.

Eligible projects must:
- Include eligible activities and eligible expenditure.
- Establish eligibility criteria for the provision of financial assistance to eligible recipients.
- Keep a record of provided assistance and submit aggregated data reports to the department.
- Be delivered in the agreed eligible LGAs for their community organisation.
- Be completed by 30 June 2020.

Eligible activities must directly relate to the project and can include:
- Raising awareness of the assistance available to eligible drought-affected communities.
- Identifying eligible recipients.
- Providing cash payments to eligible recipients.
- Managing and reporting on outcomes to the Australian Government.
- Coordination and collaboration between the selected community organisations managing this grant opportunity, including capacity to share grant recipient information.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete list of eligible expenditure.

The main assessment criteria include:
- Describe their organisation and its capacity to deliver the Drought Community Support Initiative - Round 2.
- Explain how their organisation will deliver the Drought Community Support Initiative - Round 2.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete list of the assessment criteria.

The following are ineligible for funding:
- Wages not directly related to the delivery of the Drought Community Support Initiative - Round 2.
- Purchase of land.
- Financing costs, including debt financing and interest.
- Capital expenditure for the purchase of assets such as office furniture and equipment, motor vehicles, computers, printers or photocopiers.
- Costs involved in the purchase or upgrade/hire of software (including user licences) and ICT hardware (unless it directly relates to the project).
- Costs such as renovations.
- Non-project-related staff training and development costs.
- Insurance costs (the participants must effect and maintain adequate insurance or similar coverage for any liability arising as a result of its participation in funded activities).
- Costs related to obtaining resources used on the project, including interest on loans, job advertising and recruiting, and contract negotiations.
- Costs related to preparing this grant application, preparing any project reports (except costs of independent audit reports we require) and preparing any project variation requests.