2024 Flood Recovery Grants Program

Before you begin, please contact us

Before you submit your application please check your organisations eligibility, contact the Community Enterprise Foundation on 1300 304 541 or email Foundation.Mailbox@bendigoadelaide.com.au

Introduction

Community Enterprise Foundation the philanthropic arm of the Bendigo Bank group has launched a grants program to support the recovery and resilience of communities affected by the 2022 Campaspe River Floods.

The Foundation’s focus is to assist in the continued flood recovery and strengthening in Axedale, Barnadown, Goornong, Elmore, Rochester, Nanneella, Ballendella, Bamawm, Strathallan and Echuca.

Application process

Applications will open Monday 22 April 2024 and close at 5.00pm AEST on Friday 20 May 2024. Applicants will be notified of the status of their application from mid-June 2024.

Funding available

Applications can be made for grants up to $20,000. Distribution is subject to the needs of flood affected communities.

Eligible Organisations

The Flood Recovery Grants Program will seek applications from eligible organisations.

An eligible organisation will:-

1. Be registered as a charity with the ACNC and hold item 1 Deductable Gift Recipient status 1 (Item 1 DGR) or
2. Have a project partner (auspice organisation) that is registered as a charity with the ACNC and hold item 1 Deductable Gift Recipient status (Item 1 DGR)

Note: Not for profit clubs and organisations will need a project partner (auspice organisation) with item 1 DGR status to be eligible for funding.

Grants Program - Eligibility Criteria

• Program focus is on assisting flood impacted communities to continue their medium-term recovery following the 2022 Campaspe River Floods.
• Successful projects supports should be completed by the end of June 2025.
• Applicants must demonstrate their operational and financial stability by providing a copy of their most recent profit and loss statement.
• A full budget and/or quotes to support the amount requested are to be provided

Additional note:

• Funding sources/capacity to leverage resources from elsewhere is beneficial.

Funding will support and need to demonstrate the resilience, rebuilding, strengthening of the social fabric within impacted communities, with priority given to community-led activities that promote: -

1. Connected and empowered communities
2. Climate & disaster resilience
3. Financial & digital inclusion

Initiatives for support include: 

• The medium-term flood recovery and resilience for individuals and communities.
• Improved community connectedness and cohesion to support flood recovery
• Enhancing the financial literacy and digital connectedness of flood affected individuals and communities
• Building community capability and capacity for recovery
• Community initiatives that assist the economic restoration of communities
• Initiatives that strengthen communities for future disasters
• Conservation and re-establishment of the natural environment              

Project Examples:

Connected and Empowered Communities

• Leadership development
• Community wellbeing dinners
• Networking events
• Local community events
• Festivals
• Agricultural shows

Climate and Natural Disaster Resilience

• Rehabilitation of native vegetation
• Perimeter farm fencing
• Environmental/climate change impact initiatives
• Upgrades and supplies to community multipurpose/disaster evacuation facilities (eg Solar panels, batteries)
• Ongoing trauma counselling
• Suicide prevention
• Mental health and well-being programs
• Youth and children’s counselling, helplines, and programs of support

Access to Financial and Digital Inclusion

• Financial counselling
• Rural aid and small business counsellors
• Online connection across impacted communities
• Community co-working spaces, technology upgrades, program initiatives

Exclusions

Funding will not be awarded for:

• Projects or funding without a connection to supporting the recovery of individuals and/or communities affected by the 2022 Campaspe River Floods.
• Retrospective projects, past events, deficit, or arrears payments
• Sponsorship activities
• Organisations that have private benefits for members
• The funding of sport is not considered charitable under Australian law and cannot be funded in this grants program.
• Project/initiatives that are Government’s responsibility
• Projects that do not (broadly) benefit the community

Please note, due to the volume of applications received, applications are assessed based on the documentation received at the time of application.

If you need more help using this form, download the Help Guide for Applicants or check out Applicant Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

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NAVIGATING (MOVING THROUGH) THE APPLICATION FORM

On every screen (page of the form) you will find a Form Navigation contents box, this links directly to every page of the application. Click the link to jump directly to the page you want. You can also click 'next page' or 'previous page' on the top or bottom of each page to move forward or backward through the application.

SAVING YOUR DRAFT APPLICATION

If you wish to leave a partially completed application, press 'save and close' and log out. When you log back in and click on the 'My Submissions' link at the top of the screen, you will find a list of any applications you have started or submitted. You can reopen your draft application and start where you left off. You can also download any application, whether draft or completed, as a PDF. Click on the 'Download PDF' button located at the bottom of the last page of the application form.

SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION

You will find a Review and Submit button at the bottom of the Navigation Panel. You need to review your application before you can submit it.

Once you have reviewed your application you can submit it by clicking on 'Submit' at the top or bottom of the screen or on the navigation panel. You will not be able to submit your application until all the compulsory questions are completed and there are no validation errors.

Once you have submitted your application, no further editing or uploading of support materials is possible. When you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email with a copy of your submitted application attached. This will be sent to the email you used to register.

If you do not receive a confirmation of submission email then you should presume that your submission has NOT been submitted. Hint: also check the email hasn't landed in your spam or junk email folder.

ATTACHMENTS AND SUPPORT DOCUMENTS

You may need to upload/submit attachments to support your application. This is very simple, but requires you to have the documents saved on your computer, or on a storage device. You need to allow enough time for each file to upload before trying to attach another file. Files can be up to 25MB each; however, we do recommend trying to keep files to a maximum of 5MB – the larger the file, the longer the upload time.

COMPLETING AN APPLICATION IN A GROUP/TEAM

A number of people can work on an application using the same log in details as long as only one person is working at a time. Ensure you save as you go.