Goodbye bbrf... hello growing regions

Section51 has been busy preparing for the new Australian Governments approach to grants, writing applications for large State Government grant programs, preparing milestone and final reports and much more. This includes preparing a new workshop series which will be available soon. More to come in the next blog.

For many, the not surprising news turned up by email on Monday October 24th which read ‘After careful consideration, the Government has decided the Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF) will be discontinued and no further funding will be available. Existing BBRF projects funded in Rounds 1 to 5 will continue in line with the terms of the grant agreement and grant opportunity guidelines.’

This means all applications for Round 6 are scrapped. But a new funding opportunity has been announced.

Growing Regions Program

The new grant program on the way. Very little public information is available at present but will be released soon.

The Departments website says:
"The Australian Government has committed to establish the new Growing Regions Program to deliver investment in regional infrastructure and community projects. This will help drive regional economic prosperity by providing access to funding for capital works for community and economic infrastructure across our rural and regional areas.
The program will be open and competitive with grants awarded on a merit basis. Administered funding for the program will be provided over three years. The program will be open to local government entities, state and territory governments and not-for-profit organisations, and partnerships between smaller organisations and local government entities. The program will exclude private enterprise and for-profit entities.
Information on program guidelines, eligibility criteria and the application process will be provided in due course. The Growing Regions Program replaces the Building Better Regions Fund."

Australian Government Budget 25th October 2022

The Australian Government Treasurer, Dr Jim Chalmers delivered the new governments first budget on 25th October 2022.  In the delivery he said:

Budget priorities: The 2022–23 October Budget is focused on laying the foundations for the better future that Australians deserve. It provides responsible cost-of-living relief; delivers on the Government’s economic plan to build a stronger, more resilient and more modern economy; and pays for what’s important.

Grants for local government
Potential grants for local government are scattered through the budget papers.  Environment, roads, energy efficiency, reference to future arts programs and more.  Grants in areas of council responsibility that we have not seen for many years.