Drought Preparedness Grants
Drought Preparedness Grants offer up to $50,000 as a co-contribution grant to assist primary producers undertake new permanent infrastructure activities that will improve the drought preparedness of their property.
Have you developed your Farm Business Resilience Plan yet?
Did you know that 95% of applicants who create a plan with the assistance of the Farm business Resilience Program meet the requirements of this Scheme prior to accessing this financial support? We strongly recommend you seek the assistance of the free Farm Business Resilience Program best suited to your industry. Click here for the list of program providers.
What assistance is available?
Primary producers can now apply for a grant of 25 per cent of the cost of purchasing new permanent capital infrastructure to a maximum cumulative amount of $50,000 over five years.
The grant aims to assist producers with the cost of implementing new permanent capital improvements and carrying out drought preparedness activities identified in their Farm Business Resilience Plan including the below and as outlined in the guidelines. Please note this is not an exhaustive list.
- water infrastructure including pipes, water tanks, water troughs, new dam construction, drilling a new working bore, water conservation infrastructure and water pumps
- storage, mixing and feeding out equipment for grain, fodder, molasses and other supplements
- grain storage and equipment that improves the ability of the business to manage drought
- reasonable freight components to purchase and install equipment or infrastructure
- consumables including fuel for own machinery used in relation to the drought preparedness project and
- contractor costs or non-salaried employees’ costs directly associated with implementing the drought preparedness project.
A QRIDA Sustainability Loan may be used as the co-contribution to the Drought Preparedness Grant for implementation activities.
To be eligible for Drought Preparedness Grant, the project will:
- involve the purchase and installation of new permanent capital infrastructure
- improve the ability of the primary production business to prepare for continue to operate in, or recover from, drought conditions
- be a drought preparedness activity listed in your resilience plan for the primary production business and
- not have already commenced the project before the assistance is approved. (Deposits however may be paid for the purchase of materials or engaging contractors up to 90 days before the approval of assistance).
Am I eligible?
To be eligible for a Drought Preparedness Grant, applicants must:
- demonstrate at least one person in the primary production business meets the definition of a primary producer;
- demonstrate an ability to provide the remaining contribution to the grant requested;
- demonstrate that any necessary regulatory approvals have been obtained; and
- present a Farm Business Resilience Plan (as outlined in Section 6 of the guidelines), satisfactory to QRIDA.
To be eligible for a Drought Preparedness Grant, applicants must not have:
- made an application to the Department of Primary Industries supported by an invoice issued in the past six month period for assistance under:
- a freight subsidy under the Drought Relief Assistance Scheme
- the Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate under the Drought Relief Assistance Scheme; and
- previously received a Drought Preparedness Grant for the same project activity.
Take this example...
By completing their Farm Business Resilience Plan, Jamie knows that installing three large feed storage sheds will assist with protecting their farm from drought.
After seeking quotes for these sheds, they find it will cost $230,000 to build. Jamie decides to apply for a Drought Preparedness Grant to cover up to 25% of the cost to a maximum of $50,000.
Applying through QRIDA, they submit their quotes and Farm Business Resilience Plan for review. Meeting all the eligibility criteria, Jamie is approved for the Drought Preparedness Grant and receives $50,000 as it does not exceed 25% of the cost of the capital infrastructure they wish to build. This money will now go towards building the feed storage sheds.
Submit your application
Applications for the Drought Preparedness Grant Scheme must be submitted to QRIDA by one of the following:
- Email: contact_us@qrida.qld.gov.au
- Post: GPO Box 211 Brisbane Queensland 4001
- Fax: 07 3032 0300
QRIDA is administering the Drought Preparedness Grant Scheme on behalf of the Department of Primary Industries.
Related information
Farm Business Resilience Plan template (DAF)Frequently asked questions
You may pay a deposit towards the purchase of materials or engaging a contractor up to 90 days prior to submitting an application for assistance. However, to be eligible you cannot have commenced works on an eligible project before the approval of assistance.
Your project should commence within 90 days and should be completed, with approved funding drawn within six months from entering into a letter of offer with QRIDA. If your Farm Business Resilience Plan outlines projects over a longer duration, these should be the subject of another application for grant funding after completion of the current project.
A QRIDA Sustainability Loan may be able to help fund the remainder of your project. These loans offer up to $1.3 million and can help you invest in the latest infrastructure to create a viable future for your farming business including activities that improve farming system sustainability, natural resource sustainability and financial sustainability. Eligibility criteria apply.
Yes, you may apply. QRIDA, at its absolute discretion, and without commitment, may consider issuing a conditional approval subject to you arranging your co-contribution to the amount required for the subject project(s), and such that this/these project(s) are commenced/completed within the allowed timeframes.
Primary producer means:
- a sole trader who
- spends the majority of the person’s labour on a primary production enterprise; and
- either
- derives the majority of the person’s income from the primary production enterprise; or
- in the opinion of the authority, based on the demonstrated production potential of the primary production enterprise, will eventually derive the majority of the person’s income from the primary production enterprise; or
- a partnership, company or trust that carries on a primary production enterprise, any partners, shareholders, or beneficiaries
- spend the majority of their labour on a primary production enterprise; and
- either
- derive the majority of their income from the primary production enterprise; or
- in the opinion of the authority, based on the demonstrated production potential of the primary production enterprise, will eventually derive the majority of their income from the primary production enterprise.
No, grant funding is only eligible for projects approved under the scheme. Approved projects must not have been started (or completed) at the time of applying.
Yes. However, you must be operating separate primary production enterprises under separate Australian Business Numbers (ABN). As part of the assessment, QRIDA will confirm these are eligible separate businesses.
Grant funding is not guaranteed at any stage of the application process and QRIDA is only able to approve applications subject to the availability of funds.
Please allow up to 30 days from when QRIDA receives your complete application for a decision to be notified.
QRIDA is committed to ensuring due administrative processes are undertaken with the decisioning of applications for Government assistance.
When making decisions on applications, as well as the internal review of a decision, QRIDA follows the QRIDA Decision-Making Policy and Procedure.
You can view this Policy and Procedure on the Reviewing a decision page.
