Natural Disaster Recovery Grants Scheme
Exceptional Circumstances Grant Guidelines
(Non-profit Organisations)
1.
Purpose of support
This assistance measure, made under agreements
between the Commonwealth and State Governments is
designed to assist non-profit organisations pay for costs of
clean-up and reinstatement of eligible entities that have
suffered direct damage caused by an eligible disaster.
4.
a)
Nature of assistance
b)
The exceptional circumstances grant provided under
the scheme is a grant to help a non-profit organisation
clean-up and reinstate their non-profit organisation by
covering the cost of any of the following activities:
(a) purchasing, hiring or leasing equipment or materials to
clean premises, property or equipment;
(b) employing (including engagement under a contract for
services) a person to clean premises, property or
equipment if—
(i) the cost would not ordinarily have been incurred
in the absence of the eligible disaster; or
(ii) the cost exceeds the cost of employing a person
to clean the premises, property or equipment that
would ordinarily have been incurred in the
absence of the eligible disaster
(c) removing and disposing of debris, damaged goods and
material;
(d) repairing buildings;
(e) any of the following—
(i) repairing or replacing fittings in a building
(ii) engaging a person to conduct a safety inspection
of premises;
(iii) purchasing, hiring or leasing equipment or
materials that are essential for immediately
resuming operations as a non-profit organisation;
(iv) replacing lost or damaged stock if the replacement
is essential for immediately resuming operations as
a non-profit organisation;
(v) leasing temporary premises for the purpose of
resuming operations as a non-profit organisation.
3.
Amount of assistance
For an exceptional circumstances grant, the maximum
total amount of assistance available is up to $25,000.
An initial grant amount of up to $5,000 is available to
pay for costs arising out of direct damage caused by
an eligible disaster.
To support an initial claim, applicants need to provide
evidence of the direct damage such as photographs,
quotations, tax invoices and official receipts. For
claims over the amount available under the initial
grant, full evidence of payment will be required.
Assistance is not intended to compensate non-profit
organisations for loss of income suffered as a result of the
eligible disaster.
2.
Financial evidence for application
A subsequent grant amount of up to $20,000 is
available to pay for additional costs arising out of
direct damage caused by an eligible disaster.
To support a subsequent claim, applicants must
provide evidence of payment that all amounts
claimed by the applicant under the scheme have
been paid by the applicant. This evidence must also
cover the amounts claimed under the initial grant.
Note: multiple subsequent grant applications can be made
provided the total amount of these claims does not exceed the
maximum amount available under the exceptional grant.
Evidence of payment is to be provided as follows:
(i) tax invoice(s) showing full details of the goods or
services provided. The goods and services
described on each invoice must be clearly identifiable
as being related to damage from the eligible disaster;
and
(ii) evidence of payment for these tax invoices. A copy
must be provided of applicant’s bank transfer(s)
and/or bank statement(s) with any relevant official
receipt(s) from suppliers or contractors.
5.
Eligibility criteria
5.1 To be eligible for an exceptional circumstances
grant an applicant must:
(a) be applying for assistance for a non-profit
organisation; and
(b) the non-profit organisation must be located in the
defined disaster area for the eligible disaster and
its means for conducting its operations have
suffered direct damage as a result of the eligible
disaster; and
(c) have been engaged in conducting its operations
as a non-profit organisation when affected by the
eligible disaster; and
(d) be primarily responsible for meeting the costs
claimed in the application; and
(e) be unable to repair or replace assets directly
damaged as a result of the eligible disaster from
the applicant’s own resources without assistance
under the scheme; and
5.
Eligibility criteria (continued)
(f) satisfy QRAA that they intend to re-establish their
operations in the defined disaster area for the
eligible disaster.
5.2 An applicant may also be eligible for an exceptional
circumstances grant if both of the following apply:
(a) the non-profit organisation is located outside the
defined disaster area for the eligible disaster but
is operated at least sometimes on a regular basis
in the area;
(b) plant or equipment of the non-profit organisation
situated in the defined disaster area has been
damaged as a result of the eligible disaster.
5.3 An applicant is not eligible for assistance under the
scheme:
(a) for loss of income as a result of the eligible
disaster; or
(b) if the non-profit organisation is entitled to receive
an amount under a policy of insurance for the
relevant costs claimed; or
(c) if the non-profit organisation has received, or is
approved to receive financial assistance* other
than partial assistance under another scheme for
which a claim is made in the application.
*Examples of other financial assistance include • a grant provided under the community recovery fund for the
eligible disaster; or
• any financial assistance whether or not of the Commonwealth
government or another government.
6.
Eligible separate operations
Applicants who operate more than one non-profit
organisation, for example at separate locations, may apply
for assistance for each eligible separate operation up to
the maximum amount of assistance available for the
relevant defined disaster area and determined by the
establishment notice.
When determining an application on this basis QRAA may
consider (but is not limited to):
(a) the staffing arrangements of the separate
operation; and
(b) the accounting and insurance arrangements of the
separate business; and
(c) whether the separate operation operates under its
own trading name; and
(d) the financial independence and autonomy of the
separate operation.
7.
7.
Terms and conditions (continued)
7.3 Applicants must consent to QRAA conducting an
audit of quotations, tax invoices, official receipts,
bank statements or other similar records to verify the
amounts given under the scheme have been used in
accordance with the claim. Penalties may apply for
false or misleading information.
7.4 Applicants must provide authorisation for QRAA to
contact their insurance company to confirm or verify
entitlements or the outcome of any claims made in
relation to the eligible disaster.
7.5 QRAA may request that an applicant provide further
relevant information required to decide an application.
8.
Definitions
Closing day, for an application under the scheme for an
eligible disaster means:
(a) the day by which QRAA must receive the
application as stated in the establishment notice for
the eligible disaster; or
(b) if the day is changed, the day as changed.
Community recovery fund means a community recovery
fund described in the following documents (available at
www.disasterassist.gov.au):
• ‘Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery
Arrangements – determination 2012’ version 2
• ‘Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery
Arrangements guideline 3 – category C interim
assessment framework’.
Defined disaster area, for an eligible disaster, means an
area defined for the purpose of activating the Natural
Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements for the
communities affected by the eligible disaster. (Detailed in
the activation notice).
Eligible disaster means any of the following events
described in an assistance establishment notice: a
bushfire, a cyclone, an earthquake, a flood, a landslide, a
meteorite strike, a storm (including hail, rain, and wind), a
storm surge, a terrorist event, a tornado, a tsunami.
However, an eligible disaster does not include an event if
QRAA considers that development has significantly
contributed to the event.
Eligible separate operation means a non-profit
organisation that would continue to run autonomously if
other operations operated by the non-profit organisation
ceased to operate.
Terms and conditions
7.1 Applicants are able to apply for assistance under the
scheme in only one of the following capacities:
(a) primary producer;
(b) small business owner;
(c) non-profit organisation.
7.2 Applicants must retain all tax invoices, official
receipts, bank statements, quotations or other similar
records for assistance received under the scheme
until one year after the closing day for applications for
the eligible disaster (detailed in Schedule one).
Natural disaster relief and recovery arrangements
means the funding arrangements agreed between the
Commonwealth and the State for providing financial
assistance to communities affected by natural disasters.
Non-profit organisation means an incorporated
charitable or other organisation that is not operating for the
profit or gain either direct or indirect, of its individual
members and provides a benefit to the community.
This definition applies while the organisation is operating
and when it winds up, as if it were still operating.
Version 1 – as at 13/04/2017
For further information consult the Rural & Regional Adjustment Regulation 2011
Page 2 of 3
8.
Definitions (continued)
Any profit made by the organisation must go back into the
operation of the organisation to carry out its purposes and
not be distributed to any of its members.
Official receipt means a receipt including the name and
address and ABN (if applicable) of the entity that issued
the receipt and a description of each item to which the
receipt relates.
Partial assistance (in relation to another scheme), means
assistance under that scheme to fund part of the cost of
the item for which a claim is made in the application.
9.
Applications
Applications for assistance under the scheme must be
made on QRAA’s application form and be accompanied by
the documentation stated on the application form.
Applications must be received by QRAA no later than the
applications closing day.
Payments made by QRAA may result in financial, taxation,
legal or other implications. Applicants are advised to seek
independent professional advice in regards to possible
implications before participating in this scheme.
Any information provided by QRAA in relation to this scheme
has been taken from sources believed to be reliable however
QRAA does not represent that the information is accurate or
complete and it should not be relied upon as such.
QRAA does not assume any common law duty of care
towards applicants in relation to this scheme or any
information provided in relation to this scheme and QRAA
will not be liable for any loss or damage however caused
(including the negligence of QRAA), suffered or incurred
by applicants in connection with this scheme or any
information provided by QRAA in relation to this scheme.
Schedule one
Severe Tropical Cyclone Debbie and associated
rainfall and flooding, 28 March – 6 April 2017.
Eligible disaster for this schedule means direct damage
caused by Severe Tropical Cyclone Debbie and
associated rainfall and flooding, 28 March – 6 April 2017.
For information on the defined disaster area/s, please refer
to the activation notice on QRAA’s website.
Applications closing day: 13/10/2017
For further information, please contact QRAA on
Freecall: 1800 623 946
Email: [email protected] or visit
www.qraa.qld.gov.au
QRAA Regional Area Managers are located in
Bundaberg, Cloncurry, Emerald, Innisfail, Kingaroy,
Mackay, Rockhampton, Roma and Toowoomba.
Version 1 – as at 13/04/2017
For further information consult the Rural & Regional Adjustment Regulation 2011
Page 3 of 3