Grants and funding

The department provides grant funding assistance to eligible organisations and community groups through a number of funding programs.

We administer the following housing, outstation and homelands, local government ,and regional economic development grants programs.

Housing Programs

Property and Tenancy Management Program

Property and Tenancy Management Program funding is offered to shire councils and outstation resource centres to deliver tenancy management and repairs and maintenance services to communities identified under the Northern Territory National Emergency Response (NTNER).

The overall aim of the programs is to standardise property and tenancy management services through a public housing-like management model.

Housing Management and Maintenance Program

Housing Management and Maintenance Program funding is offered to assist shire councils, housing organisations and outstation resource centres with the provision of housing management administration and repairs and maintenance services for community housing dwellings in town camps and minor outstation communities not identified under the NTNER.

Community Housing Program

The Community Housing Program is an application-based program, which offers financial assistance to eligible community-based organisations providing longer-term accommodation for people who have special housing needs.

Capital funding is available for the purchase, upgrade or renovation of housing to accommodate people with special needs. Funding is also available for project proposals and infrastructure development relating to accommodation for special needs groups.

Community housing groups may include people with disabilities, the elderly, youth, Indigenous people and people exiting supported accommodation assistance programs.

Crisis Accommodation Program

The Crisis Accommodation Program is an application-based program through which assistance is offered to eligible community organisations providing accommodation and support services for people who are in crisis and/or homeless.

Capital funding is available for the purchase, upgrade or renovation of accommodation for this client group.

Outstations and Homelands Programs

Municipal and Essential Services Program

Municipal and Essential Service funding is offered to shires and resource centres that deliver municipal and essential services to eligible Indigenous Living Areas, as recognised by the Northern Territory and Australian governments.

Eligible items under this program include:

• operational funding for maintenance of power, water and sewerage services / infrastructure, rubbish collection, internal road maintenance, dog health programs, dust control and landscaping activities
• costs associated with the management and administration of municipal and essential services delivery.

Capital Infrastructure Program

Funding is available under this submission-based program to assist eligible organisations with the purchase of capital items and to undertake capital works to improve service delivery to homelands/outstations.

Eligible activities funded under this program include:

• costs associated with major capital repairs and for items such as aerodromes, barge landings, heavy plant equipment and internal roads within homelands/outstations, where they are not the responsibility of another government provider
• urgent major repairs and replacement for items required to assist in preventing disruptions to essential services provision to homelands/outstations.

CDEP Converted Jobs Program

The Converted Jobs Program funding is offered to shire councils and resource centres that deliver municipal and essential services to Indigenous Living Areas.

Funding assists organisations to convert previous CDEP jobs into real and sustainable positions.

Regional and Economic Development Grants

Regional Economic Development Fund

The purpose of the Regional Economic Development Fund (REDF) is to assist with the development of business and industry capability in all regions of the Northern Territory. The fund stimulates and supports regional economic development through locally based initiatives.

Indigenous Business Development Program

The Indigenous Business Development Program (IBDP):

• assists Indigenous people to enter or expand commercial business arrangements that will achieve employment and/or wealth creation opportunities and will help close the economic gap between non Indigenous and Indigenous Territorians
• provides for a flexible funding program that meets Indigenous business needs and is based on sound commercial practice.

Local Government Grants

Local Government Reserves and Other Organisation Funding

This program provides funding to assist with the ongoing activities of reserves and other smaller organisations that provide local government type services.

Closing the Gap – Local Representative Boards/Infrastructure Maintenance Capital Grants

Closing the Gap grants support local government representative boards and provide for infrastructure development. Funding under this program is application based and only shire councils with majority Indigenous populations are eligible to apply.

Matching Funds – Indigenous Employment Program

The Matching Funds scheme provides additional funding to shire councils to support more Indigenous employment opportunities, provided the council is committed to matching the value of funding from the program. For every dollar a council spends on Indigenous employment related costs from its NT Operational, Sport and Recreation and Library Grants, it will receive a dollar from the Matching Funds Scheme.

Needs Based Special Purpose Grants

The Special Purpose Grants are available to all councils. Special Purpose Grants are at the Minister’s discretion for specific purposes related to specific projects councils may wish to undertake in line with local government service delivery.

The focus of needs based funding has been in the areas of:

• training
• key staff housing
• road plant/equipment
• social infrastructure/recreation facilities
• management consultancies.

Northern Territory Operational Subsidy

The Northern Territory Operational Subsidy provides funding to shire councils to assist with the provision of local government services. Funding under this program is the main Northern Territory Government support offered to majority Indigenous shire councils, and is not available to municipal councils.

Australian Government Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs)

Each year, the Australian Government makes financial assistance available to the Northern Territory Government for allocation to local governing bodies under the provisions of its Local Government (Financial Assistance) Act 1995 (FAA). Funding is distributed through the following programs in accordance with the recommendations of the Northern Territory Grants Commission:

• general purpose
• road funding.

To be eligible for a financial assistance grants, an organisation must be either a council gazetted under the Local Government Act or a declared local governing body pursuant to section 4(2) of the Local Government (Financial Assistance) Act 1995 and section 19 of the Local Government Grants Commission Act.

Animal Welfare Fund

The Animal Welfare Fund supports non-profit animal welfare organisations in the Territory undertaking projects aiming to:

• improve animal wellbeing
• raise community awareness of responsibilities in regard to animal welfare
• help progress good animal management practice, including in remote communities.

The maximum grant available for a project is $75,000 per annum (from a pool of funds totaling $200, 000).

Water Safety Awareness Program Grant

A grant of $450,000 (+GST) has been approved to Royal Life Saving Society Australia NT Branch for the purpose of the delivery of the Water Safety Awareness Program over three years. The program provides for parents to receive 5 free water safety sessions for their children aged 6 months to 5 years old - Royal Life Saving Australia, NT Branch conducts these programs.

Miscellaneous Grants and Funding

We also administer funding of $1.2 million to the Bagot Community for housing and essential services upgrades.

Guidelines for recognition of grants and funding receiving

To raise the awareness of the work of the department and the Northern Territory Government, guidelines are in place outlining the use of logos and the representation of the government on receiving of funding and grants. For further information see the Acknowledgement Requirements for NT Government Grants and Sponsorship  15 KB.