Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network (HNECC PHN) – Bushfire Community Recovery Grants

This program aims to strengthen social connectedness, emotional wellbeing, and resilience as well as assist communities to recover and heal.

The program will fund grass roots community focussed health and wellbeing initiatives in the following local government areas:
- Mid-coast
- Tenterfield
- Glen Innes Severn
- Armidale
- Walcha
- Central Coast
- Cessnock
- Inverell
- Singleton

Grants of up to $5,000 (GST exclusive) are available.

Eligible applicants include organisations and community groups that are located within the Hunter, New England and Central Coast Region.

Examples of organisations or community groups that will be considered include:
- Groups that represent particular geographic areas
- Cultural groups
- Ages
- Networks
- Those with frontline staff and volunteers impacted by bushfires

Specific examples include:
- Church-affiliated groups
- Aboriginal or migrant groups
- Playgroups and children’s groups
- Groups for older people
- Men’s groups
- Sporting groups
- Local community associations
- School-affiliated groups
- Firefighting brigades
- Charities
- Animal welfare and wildlife organisations

Eligible activities include those that help strengthen community connectedness, build peer support, and promote mental wellbeing and healing after the bushfires. Examples are:
- Bringing the community together to support social skills, connectedness and build networks and friendships through group activities.
- Projects that are recovery focused and aim to build on the community’s and members’ resilience, healing and capacity building.
- Sharing information about available community resources and services and how to access them, including printing and photocopying information sheets and other items for dissemination.
- Assisting community members to identify peers or family members who may need referral to professional and other services to address trauma or distress.
- Engaging proactively with bushfire affected people in remote or isolated areas.
- Initiatives offering comfort, reassurance and assistance to communities and individuals to address practical needs and return to normal routines.
- Practical advice and skills development.

Suitable activities could also include assisting community members to identify peers or family members who may need referral to professional and other services to address trauma or distress.

The following are ineligible for funding:
- Initiatives that duplicate existing activities and services.
- Activities that are more appropriately funded under another grant program or funding source.
- Communities outside the Hunter, New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network region.
- Activities that are difficult to link to bushfire recovery.
- Initiatives that would require ongoing funding.
- Alcohol purchases for community or other events.
- Projects that subsidise commercial activities (e.g. ongoing business operational costs).
- Capital works or construction, including refurbishment, repair or maintenance of existing community infrastructure.
- Purchasing of assets (i.e. buildings or vehicles).