Fifth round of Building Better Regions Fund opens

COUNCILS and community groups in the Geelong region can now apply for grants under the fifth round of the federal Coalition’s Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF).

Applications for the fund have opened, and Victorian Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson said round five of the BBRF included $100 million in dedicated funding for infrastructure to help the recovery of regional tourism, as well as another $100 million for broader community infrastructure and investment.

“2020 was a challenging year for our community, with bushfires, drought and a global pandemic but the BBRF will help to kickstart this new year, bringing support to community driven projects our at a time it is most needed,” she said.

“Regional Victoria plays an integral role in our nation’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and I encourage communities in our region to apply for both the community investments stream and the infrastructure projects stream to enhance our community facilities, create much-needed jobs and encourage community cohesion through this time.

“Our region has already benefited from previous rounds of the BBRF with investments in projects such as the delivery of $260,000 for the Youth Training Facility Construction project at the Jan Juc Surf Life Saving Club, driving economic growth in regional Victoria and delivering lasting benefits to our local communities.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the federal government was proud to be supporting regional communities through the BBRF, particularly those regions that relied upon domestic and international tourism.

“The first four rounds of the BBRF were highly competitive with more than 3,200 applications received and 995 projects approved for funding, totalling just over $841.6 million.

“This is why I encourage all eligible applicants to apply for funding to ensure the lifeblood of this nation – our regions – continue building strong communities for the future.”

Applications can be submitted through the online portal at business.gov.au/bbrf before March 5, with successful applicants expected to be announced in mid-2021.

If potential applicants have any questions regarding eligibility or delivery of the program, they can contact the AusIndustry Business Grants Hub on 13 28 46 to discuss their individual circumstances.

Prospective applicants are also encouraged to contact their local Regional Development Australia (RDA) committee to discuss their application. For more information, including contact details for your local RDA, head to rda.gov.au.