The Australian government has announced it is extending the Safer Communities Fund following the terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Funding will be boosted for the upcoming round of grants from the fund for religious organisations to increase security at their premises.
$50 million will be available in round 4 and grants will be prioritised for religious schools, places of religious worship and religious assembly.
Grants ranging from $50,000 to $1.5 million will provide for safety enhancements such as CCTV cameras, lighting, fencing, bollards, alarms, security systems and public address systems.
Funding is available over three years for security infrastructure and projects and applications for funding can be lodged from 19th of March, 2019.
Who can apply:
At a minimum, you must have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and be one of the following entities:
- an incorporated not for profit organisation
- an Australian local government agency or body
- an Australian State/Territory Government agency or body
- a registered school or pre-school that is a legal entity (with its own unique ABN) and that can enter into a grant agreement in its own right
- a legal entity applying on behalf of a registered school or pre-school.
Other eligibility requirements apply.
Deadline to apply:
Funding is awarded to successful applicants in the order received until funding is exhausted. If funding is available at the conclusion of Opportunity 1, a further opportunity may open.
Estimated dates for Opportunity 2, if funds are available:
- applications open: 5 June 2019 9:00 am AEST
- applications close: 26 June 2019 5:00 pm AEST
This latest funding announcement brings the total amount available under the Safer Communities Fund to $119.9 million between 2016-17 and 2020-21. To date around 340 grants have been made.
Applications for round four can be submitted from 19 March 2019 and will be assessed progressively in the order they are received until the funding is exhausted.
Potential applicants should start preparing applications now. Further details are available on the Australian Government’s Safer Communities Fund website at: https://www.business.gov.au/assistance/safer-communities-fund-round-4.
