Funded non-government organisations
Disaster impact assessment, relief and recovery activities
March 2011
Dear Colleagues
As you know the Department has been telephoning organisations which are in or near areas affected
by recent disasters to discover the extent of any damage they might have suffered or in what other
ways they have been impacted during the ordeals. To support both individuals and organisations
affected by the disasters, the Department has worked to activate various categories of the Natural
Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA).
For individuals, the Department activated:
• Personal Hardship Grants to a maximum of $850 per family which is not means tested
• Two grants which are means tested:
– Essential Household Contents Grants to a maximum of $5,120 per household
– Structural Assistance Grants for homeowners to a maximum of $10,500 for individuals or
$14,200 for families
• A new Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Scheme to a maximum of $5,000 per
household to enable utilities to be reconnected,
Additionally, some of the Department’s usual products are available for disaster affected people,
including:
• Bond Loans
• Rental Grants
• Mortgage Relief Loans, and
• Temporary/emergency accommodation
• Home Assist Secure
• Tenancy Advice and Advocacy Services
The Community Recovery Referral and Information Centres established in disaster affected locations
are the best placed for individuals to access these grants. If, however, the recovery centre has
closed, please call 1800 173 349 or visit the Department’s website for further information at
http://www.communityservices.qld.gov.au/community/community-recovery/support-
assistance/support-assistance.html#sag
As the natural disasters have affected some organisations directly, the Department has contributed to
activating one-off grants and loans for not-for-profit organisations to assist them to restore
services.
This scheme, which is co-funded by the Australian and Queensland governments, will provide
financial assistance to eligible NGOs to help restore operations to enable service delivery to the
community. Restoring operations could mean using funds for clean up costs, the replacement,
restoration and repair of equipment and essential items and leasing temporary premises to enable
restoration of services. The scheme has two components:
• A recovery grant of up to $25,000 ($5,000 in the first instance and up to a further $20,000 where
damage is more significant), and
Funded Non-Government Organisations: Disaster impact assessment, relief and recovery activities
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A concessional interest loans of up to $100,000, including a further grant of up to $5,000 when a
loan of over $25,000 is accessed (by way of combination of loan and grant in the ratio 5:1).
•
The Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority (QRAA) will administer these schemes on behalf of the
Queensland Government under a new Regulation which is being created. Application forms,
eligibility criteria and guidelines for the schemes are available on the Queensland Government’s
Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority (QRAA) website: www.qraa.qld.gov.au. QRAA can also be
contacted on Freecall 1800 623 946.
Other assistance is available for eligible organisations through the Departments Sport and Recreation
Flood Fightback Plan for equipment, Sport and Recreation Flood Fightback Plan for infrastructure
and HACC services for Restoring facilities owned by NGOs, where the Department has a financial
interest.
Should your organisation need to adjust its outputs and deliverables under its service agreement
because of the effects of the floods, there are options under amendments such as a change of
purpose or redirection of funding. Please contact your regional office to discuss these options in the
first instance.
Some funded organisations have responded to higher levels of service demand in disaster affected
areas. The Department will provide limited targeted funding for the purpose of addressing this
demand. The reporting would be as per normal service agreement arrangements and the outputs
funded are likely to be one or more of those in the following list:
Financial advice, information and referral
Housing/tenancy information, advice and
referral
General service availability, information,
advice and referral
Individual advocacy
Needs assessment and management of
case/service plans
Mutual support and self-help
Crisis counselling
Counselling, other
Transitional accommodation
Crisis accommodation
Respite care
Home maintenance
Personal assistance
Domestic assistance
In-home accommodation support
Social support, escorting, visiting and
personal transport
Should your organisation need to use interpreters to ensure that services for disaster affected
people are provided in languages that people understand and usually use, the established
arrangements for the payment for interpreter services is contained on the Department’s website
at http://www.communityservices.qld.gov.au/department/funding/interpreting-
services/index.html
If you have any queries in regard to community sector recovery activities, please contact the
department at: sdfeedback@communities.qld.gov.au or via telephone on 07 322 48090.
I look forward to working with the community sector to ensure it supports Queensland to get back on
its feet as quickly as possible.
Regards
Linda Apelt
Director-General
Department of Communities
Attachment 1 Communique

The coaching staff and the players would like to thank the sponsors for their participation and support:
Bidgerdii Community Health Service
Milbi Inc
Grant & Simpson
Darumbal Community Youth Service
NAIDOC Social Golf Club
Seaspray
JR Apparel
Red Cross
Shea Taylor (war dance)
‘Aunty’ Nikki Hatfield