The objectives of the program are to: increase the understanding of natural disaster impacts, as a first step towards reducing the risk of future natural disaster impacts; increase the resilience, adaptive capacity and/or preparedness of governments, community service organisations and affected communities to future natural disasters to minimise the potential impact of natural hazards and reduce the risk of future natural disasters, and; reduce the exposure to risk, harm and/or severity of a future natural disaster’s impacts, including reducing the recovery burden for governments, cohorts at disproportionate risk, and/or affected
communities.

Only Australian state and territory governments, through Lead Agencies, are eligible to submit Applications to NEMA for DRF funding. However, any entity that satisfies the eligibility criteria may develop a Project Proposal and submit that proposal to a Lead Agency for its consideration. A Lead Agency may only apply for funding in respect of Project Proposals where the Applicant has an Australian Business Number (ABN) or is a First Nations organisation or a Not-For-Profit organisation and has the capacity to enter into a legally binding agreement. Lead Agencies are required to demonstrate that a co-contribution will be made (either by the Lead Agency, the Applicant or the delivery partners) towards each project. Co-contribution requirements for each project depend on the Applicant's entity type

Legal requirements: Aboriginal Community-Controlled, Nonprofit legal entity (inc. assn, company, coop. or trust), Local government, For-profit, ACNC Registered Charity

the Applicant or a delivery partner is an organisation included on the National Redress Scheme's website on the list of Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme. The Applicant is: an Australian Government body (including government business enterprises) or other entity that is wholly funded by the Australian Government; an individual; an overseas resident/organisation.

Details at: https://www.nema.gov.au/our-work/key-programs/disaster-ready-fund. Applicants must submit Project Proposals to Lead Agencies by the closing time and date. Lead agencies can be found at: https://www.nema.gov.au/our-work/key-programs/disaster-ready-fund#LeadAgencies. Each lead agency has their own application form.