Fifteen small to medium businesses and three local councils in flood-impacted towns and villages across the Northern Rivers are set to share in more than $9.2 million worth of grants thanks to the NSW Government’s Towns and Villages Resilient Business Activation Program.

In Lismore, the businesses included NORPA, REDinc, Lismore Unlimited, the Lismore Rugby Club, Ecoteam and Lismore Gateway.

Announced in September last year, the funding for businesses and local CBD's will be delivered through the Government’s Community Restoration Flood Fund to help support the economic recovery of villages and town centres in the Northern Rivers with direct activation and revitalisation projects.

The Program is being delivered across the seven most flood-impacted Local Government Areas in the Northern Rivers, including Lismore, Tweed, Byron, Ballina, Richmond Valley, Kyogle, and Clarence Valley, with each reporting the highest average damage and other costs for businesses.

Applicants were required to show how the project would benefit the local community and align with one or more of the Program’s objectives – for example, repair or replace damaged fixed equipment, machinery, or infrastructure needed to keep the business operating or the implementation of flood barriers, elevated foundations, waterproofing, flood resilient doors or windows and drainage systems.

The funding was available through two targeted streams:

• Stream 1 – Infrastructure support for small and medium-sized businesses with grant amounts from $250,000 to $2 million.
• Stream 2 – CBD activation and revitalisation projects delivered by Councils with grant amounts from $50,000 to $500,000.

This was a competitive program, which received more applications than available funding. The NSW Reconstruction Authority engaged the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development to govern the delivery and management of the Program.

NSW Reconstruction Authority CEO Mal Lanyon said, “We know that many small and medium businesses are still recovering from the 2022 floods, so this funding is welcome news for those business owners.

“The grants provide practical assistance to undertake repairs or replace key machinery or infrastructure and measure to prevent flood impacts, which is essential to the daily operations and livelihoods of the communities in the Northern Rivers.

“Three councils will be able to revitalise their CBD’s and ensure there are once again great spaces for community to gather through improvements to the visual appeal, usability and safety of public areas.”