On 28 July 2026 the Minister for Primary Industries announced new Queensland drought declarations and the reinstatement of Drought Carry-on Finance Loans and Emergency Drought Assistance Loans for eligible Queensland primary producers. Full details of these loans will be available once administrative arrangements are finalised. Please monitor QRIDA’s website and social media channels for more information about when these loans will open to application and how to apply.
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Regional Drought Resilience Planning Scheme – Phase 2
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Regional Drought Resilience Planning Scheme – Phase 2
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The Regional Drought Resilience Planning Scheme – Phase 2 provides grants of up to $1,387,500 for eligible entities to implement activities identified in a regional drought resilience plan to improve the drought resilience of Queensland regions.
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Program information
The Regional Drought Resilience Planning Scheme – Phase 2 (the Scheme) is designed to assist eligible entities in implementing the activities identified in their regional drought resilience plan (Plan) and administering the Plan. Assistance includes paying wages, salaries and other necessary costs.
Applicants must have an eligibility notice provided by the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) before applying for the Scheme to ensure the activities and services are eligible.
Available assistance
Activity grant
Activity grants of up to $1,000,000 (excluding GST) are available for the costs associated with implementing eligible activities identified in the Plan.
Eligible activities are activities that are designed to improve drought resilience for an eligible region, in accordance with a relevant eligibility notice.
Remuneration grant
Remuneration grants of up to $387,500 (excluding GST) are available for the cost of wages, salary or fees to a person employed, or otherwise engaged, to provide an eligible service identified in the Plan.
Eligibility notices
To be eligible for the grants, applicants must have been provided an eligibility notice for eligible services or activities from DPI.
The eligibility notice will outline the:
- project
- eligible activities and services the applicant can receive under the Scheme
- maximum amount of scheme funding the applicant can receive each financial year.
For more information on eligibility notices, please visit the Regional Drought Resilience Planning Queensland website.
How to apply
1. Receive eligibility notice from DPI
Applicants complete a draft eligibility notice and if approved they will be issued an approved eligibility notice by DPI.
2. Apply to QRIDA
Once the applicant is issued an eligibility notice, they need to apply to QRIDA for assistance under the Scheme. The applicant applying to QRIDA must be the same entity that the eligibility notice was issued to.
Applicants can apply for up to the maximum amount of assistance for the relevant financial year.
3. Enter into financial assistance agreement
If approved, applicants will be provided a financial assistance agreement that sets out the terms of how assistance will be provided by QRIDA. Applicants will need to enter into and comply with this agreement to receive assistance.
4. Receive funding and acquit
Applicants will receive funding and provide progress updates on projects in accordance with their financial assistance agreement. Applicants will be required to acquit funding each year.
5. Final acquittal
Applicants will need to complete and acquit activities and services in accordance with their eligibility notice and financial agreement before the Scheme closing date, or the earlier date provided in the financial assistance agreement.
For more information about Queensland Regional Drought Resilience Planning visit the Regional Drought Resilience Planning Queensland website.
The Regional Drought Resilience Program is jointly funded by the Australian Government through the Future Drought Fund and the Queensland Government.
QRIDA is administering the Regional Drought Resilience Planning Scheme – Phase 2 on behalf of the Queensland Department of Primary Industries (DPI).
Frequently asked questions
If you are successful in receiving a grant you will be required to enter into a legally binding funding agreement with QRIDA. For more information on your grant obligations, please read the guidelines.
If your application is successful, you will be required to enter into a written agreement with QRIDA that steps out when and how the financial assistance will be paid. You will receive your first payment on approval and subsequent payments on completion of milestones.
Please see the template of the financial assistance agreement for more information.
No, GST is not payable on financial assistance under the Scheme.
Yes, you are entitled to a decision review. See reviewing a decision for more information.
Grant funding is not guaranteed at any stage of the application process. Each application will be individually assessed as per the Scheme guidelines.
No. You cannot receive assistance if you have not received an eligibility notice. Please get in touch with DPI to get an eligibility notice approved before applying, and see the Queensland Regional Drought Resilience Planning website for more information on eligibility notices.
Yes, you will need to be issued an eligibility notice by DPI for the specific services and activities you are applying for under Phase 2. Please see the Queensland Regional Drought Resilience Planning website for more information on eligibility notices.
These grants are seed grants only available to those organisations that are signatories to a regional drought resilience plan. All organisations that are signatory to the regional drought resilience plan must agree to the lead organisation to be the grant applicant. The regional drought resilience plans are published on the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s website.
You cannot obtain the grant if you have received other government funding for the same activity or service unless that funding was intended to be used in conjunction with an activity grant or remuneration grant. Additional project activities to a government funded project may be considered under this grant.
QRIDA is committed to ensuring due administrative processes are undertaken with the decisioning of applications for Government assistance.
When making decisions on applications, as well as the internal review of a decision, QRIDA follows the QRIDA Decision-Making Policy and Procedure.
You can view this Policy and Procedure on the Reviewing a decision page.
QRIDA will contact you via telephone, email, SMS or post. Should you be concerned about whether contact you have received is genuine, please contact QRIDA on 1800 623 946.
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