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Grants to improve safety and accessibility of remote airstrips
Remote Airstrip Upgrade Program – Round 8
What do you get?
Grants of up to $500,000 to enhance aerodrome safety and accessibility.
Who is this for?
Owners and operators of aerodromes in remote or very remote areas of Australia.
About the program
The Remote Airstrip Upgrade Program provides grants to enhance the safety and accessibility of aerodromes in remote and very remote areas of Australia. It will provide year round all weather access, particularly where road access is unavailable or unreliable. This will:
- improve the safety of aircraft, operators and passengers using remote and very remote airstrips
- facilitate improved delivery of essential goods and services such as food supplies, health care, community mail and passenger air services
- support delivery of health care services by the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) and similar providers
- complement air services delivery to communities subsidised under the Australian Government’s Remote Aviation Access Program (RAAP) through the Remote Air Services Subsidy (RASS) Scheme
- meet operational requirements of the RFDS or operators providing similar aeromedical services
The maximum grant amount is $500,000.
The grant will be up to 50% of eligible project costs, unless:
- you are an Indigenous owned and/or operated aerodrome – then we will cover up to 100% of eligible project costs
- you are an Australian local government agency or body and the total project cost is equal to or less than $150,000 – then we will cover up to 100% of eligible project costs
- you and a third party are contributing to project costs – then we will cover up to 33.3% of eligible project costs
Eligibility
What are the eligibility criteria?
To be eligible, you must:
- have an Australian business number (ABN)
- be an owner and/or operator of an existing aerodrome in an area classed as remote or very remote in Australia
You must also be one of the following:
- an entity incorporated in Australia (including incorporated trustees on behalf of a trust)
- an Australian local government agency body (defined in Appendix A of the grant opportunity guidelines)
- an Australian state or territory government agency or body
- a corporate Commonwealth entity
- an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation that is registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006
An eligible organisation may apply on behalf of an aerodrome owner or operator (this excludes Indigenous owned or operated aerodromes seeking 100% of funding). In this case, you’ll be:
- the lead applicant in a joint application
- responsible for the project including administering, reporting and acquitting project expenditure
We can only accept applications if your aerodrome is identified as “remote or very remote” as defined by the 2016 Australian Statistical Geographic Standard (ASGS) Remoteness Area.
Check the full eligibility details in the grant opportunity guidelines.
Applying
How do you apply?
The Remote Airstrip Upgrade Program is currently closed to applications.
We assess your application against the eligibility criteria and then against the assessment criteria. Only eligible applications will proceed to the assessment stage.
In consultation with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications (DITRDC), we may assign a technical expert to develop or analyse the work program you submit. This includes compliance with any relevant Civil Aviation and Safety Authority (CASA) standards and costings.
We may refer your application to an Assessment Panel with representatives from the DITRDC for assessment. The Assessment Panel may also have stakeholder group representatives.
The amount of detail and supporting evidence you provide in your application should be relative to the project size, complexity and grant amount requested. You should define, quantify and provide evidence to support your answers. The sample application form displays character limits.
The Minister will make the final decision.
If your application is successful, you will receive a written offer. If you are unsuccessful, we will notify you in writing and give you the chance to discuss the outcome with us.
Successful applicants must enter into a grant agreement with the Commonwealth. The grant agreement will specify the reporting requirements, payment schedule and milestones necessary to receive payments.
Payments will be made by direct credit into a nominated bank account.
Need help?
Let us answer your question over the phone, email or live chat.
- Phone:
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Open Hours:
Monday – Friday, 8am – 8pm across Australia
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