Remote Airstrip Upgrade Program Round 11

The Remote Airstrip Upgrade Program provides funding to improve aerodromes in remote areas of Australia. The aim is to provide year-round all-weather access and improve delivery of essential goods and services.
Open
Closes in 1 day

Closing date: Friday 13 December 2024 5:00pm AEDT Fri 13 Dec 2024 5:00pm AEDT

What do you get?

Grants from $5,000 to $4 million 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. 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
  • complement air services delivery to communities subsidised under the Australian Government’s Remote Air Services Subsidy (RASS) Scheme
  • meet operational requirements of aeromedical (including the RFDS) and emergency services
  • support improved access to air services for people with disability.

The maximum grant amount is $4,000,000.

The grant will be up to 50% of eligible project costs, unless:

  • the applicant (you) and a third party (could include state, territory or local government or other non-government funding) are both contributing to eligible project costs, the grant amount for this opportunity may be reduced to a third of eligible project costs
  • the applicant (you) meets the definition as an Indigenous Owned and/or Operated Aerodrome, the grant will be up to 100% of eligible project costs.

Check if you can apply

You can apply if you meet the eligibility criteria. The eligibility criteria are a set of rules that describe who we can consider for this grant. You can apply if you:

  • are an eligible entity
  • have an eligible project
  • have eligible expenditure.

The rules are in the grant opportunity guidelines.

To be eligible you must:

You must also be one of the following entities:

  • an entity, incorporated in Australia
  • an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth)
  • an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
  • an incorporated association
  • an incorporated not for profit organisation
  • an Australian local government agency or body as defined in section 14 of the grant opportunity guidelines
  • an Australian state/territory government agency or body including statutory corporations that are deemed by statute to be a body that represent the government of a state/territory
  • a corporate Commonwealth entity.

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 will be:

  • the lead applicant in a joint application
  • responsible for the project including administering, reporting and acquitting project expenditure
  • responsible for entering into a grant agreement with the Commonwealth.

We can only accept applications where you provide evidence from your board or Council (or chief executive officer (CEO) or equivalent if there is no board) that the project is supported by the applicant organisation, and that the organisation is willing to accept responsibility to complete the project and meet the costs of the project not covered by grant funding.

You can’t apply if you are:

Partner with other organisations

You can partner with one or more other organisations that also meet the eligibility criteria. But you must decide who the lead organisation is.

The lead organisation must fill out the application form.

If we give your group the grant, the lead organisation:

  • signs the grant agreement
  • is responsible for making sure your group follows the rules in the grant agreement.

You must complete your project by 30 April 2027.

To be eligible your project must:

  • be aimed at enhancing the safety and accessibility of aerodromes in remote and very remote areas of Australia
  • have at least $5,000 in eligible expenditure.

Eligible activities must directly relate to the project and may include the following:

  • works to improve all weather capability of the aerodrome and aircraft safety including:
    • sealing and/or re-sealing and re-sheeting of aircraft pavements
    • repair, restoration and/or reconstruction of the airstrip, taxiway and/or apron
    • airstrip drainage works
    • basic airside ambulance and passenger shelters (to support patient health in transit).
  • works to enhance aerodrome safety for aircraft operations including:
    • installation or restoration of animal fencing
    • provision of markers and navigational aids
    • works to reduce safety hazards at an aerodrome
    • provision of safety related operational and/or training manuals and training for key operational personnel.
  • works to better enable night time operations including:
    • installation of runway and taxiway lighting
    • provision of power for aerodrome lighting
    • installation of Pilot Activated Lighting Control systems.
  • works to support access to air services for people with disability including:
    • installation of ramps, signage or other modifications or works to improve disability access to existing facilities
    • provision of aircraft boarding facilities where these will allow an accessible whole aviation journey
    • other works or expenditure may be considered where evidence of consultation with community disability accessibility stakeholders and need is provided.

We may also approve other activities any additional activities must be in line with objectives and outcomes in the guidelines.

You can use this grant funding for:

  • contractor costs
    • costs associated with contractors who undertake project activities (including capital items and materials purchased by contractor).
  • employee costs
    • the portion of employee costs directly related to undertaking core elements of the project (including labour-on costs at an additional 30%).
  • aviation-safety related staff training
    • costs associated with the provision of aviation-safety related staff training.
  • capital expenditure for the purchase of assets, including:
    • power provisions
    • lighting and control systems
    • markers and navigational aids
    • training materials
    • assets to support access to terminal and/or aircraft for people with disability. 
  • cost of materials associated with:
    • airstrip sealing, re-sealing and sheeting
    • repair, restoration and reconstruction or drainage works
    • fencing materials
    • basic airside ambulance and emergency patient shelters (to support patient health in transit)
    • clearing of land for an approved project
    • works to support access to terminal and/or aircraft for people with disability.
  • independent audit report
    • the cost of an independent audit of project expenditure (where we request one) up to 1% of total eligible project expenditure but no more than $5,000.
  • tender design and process costs:
    • costs associated with final engineering specifications and drawings required for tender design and construction process
    • contingency costs, inspection reports and/or consultancy advice up to a maximum of 10% of the eligible project cost. Noting that we only make payments based on actual cost incurred.

We may also approve other items of expenditure any additional expenditure must be in line with objectives and outcomes in the guidelines.

How to apply

Check if you’re ready to apply for a grant

Finding a suitable grant opportunity is just the start of the process to get funding. The application process can take time and effort. Understanding the entire process will help you be grant ready and may improve your chances of getting funding.

Use our checklist to find out what it takes to apply for a grant.

When you're ready to apply

Apply using our online portal:

  1. Create or log into your portal account.
  2. Follow the instructions to complete your application.
  3. Submit your application before the close date.

Make sure you include enough detail and supporting evidence in your application to help us decide whether to award you the grant.

First we check that you meet the eligibility criteria.

Eligible applications will be assessed by an assessment panel composed of representatives from Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (DITRDCA).

The assessment criteria are a set of rules that describe how we must assess each application.

We give each criterion a certain number of points.

The assessment panel will only consider funding applications that score at least 50% against each assessment criterion on the basis that these represent the best value for relevant money.

  • Assessment criterion 1: Demonstrated need for your project (50 points)
  • Assessment criterion 2: Capacity, capability and resources to deliver the project (25 points)
  • Assessment criterion 3: Impact/benefit of grant funding on your project (25 points)

The amount of detail and supporting evidence you provide should be relative to the project size, complexity and grant amount requested.

The Minister makes the final decision.

Apply now

Apply for the Remote Airstrip Upgrade Program: Round 11 now

Before you apply, make sure you:

  • read and understand the grant opportunity guidelines
  • have the necessary supporting documents.
Apply now

Sample applications

The best way to understand what information you need to provide is to start an application. We have also provided a version to download at the bottom of this page.

Technical help

See our customer portal's frequently asked questions to help with your queries. If you can't find your answer, contact us for assistance.

If you submit your application before the close date you can retrieve it any time to make changes. But you must submit it again before the close date.

We can’t consider the application you submit after the close date under any circumstances.

Past and current rounds

Open

Contact

Need help?

Let us answer your question over the phone, email or live chat.

  • Phone:
  • Open Hours:
    Monday – Friday, 8am – 8pm across Australia
  • Website:

Key documents

Grant opportunity guidelines

pdf · 0.45 MB docx · 0.28 MB

Sample application form

pdf · 0.37 MB docx · 0.25 MB

Sample grant agreement

pdf · 0.35 MB docx · 0.14 MB

Sample Board or CEO approval letter

pdf · 0.04 MB docx · 0.21 MB
Was this page helpful?