GO8429: Future Drought Fund Drought Resilience Hubs

The Australian Government is inviting applications via an open process to apply to deliver services under the Future Drought Fund Drought Resilience Hubs Program nationally from 2026–27 to 2031–2032.

The program will establish 7 Drought Resilience Hubs (Hubs) across Australia, with the vision to build drought resilience across the drought cycle by connecting farmers and communities to regional experts, innovations, new practices and services.

The objectives of the program are: to facilitate the delivery of place-based extension and adoption activities with a realistic prospect of impact strong collaboration across the 7 Hubs, with Australian, state and territory governments, Research and Development Corporations and other relevant bodies robust governance frameworks that enable efficient, effective delivery with strong transparency and accountability mechanisms to build stakeholder trust.

The outcomes of the program are: increased farmer and community understanding of drought-resilient practices, innovations and services increased adoption of drought-resilient practices by farmers and regional and rural communities improved analysis and understanding by Hubs, Hub partners and government policymakers of drought-resilient extension and adoption gaps in the service region and identification of place-based solutions improved collaborative planning and delivery of drought-resilient activities between Hubs, state and territory governments, Research and Development Corporations, and industry/community stakeholders improved linkages between farmers and communities’ research needs and experts and researchers to support co-designed research solutions.

Applicants must be a Company, Cooperative, Corporate Commonwealth Entity, Corporate State or Territory Entity, Incorporated Association, or Indigenous Corporation.

A trustee applying for a trust must itself be an eligible entity type.

Consortia may apply where the lead applicant is an eligible entity and is solely accountable to the Commonwealth.

Applicants must have a mature business plan for a Hub ready for implementation, including proposed partners and contributions; commit a cash and/or in-kind co-contribution; demonstrate partnership and collaboration with existing extension providers through proposed activities and letters of support; be able to partner with the relevant state or territory government; confirm that they have or will form a skills-based Advisory Board, including a department representative in observer status; and confirm that they have or will appoint a Hub Director with staff and program-management skills, strategic leadership capability, time and capacity to engage in Hub activities, and responsibility as the department's central contact point.