The latest round of funding comes from the National Resilience and Recovery Agency's Black Summer Bushfire Recovery grant program, with grants of a minimum of $20,000 available for councils, businesses and other groups, for projects that support recovery and resilience following the 2019-20 bushfires.

This could include projects that build stronger communities by supporting social, economic and built environment recovery; empower local communities to address bushfire recovery priorities, and rebuild and grow the economy of the local communities impacted by the bushfires.

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Over the past 18 months, Cessnock City Council has been successful in obtaining government funding and other grants to support local bushfire and flood recovery activities and initiatives.

Large portions have been directed to fixing roads and bridges impacted by bushfires and floods, as well as to tourism projects to support bringing more visitors to the region.

Other grants have funded projects that improve the preparedness of bushfire-impacted communities, including risk mitigation upgrades to community halls in Laguna and Wollombi, improving road and property signs to assist with navigation of emergency vehicles, and upskilling residents in First Aid and chainsaw use.

Council has worked closely with bushfire-impacted community organisations to assist them to obtain grant funding, and is encouraging groups to get in touch with its community recovery officer Melissa Boucher about the latest round of grants.

Past projects council has successfully worked on include Wollombi School Community Education Trust. The group secured funding to support community connection activities such as craft mornings, the local choir, and a community garden, as well as essential upgrade works to their community facility.

Council has also been working closely with local Rural Fire Service brigades to obtain funding for projects within their communities.

To discuss potential projects, please email melissa.boucher@cessnock.nsw.gov.au or call 4993 4257.

Applications for the Black Summer Bushfire Grants close Wednesday, October 6 at business.gov.au.