The Australian Government has established the Disaster Ready Fund (DRF). The DRF will provide up to one billion dollars over the next five years, from 2023-24 to help communities protect themselves against the impacts of natural hazards across Australia.
NTES is the lead agency coordinating and submitting applications for the DRF on behalf on the NT.
Disaster Ready Fund - Round Three 2025-26 - closed
Project Proposals to state and territory Lead Agencies for DRF Round Three closed on 16 April 2025.
Lead Agencies are responsible for vetting Project Proposals and submitting the most competitive applications to NEMA by 13 June 2025. Questions and requests for updates related to Lead Agency processes should be directed to the relevant Lead Agency via the contact details on NEMA’s website: Disaster Ready Fund | NEMA.
The Australian Government will undertake its assessment of Applications from mid-June to September 2025. Outcome announcements are expected from late September/early October 2025, noting that these dates are indicative only and subject to change. NEMA is unable to provide updates on the status of applications prior to outcome announcements.
The outcomes of the Disaster Ready Fund Round Three 2025-26 are now available. The Territory was successful with five projects totalling $2,838,685.00, with NEMA contributing $1,721,121.00 towards this total. Please refer to successful projects for the Northern Territory.
| Project title | Location | Description | Cth awarded funding | Jurisdiction co-contribution | Total project cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Development of an emergency coordination facility | Alice Springs | Build Alice Springs Town Council’s (ASTC) and the Alice Springs community’s disaster resilience through the development of an Emergency Coordination Facility, which will strengthen Council’s capacity and capability in disaster preparedness, and meeting its response and recovery obligations, as well as minimising business continuity risks for the organisation during and after a disaster. | $593,653 | $73,421 | $667,074 |
| Managing flood risk in Yuendumu | Central Desert | This project aims to manage flood risks in Yuendumu by conducting a detailed survey including a LiDAR survey and flood study and designing stormwater management infrastructure. The design will guide future funding application for the construction of the stormwater management infrastructure in the future DRF rounds. This project mitigates flood risks in Yuendumu, protecting infrastructure, reducing waterborne diseases, enhancing resilience, improving emergency safety, and ensuring sustainable community infrastructure. | $221,643 | $24,734 | $246,377 |
| Laynhapuy Disaster Management Framework: Capacity building for Yolŋu-Led disaster preparedness | East Arnhem | This project will develop a culturally appropriate Disaster Management Framework to help Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation prepare for and respond to disaster events and emergencies such as cyclones, flooding, and bushfires. It will include clear plans, staff training, and practical exercises to build local knowledge and capability. The outcome will be a stronger, safer organisation that can continue supporting Yolŋu communities during and after disaster events. | $150,825 | $16,759 | $167,584 |
| Nitjpurru Community relocation project plan | Victoria Daly | Nitjpurru faces recurring catastrophic floods, making its current location unsafe and unsustainable. This project will:
| $260,000 | $52,650 | $312,650 |
| Embedded Meteorologist to improve disaster risk management in the Northern Territory | Northern Territory - All | The project aims to establish embedded meteorological expertise provided by the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) through the provision of a 36-month service agreement. The project aims to optimise the use of meteorological and hydrological data in tactical and strategic planning, improving the overall efficiency and effectiveness of emergency management. This project works to ensure NT Police, Fire & Emergency Services utilise the best-available information to enhance community resilience to natural disasters. | $495,000 | $495,000 | $990,000 |
Next steps for DRF - Round Three 2025-26 program:
- We will be working with NEMA to negotiate a formal funding agreement under the Federation Funding Agreement – Environment. When the funding agreement is signed, the Commonwealth will transfer funds to us.
- Implementation Plans are required to be submitted to NEMA for approval within two months of the co-signed Federation Funding Agreement. Funding agreements between us and successful applicants will also be required to be formalised. We will be working with successful applicants to work through this.
- Once Implementation Plans and Funding Agreements are in place, funding to successful applicants can be disbursed.
DRF - Round Four
Round Four information will be published on NEMA’s Disaster Ready Fund website late 2025/early 2026.
To stay up-to-date on the progress of Round Four, please check NEMA’s Disaster Ready Fund website and this site for information specific to the Northern Territory.
Future DRF Rounds
Information on Round Four (2026-27) will be published on the Disaster Ready Fund page of NEMA’s website in late 2025/early 2026.
We encourage you to check the Disaster Ready Fund page to stay up-to-date on progress.
NEMA also provides key updates to interested stakeholders via a DRF mailing list; please email disaster.ready@nema.gov.au
with the subject “Add to [or remove from] DRF mailing list” if you wish to be added to or removed from this list.
Previous DRF Rounds
Projects awarded funding under Rounds One (2023-24) and Two (2024-25) of the DRF are listed on NEMA’s website. Questions regarding these projects should be directed to the relevant Lead Agency in the first instance. If necessary, Lead Agencies will seek further information from NEMA.
Have your say on the DRF
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has launched a new survey calling for community feedback about the implementation of the DRF.
To take the survey, visit: NEMA Disaster Ready Fund (DRF) Survey
Further information
Please click here to see all projects funded under the DRF. For more information about the Disaster Ready Fund in the Northern Territory, please contact NTES at NTDRF@pfes.nt.gov.au