ACCAN has written a submission in response to the draft Regional Connectivity Program Grant Opportunity Guidelines.

ACCAN was pleased to see the Grant Opportunity Guidelines prioritised the place-based needs of local communities and directed applicants to draw on advice from local industry, business, and community groups, not-for-profits and First Nations community-controlled organisations. The inclusion of three funding streams, including a low-budget option for smaller projects, will also mean more regional, rural and remote communities will be in a position to apply for funding.

However, ACCAN proposed several revisions to the Guidelines to improve the effectiveness of the program, including:

• More realistic timeframes for the roll-out of regional telecommunications infrastructure;
• More sustainable long-term funding solutions to enable continuity of services in non-metropolitan regions;
• Provision of a ‘broker’ to assist inexperienced communities without existing industry connections to submit funding applications;
• Allowance for non-cash co-contributions by some communities as an incentive to industry to invest in cash-poor regions; and
• Maximised promotion of the program to rural, regional and remote communities via their existing networks.

Download: Regional Connectivity Program Grant Opportunity Guidelines80.06 KB

Download: Regional Connectivity Program Grant Opportunity Guidelines174.22 KB