How much funding is available?
Round 1 of the RRBF has a total funding pool of $60 million (excl GST).
Funding is available for approved projects under two funding streams:
- Stream 1 (Small projects) – total $20 million (excl GST)
Councils will be able to apply for up to $2 million (excl GST) to deliver small projects with local or regional benefits.
- Stream 2 (Major projects) – total $40 million (excl GST)
Councils will be able to apply for over $2 million (excl GST) to deliver major projects that will have regional or statewide impact.
What types of projects may be funded under the different funding streams?
Similar activities are eligible under Stream 1 and Stream 2 of the RRBF. Where activities are included in both funding streams, the differences will relate to the scale of the project, the scale of the expected impact or benefit. Small projects may target benefits at the local or regional level, while it is expected that major projects would provide broader scale geographic benefit. It would also be expected that more detailed information would be required to support a Stream 2 project, given increased scale and complexity.
A key difference between the two funding streams is the inclusion of business cases as an example activity under Stream 1. This reflects the focus on material outcomes and infrastructure projects, but allows for a limited amount of funding to support future projects.
Section 3.2 of the Program guidelines provides specific eligibility requirement for projects, and a list of example projects under each funding stream.
What sorts of projects are ineligible for RRBF funding?
The focus of the RRBF is on the development of key resource recovery and recycling infrastructure that will result in measurable material benefits. To support this focus, certain projects are ineligible for funding. These are listed under section 3.3 of the Program guidelines and include standalone waste audit projects, projects related to container refund points, and projects than may be eligible under other grant funding programs administered by the department.
Can a project include different kinds of activities?
A project may have different project elements, but must constitute a clearly defined project rather than a collection of separate activities.
For example, an applicant may wish to apply for funding to establish a kerbside recycling service intended to divert waste from landfill and recover materials for recycling. This would involve a number of project elements including purchase and delivery of household recycle bins, establishing the collection service, and community awareness relating to the new service. These project elements are all necessary to contribute to the success of the project, so this would be considered a standalone project.
The council has also identified collection of cardboard waste from commercial premises as a priority project. This second activity would achieve the same outcomes of waste diversion and recycling, but would be considered a separate, standalone activity because it is not necessary to ensure the successful establishment of a kerbside recycling service.
These projects would require separate applications and would be assessed separately.
Will applicants be required to make a financial contribution to approved projects?
Yes. Successful applicants are expected to contribute to approved projects through a direct financial contribution or an in-kind contribution. The level of contribution required depends on the project stream and the applicant type, including the type of project partners involved. Section 5.3 of the Program guidelines show the minimum applicant contribution required. In the case of joint applications, applicants will be responsible for deciding how the contribution is shared across project partners.
Is there a specific funding allocation for regional councils or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island councils?
The RRBF has been established as a statewide program, so no specific funding allocation has been made to particular groups of councils. Applications will be assessed against the assessment criteria (section 7.1 of the Program guidelines), which include criteria for the benefits that a proposed project will deliver to remote and regional communities.
The provision of a small project funding stream may be more suited to smaller regional and remote councils; and remote councils (see Appendix 2 of the Program guidelines) may also seek a concession on the required applicant contribution to a proposed project under either funding stream (section 5.3 of Program guidelines).
Will funding of transport costs be considered under the RRBF?
Yes. Eligible expenses (section 5.1 of the Program guidelines) allows for specific transport costs.
Applicants may seek funding for delivery of new infrastructure to a project site, or movement of mobile infrastructure e.g. shredders or balers, between sites where this mobile infrastructure has been approved under the RRBF and the infrastructure is being used to achieve the objectives of the RRBF.
In addition, up to five per cent of approved project funding can be used for material transport costs where materials are being moved to or from a service or facility that is established under the RRBF. This may include, for example, the council related costs of transporting mixed paper/cardboard to a new facility funded under the RRBF for separation; or the transport of baled cardboard from the new facility established under the RRBF to another facility for further processing.
Will further rounds of funding be available?
Yes. A total of $130 million has been announced for the RRBF. $60 million of the available funding is being made available under Round 1. Further Program rounds will be announced in due course, and it should be noted that program elements including program objectives, eligibility and funding may change from those included in Program guidelines for Round 1.
Are grants under the RRBF subject to GST?
Activities funded under the RRBF do not involve the supply of goods or services by grant recipients to the department, therefore grant funding provided under the RRBF is not subject to GST.
Applicants are responsible for their own GST obligations incurred through the delivery of their project.
For advice on GST, please seek assistance from the Australian Tax Office.
What happens if the cost of a project increases over time?
Approved grant funding amounts are fixed and will not increase due to inflation, tariffs, delays or other price variations during the project. It will be the responsibility of the applicant and project partners to assess the risk and cover any additional costs incurred after funding amounts have been approved by the department.
9 October 2025: Additional FAQs
Are civil construction costs that are essential to the project (e.g. earthworks associated with buildings, foundations of a new facility, ponds or drainage associated with a new composting facility) eligible costs under the RRBF?
These costs will be considered on a case-by-case basis, recognising that each project will be different. In general, civil construction costs that are directly related to the project, e.g. drainage requirements for a composting facility, will be eligible. Please contact the department if you would like to discuss specific details.
In applying for other grants I have been required to provide a contingency in the project cost estimate, but contingency costs are not eligible under the RRBF. How should I deal with project contingencies?
The application will require you to provide a budget detailing all project costs. Contingency costs are an expected item in a project budget and should be included where they are needed and relevant.
Contingency costs are ineligible under the RRBF, meaning that the Queensland Government will not provide grant funding to cover contingencies, but the contingency costs are able to be included within the applicant contribution to the project.
How should we calculate the applicant contribution to a Stream 1 small project where the project partners include regional councils (requiring a 40% applicant contribution) and one or more remote councils (with a lower 10% applicant contribution)?
In the case of a partnership project where at least one project partner is a remote council, it is acceptable for the total applicant contribution to be less than 40% of project costs. Where this is the case, the applicant should provide information that demonstrates how the contribution has been calculated.
One way to consider what each partner would contribute would be to divide the expected project benefits and calculate the contribution accordingly. For example:
- Councils A and B are applying to undertake a partnership project
- Council A is a regional council (minimum 40% contribution), Council B is a remote council (minimum 10% contribution)
- The project value is $1 million
- Council A is expecting to derive 80% of the overall project benefit, Council B is expecting to derive 20% of the overall project benefit
- Council A’s contribution may be calculated as the contribution towards 80% of project costs (40% x 80% x $1 million), being $320,000
- Council B’s contribution may be calculated as the contribution towards 20% of project costs (10% x 20% x $1 million), being $20,000.
There will be other ways to calculate contributions in partnership arrangements. Please contact the department if you would like to discuss specific details.
My regional council has very limited revenue streams and will not be able to meet the 40% applicant contribution to the project. Will a lower applicant contribution be accepted?
An applicant may choose to propose a contribution lower than the amount set out in section 5.3 of the Program guidelines. If there are specific reasons for the lower contribution, the applicant should outline these reasons, and they will be considered during the assessment process.
Applicants should be aware that projects will be assessed competitively against the assessment criteria in the Program guidelines (see section 7.1 of the Program guidelines), including value for money.
Can in-kind contributions include items listed under ineligible expenses?
Yes, as long as the contributed costs relate directly to delivery of the project. Examples include the value of council land if this is going to be used as the site for an infrastructure development, or staff costs to manage project delivery. An example of ineligible costs that would not be considered directly related to project delivery is the cost of solar panels that are installed on a facility to reduce ongoing operational costs.
Can the applicant contribution include retrospective expenditure?
The Program guidelines allow for consideration of projects that commenced after the Program was announced on 1 May 2025. If the retrospective expenditure relates directly to delivery of the project, and has occurred within the project timeframe, i.e. after 1 May 2025 when the project commenced and before a funding agreement is executed, the expenditure may be considered as part of the applicant contribution. Please contact the department if you would like to discuss specific details.
Is there a different applicant contribution amount that applies to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island councils?
The majority of Aboriginal councils and Torres Strait Island councils are defined as a remote council (see appendix 2 of the Program guidelines).
Section 5.3 of the Program guidelines provides that the minimum required applicant contribution for a remote council is lower than for a non-remote council. The minimum contribution by a remote council towards a small project is 10%; and the minimum contribution by a remote council towards a major project is 15%.
In addition, the Program guidelines provide that contributions below this amount may be considered. A remote council that proposes to contribute a lower amount should outline the reasons why the minimum contribution cannot be reached, and they will be considered during the assessment process.
It is important to note that an applicant contribution may include a direct financial contribution, in-kind contributions and direct project costs that are ineligible for funding. The broad scope of inclusions in the applicant contribution may assist in reaching the standard contribution amounts.
Applicants should be aware that projects will be assessed competitively against the assessment criteria in the Program guidelines (see section 7.1 of the Program guidelines), including value for money.
Is the 5% transport component of funding included within the total funding sought, or in addition to the funding sought?
If an applicant is seeking funding for eligible transport costs, this should be itemised in the project budget and included in total project costs and total grant funding sought.
Evidence of all project costs, including costs of transport, will need to be provided for project acquittal at the completion of the project.