Exceptional Disaster Assistance Recovery Grant – Ingham Uninsured Perishable Stock Losses Program

Purpose and Program Overview

EDARG Ingham Uninsured Perishable Stock Losses Program provides funding to small businesses in the Ingham area. The grant is offered to assist businesses that suffered uninsured perishable stock losses. The losses resulted from an extended power outage following the North and Far North Tropical Low in early 2025.

The intent of the program is to help businesses facing hardship due to the disaster. It aims to enable a rapid business recovery by providing direct financial assistance. This helps to minimise financial strain and ensures businesses can resume operations.

The grant is a joint initiative. Both the Australian and Queensland governments support it. It plays a specific role in disaster recovery by targeting businesses with a very particular type of loss. The grant is designed for businesses that did not qualify for other larger disaster recovery grants.

Key Grant Details

• Grant amount or funding range: Up to $25,000, excluding GST.
• Application open and close dates: The grant opened on 24 April 2025 and will close on 13 February 2026.
• Eligible industries or business types: Small and family businesses.
• Required co-contributions: No co-contribution is necessary.
• Location/state/territory applicability: The grant is for businesses in Ingham and the surrounding areas in Queensland.

Priority Sectors

Ingham Uninsured Perishable Stock Losses Program is open to small businesses that have uninsured perishable stock losses. This includes, but is not limited to, food retailers and hospitality businesses.

Funding Scope

• Minimum and maximum amounts per stream: The maximum grant amount is $25,000. There is no minimum amount specified.
• Categories or streams of funding: This is a single-stream grant. It is specifically for the replacement of uninsured perishable stock.
• Project timeline or eligible funding duration: The grant provides funding to reimburse costs incurred due to the disaster event in early 2025.

Grant Amount in Total

The total funding pool for this specific grant is not stated.

Eligibility Criteria

• Business structure or size: Must be a small business with less than 20 full-time equivalent employees.
• Registered business location: Must be in the Ingham area. The business must have been trading immediately before the disaster.
• Minimum/maximum turnover: Must have an annual turnover of less than $10 million.
• Insurance or compliance obligations: The business must have suffered losses that were not covered by insurance. It must be able to demonstrate that it lost power for five or more consecutive days.
• ABN/GST status: The business must have an active ABN at the time of the disaster and be registered for GST.

Eligible Activities and Expenses

The grant funds the replacement of uninsured perishable goods that were lost. Eligible expenses include:

• Spoiled food items, such as meat, seafood, dairy, and fresh produce.
• Perishable ingredients and raw materials.
• Perishable retail merchandise, like flowers or cosmetics, that requires refrigeration.

Assessment Process

Ingham Uninsured Perishable Stock Losses Program is an entitlement-based grant. Applications are assessed to determine if they meet the eligibility criteria. Funding is provided subject to the availability of funds.

Recent Program Updates

The closing date for the grant has been extended to 13 February 2026. This grant is a one-off program for a specific event and will not have future rounds.

Application Tips

• The grant is specifically for businesses with uninsured losses. You will need to provide insurance documents to show you are not covered.
• You must provide evidence of your stock loss and proof of payment for replacement items.
• Ensure you meet all the eligibility criteria, including the five consecutive days of power loss.
• The grant is for a specific geographic area. Confirm your location is eligible.

Where to Get Help

Consider consulting with a professional grant specialist like Pattens Group. We offer initial assessments to review your business’s eligibility and evaluate how well your project aligns with the grant’s objectives. You can also visit relevant government websites for application templates and further guidance.