Urbis recently completed an evaluation of the Bushfire Community Recovery and Resilience Fund (BCRRF). BCRRF provided financial assistance to communities affected by the 2019-20 bushfires which caused widespread damage and destruction across New South Wales (NSW). Funding was provided in two streams stream 1 funding was provided directly to councils in affected LGAs, and stream 2 which was open, competitive, merit-based grant funding available to councils, community groups, and not-for-profits. stock
Objectives
The overall goals of the BCRRF evaluation was to explore the extent to which the program:
- Improved community wellbeing
- Supported communities to manage their own recovery
- Improved disaster awareness
- Increased preparedness for future disasters
- Supported vulnerable groups within affected communities
Methodology
This evaluation included a review of program data including acquittal data for each project funded by the BCRRF program, a survey of grant recipients, interviews with grant recipients, councils, and government stakeholders, and a survey of community members.
Outcomes
The BCRFF program reached the communities that needed support after the 2019/20 bushfires. The flexibility of the BCRFF model allowed grant recipient organisations to deliver a wide range of projects that were tailored to the unique needs of their communities.
Projects funded under BCRRF generated outcomes that contributed to enhanced community wellbeing, increased disaster awareness and preparedness, and supported community resilience.
This was achieved through supporting communities to recover and build resilience through providing opportunities to process trauma and improve social connections and networks. BRCCR projects also supported increased connection to and pride in local communities.
Projects funded under BCRRF also supported councils, businesses, community organisations and individuals to build their capacity to respond effectively to future disaster events.
BCRRF aligned with best practice principles around community led recovery efforts, drawing on existing strengths and resources available. Leveraging community assets and infrastructure had wide-ranging benefits for project implementation.
Overall, the BCRRF program effectively empowered communities affected by the 2019/20 bushfires, fostered enhanced wellbeing, and disaster preparedness, and built resilience, while also increasing the capacity of councils, businesses, and individuals to respond to future disasters.