The Morrison Government’s Local Recovery Fund is now open for 25 select regions experiencing high unemployment to develop local and tailored projects, to help Australians get back into work and assist communities recover from the economic impact of COVID-19.
Applications are now open for local groups and organisations to apply to receive funding ranging from $10,000 to $200,000, to develop projects, including mentoring, training and reskilling, in line with local employment needs.
The Local Recovery Fund is a key component of the Local Jobs Program and will fund projects, or parts of larger projects, that are not being supported through existing programs or activities.
Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, said the fund will help drive job outcomes in the selected regions with locally led initiatives aimed at getting more Australians back into work.
“Local Jobs is focused on reskilling, upskilling and creating employment pathways to help people move back into jobs as the economy recovers from COVID-19,” Minister Cash said.
“Projects supported under the Local Recovery Fund will be locally driven initiatives that are aligned to each regions employment related priorities, as identified in a Local Job Plan.
“I strongly encourage stakeholders in each of the eligible employment regions to work together and put forward innovative project ideas under the Local Recovery Fund.
As part of the Local Jobs Program 25 Employment Facilitators, have been engaged to help connect job seekers to local employment opportunities.
The Employment Facilitators will chair Local Jobs and Skills Taskforces across Australia. The taskforces will bring together local employers, employment and training providers and other local stakeholders, to collaborate and develop projects funded by the Local Recovery Fund to get job seekers back into work.
“We will do this by getting Australians back to work and by supporting locally-driven pathways to jobs.”
Applications for the Local Recovery Fund will open from 3 November with funding available from mid-December 2020.
The employment regions included in this program are listed below.
| State/Territory | Employment Region |
| New South Wales | Sydney South West |
| Illawarra South Coast | |
| Hunter | |
| New England and North West | |
| Mid North Coast | |
| North Coast | |
| Sydney Greater West | |
| Queensland | Gold Coast |
| Cairns | |
| Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast | |
| Townsville | |
| Wivenhoe | |
| Tasmania | Hobart and Southern Tasmania |
| North and North Western Tasmania | |
| Victoria | South Eastern Melbourne and Peninsula |
| Gippsland | |
| Western Melbourne | |
| Inner Metropolitan Melbourne | |
| North Western Melbourne | |
| South Australia | Adelaide North |
| Murray and South East | |
| North West Country | |
| Western Australia | South West WA |
| Perth South | |
| Northern Territory | Darwin and Alice Springs |
Further details on how to apply can be found at www.dese.gov.au/local-jobs-program