Liberal Senator for Western Sydney, Marise Payne, is calling on the Mountains community to apply for grants of between $200,000 and $20 million to support bushfire recovery projects.
Applications open on October 27 for the $250 million Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund, co-funded by the NSW and federal governments. Successful projects will be announced in April.
Organisations such as councils, businesses, joint organisations, business chambers, charities, local Aboriginal Land Councils and state government agencies will be able to apply for funding.
Senator Payne said the fund was a valuable opportunity for locals to help steer the bushfire recovery effort.
"Recovery needs to be locally-led, with money invested in the things that matter here in the Blue Mountains, and that's what this Bushfire Local Economic Recovery program is all about," Senator Payne said.
"Now is the time for our community to work together and put forward considered ideas that will support the local economy and boost bushfire resilience."
Additional to this open call for project proposals, shovel-ready projects are being identified in bushfire affected areas so they can be fast-tracked. Overall, more than $500 million joint funding from the federal and state governments will be provided to support projects driving local economic, community and industry recovery in bushfire affected areas.
More than $1.8 billion in federal support has been provided to help these communities, including $1.2 billion spent so far from the National Bushfire Recovery Fund, she said.