As a specialist administrator of government financial assistance programs including loans, grants, rebates and subsidies, the RAA plays an active role in contributing to farming and rural policies and provides advice to the Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW. The organisation is governed by the Rural Assistance Act 1989 and is a statutory body under the Government Sector Finance Act 2018 (NSW). The Chief Executive is a statutory senior executive under the Government Sector Employment Act 2013 (NSW).
For more than 30 years, the RAA has helped farm businesses and rural communities become more resilient, self-reliant and sustainable. Financial assistance is also provided to small businesses and primary producers to help them recover from natural disaster events and deal with difficult financial situations.
The RAA works within the NSW Department of Primary Industries and focuses on achieving two key strategic outcomes:
- Economic growth through research and innovation to improve resilience, productivity and sustainability; and
- Risks to community and industry managed and reduced.