The Drought Ready and Resilient Fund Loan is available to eligible sole traders, partnerships, trusts or private companies who operate in the primary production sector in NSW.

To be eligible, applicants must earn at least 50% of gross income or at least $75,000 in one year from the primary production business, or be a bona fide primary production enterprise.

Please refer to the program guidelines for further details.

Program Guidelines

Drought Ready and Resilient Fund Loans can be used to purchase a broad range of products, activities and services, including:

• the purchase and transportation of fodder and water
• livestock feeding equipment
• veterinary and animal welfare professional services
• genetic banking
• fencing and containment pens
• shade structures
• planting of trees
• farm income diversification projects
• pest and weed control
• solar power conversion
• soil conservation and earthworks
• training and development
• infrastructure repairs and maintenance
• the purchase and installation of new on-farm infrastructure.

Please refer to the program guidelines for further details.

Program Guidelines

Amount:

Maximum of $500,000

Interest rate:

The current interest rate for Drought Ready and Resilient Fund Loans is:

• 4.89% per annum for a 5-year loan
• 5.49% per annum for a 10-year loan

The interest rate is indexed to NSW Treasury Corporation bond rates, which can vary from month-to-month. The interest rate that applies to the loan is set on the day the loan is drawn down and remains fixed for the life of the loan.

Security:

Registered mortgage

Drawdown period:

6 months

Repayment term:

5 or 10 years

Repayment frequency:

Monthly, quarterly, bi-annually or annually

Please refer to the program guidelines for further details.

Program Guidelines

When you lodge an application for a loan, you will need copies of the following documents:

• the last 3 years of the applying primary production enterprise’s tax returns, balance sheets and financial statements (including profit and loss statements, stock trading account and depreciation schedules)
• the last 3 years of individual tax returns of all members of the primary production enterprise and a current listing of all assets and liabilities held by each individual director, shareholder, partner or trustee of the primary production enterprise (Note: Tax Assessment Notices are not acceptable)
• the last 3 years of tax returns and financial statements for all related business entities that individual members of the primary production enterprise are involved in, if applicable
• Local Government Area (LGA) rates notice and, if available, the Local Land Service (LLS) rates notice for the property where the work is to be completed
• signed Consent to Contact Lenders Form (if required) (download a Consent to Contact Lenders Form)
• Farm Business Resilience Plan (or equivalent) (download a Farm Business Plan Template)
• trust deed (if applicable)
• monthly cash flow budget for the next 12 months (download a Cash Flow Statement Template)
• confirmation of bank details, such as the front page of a bank statement showing the account name, BSB, and account number.

Please refer to the program guidelines for further details.

Program Guidelines

Before you start your application:

Please ensure you have read and understood the program guidelines. The version of the guidelines that applies to you is the one published on the date you submit your application. For your records, we recommend you download and save or print a copy of the program guidelines.

Program Guidelines

The online application form is designed to make the process as straightforward as possible. To ensure a smooth application submission, we recommend:

• having all required documents scanned and ready to upload
• using Google Chrome on a computer or laptop.

How to apply

All applications must be submitted through the RAA’s online portal.

If you don’t already have an RAA Account, you will need to create one before you can access the portal. You can find step‑by‑step instructions for setting up an account on the RAA Portal page.

Start your application

When you’re ready, log in to the RAA Portal to start your application:

Log In to Apply

Once your application has been approved, you can submit claims for eligible expenses through the RAA Portal.

All invoices must be submitted within six months of your application approval date. Claims are assessed based on the GST‑exclusive amount of eligible invoices.

Before you start your claim

To ensure a smooth submission process, we recommend:

How to submit your claim

All claims must be submitted through the RAA Portal.

If you don’t already have an RAA Account, you will need to create one before you can access the portal. You can find step‑by‑step instructions for setting up an account on the RAA Portal page.

To submit your claim:

1. Log In to the RAA Portal.
2. Go to the Claims tab.
3. Select Make a Claim.
4. Have the following ready:
   • your RAA financial account number or your application contract number
   • tax invoices for all eligible expenses.

Start your claim

When you’re ready, log in to the RAA Portal to start your claim:

Log In to Claim

Additional information about the Drought Ready and Resilient Fund can be found on our Frequently Asked Questions webpage:

Frequently asked questions

The NSW Drought Hub brings together all measures the NSW Government is delivering to support farmers impacted by drought, as well as those planning for future dry periods.

Visit the site for the latest updates on drought conditions, along with practical tools, resources, and links to support services.

Visit NSW Drought Hub

If you have any questions about this program you can contact our team by calling 1800 678 593 or emailing rural.assist@raa.nsw.gov.au.

If you have difficulty understanding the guidelines or completing the application form you should seek the assistance of your rural/financial counsellor, business advisor, accountant or a trusted family member/friend. If you need assistance with interpreting or translating, please contact Multicultural NSW on 1300 651 500 or email languageservices@multicultural.nsw.gov.au.

If you are experiencing any issues completing the form, free confidential assistance is available from your local Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS). For more information, visit the relevant website or call:

Northern region: 1800 344 090
Southern and Central region: 1800 319 458