Maximum amount:
Drought Infrastructure Fund loans are up to a maximum of $1 million.

Interest rate:
The current rate applied to Drought Infrastructure Fund loans is 2.5% and is fixed for the term of the loan.

Repayments:
Loans can be repaid monthly, quarterly, bi-annually or annually over a term of up to 20 years.

Please refer to the program guidelines for further details.

Program guidelines

Approved applicants have 12 months from the date of application approval to submit invoices to claim payment.

Please note that the online form has file size restrictions (approx. 20MB total) – for each attachment please ensure the file size is 2.5MB or less to avoid submission issues.

To lodge a claim, you will need:

• BP reference number
• ABN number
• Case number from original application
• Tax invoices

You can claim for the GST-exclusive amount of eligible invoices.

We recommend you use the Google Chrome browser when submitting a claim. If you are unsure at any stage of the process as to how to complete the online claim form, please refer to the Example Claim Request Form.

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

Frequently asked questions

Visit NSW Drought Hub for more information on the full range of drought assistance available to NSW farmers.

The Drought Infrastructure Fund was formerly known as the Farm Innovation Fund.

If you have been approved for a Farm Innovation Fund loan, you can continue to submit invoices to draw down on the loan as advised at the time of approval.

For reference, below are links to the program guidelines and the form to submit a claim under the Farm Innovation Fund:
Farm Innovation Fund - Program Guidelines
Farm Innovation Fund - Submit a invoices to claim

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