Key information
- Status: Open
- Grant amount: Variable from a total pool of up to approximately $20 million
- Application opened: 1 January 2025
- Application closes: 31 December 2025
Program objective
For mobile preschools in regional and remote NSW, the Mobile Preschool Funding program aims to:
- improve the affordability of preschool education
- support quality uplift in preschool education
- drive improved outcomes for children
- incentivise increased enrolment and attendance in quality preschool programs in the years before school.
The program’s funding (Program Payment) supports the operating costs of eligible mobile preschool services. The program also includes fee relief funding (Fee Relief Payment) which provides community and mobile preschools with sustainable long-term funding to deliver at least 600 hours of low, or no cost preschool to eligible children.
For more information, refer to the 2025 Mobile Preschool Funding program guidelines.
This program is administered by Department of Education.
Eligibility
Who can apply
To be eligible for funding under the 2025 Mobile Preschool Funding program as a mobile preschool, providers must meet all of the following criteria:
- be a not-for-profit, community-based mobile preschool service
- be an approved early childhood education and care service under the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 (National Law) and Education and Care Services National Regulations
- deliver a quality early childhood education program by a qualified early childhood teacher in accordance with the requirements under the National Quality Framework, including using the Early Years Learning Framework
- operate predominantly in Inner Regional, Outer Regional, Remote and Very Remote areas of NSW as measured using the 2011 Accessibility and Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA +) Remoteness Classifications
- operate from venue(s) that are not purpose built centre-based preschools, or operate as a ‘pack away' service at one or more venue(s)
- operate in areas where centre-based preschools and long day cares with preschool programs are not readily available
- comply with the funding agreement, including the Early Childhood Outcomes Programs Terms and Conditions, and the 2025 Start Strong for Community Preschools program guidelines
Mobile preschools must exercise best efforts to reach a minimum of 5 funded children enrolled at each venue. Refer to Section 3.2 Child eligibility criteria for more information. Mobile preschools are encouraged to deliver 600 hours of quality preschool to children enrolled at the service where possible.
Mobile preschools which operate solely or predominantly in Major Cities of NSW are not eligible for funding under this program. Mobile preschools in these areas can receive funding under the Start Strong for Community Preschools program, subject to Start Strong eligibility being met.
Types of projects funded under this grant
The Program Payment can be used to support the operating expenses of your service. To find examples of these expenses, please refer to Section 4.1 in the 2025 Program Guidelines.
The Fee Relief Payment is to be used to reduce the costs of early childhood education to families in the form of fee pass-through. For more information on fee relief spending rules, refer to Section 4.2 in the 2025 Program Guidelines
Most recent recipients
Grant recipients
This overview is based on the period between October 2024 and November 2024.
Recipients received funding from this grant
Total funds approved for recipients of this grant
What your application needs to include
Providers of services which have been previously approved for funding under the Mobile Preschool Funding program in earlier years generally do not need to re-apply.
Interested organisations will need to demonstrate their eligibility for funding (as outlined in Section 3.1. Service eligibility criteria above), as well as:
- analysis of local need and demand – for example, providers must be able to demonstrate that there is a local need for a mobile preschool service to deliver early childhood education in the area
- proposed number of preschool places to be created and number of mobile venues – for example, providers must outline how many venues are listed under the mobile preschool service and the enrolment capacity of each venue
- capability to deliver on the objectives and outcomes of the Mobile Preschool Funding program, including affordability for families – for example, providers will need to provide a fee structure for children enrolled at the mobile preschool service and provide documentation to demonstrate the service’s financial viability (e.g. through financial statements, forecast budgets or similar).
Each applicant, as part of an application response, must confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria.
Applicants that do not address the eligibility criteria in full may be excluded from the application process at the department's discretion.
Start the application
To start your application, email ecec.funding@det.nsw.edu.au to express your interest. An officer within the Early Childhood Outcomes directorate of the NSW Department of Education will provide tailored support for your service.
Note: If you are a new applicant to SmartyGrants, you will need to register and create a password. If you are already registered, you can log in with your existing username and password.
Apply now
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: NSW Department of Education
Once you have submitted your completed application and supporting evidence, the department will assess the information provided in line with the program guidelines.
- If your service is assessed as meeting the eligibility criteria, you will be asked to complete an ad hoc data collection to confirm child enrolment details over a two-week representative period.
- The ad hoc data collection will be used to determine your service’s funding allocation. The calculation process may take between 8 to 12 weeks depending on various factors including the completeness and accuracy of information provided to the department.
Successful applications will be decided by: NSW Department of Education.
Support and contact
For questions, feedback or complaints about the Mobile Preschool Funding program, please contact the department by:
- calling 1800 619 113
- emailing ecec.funding@det.nsw.edu.au.
An officer within Early Childhood Outcomes directorate will consider and respond to your enquiry.