NSW Sustainable Communities Program Early Investment Round

To be eligible for grant funding, an applicant must meet all the following requirements:

1. applicants must hold an Australian Business Number (ABN), Australian Company Number (ACN) or be registered under the Associations Incorporations Act 2009.
2. be one of the following entities:
   • a company incorporated in Australia
   • a Local Government organisation (Committees under section 355 of the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW) must apply via the relevant council)
   • a NSW Joint Organisations of Councils and Regional Organisations of Councils
   • a Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC)
   • a Partnerships or trust
   • an incorporated association, public/private not-for-profit organisation or co-operative
   • a registered training organisation
   • a nationally accredited provider of tertiary education
   • an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation incorporated under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006.
3. be financially viable and able to demonstrate ongoing viability through provision of three years* of accounting statements (Profit and Loss, Cash Flow, Balance Sheet) from financial year 2021/2022.
4. hold or commit to obtaining public liability insurance of not less than $20 million per occurrence or hold equivalent or better self-insurance to the satisfaction of the department, prior to executing a funding deed with the department
5. be a fit and proper person/legal entity
6. not be insolvent, bankrupt or subject to ongoing legal proceedings
7. declare in the application form that the applicant is not aware of any issues which could cause reputational or other risks to the NSW Government
8. have previous project delivery experience
9. provide evidence of capacity to make the minimum co-contribution (where required) if successful.

*applicant entities with less than three years operating experience may be considered under exceptional circumstances and must contact the department prior to submitting an application.

Location that are eligible include Balranald, Berrigan, Carrathool, Edward River, Griffith, Hay, Leeton, Murray River, Murrumbidgee

The intended recipients of grants under the Program are companies incorporated in Australia, NSW Local Government organisations, joint organisations of councils, Local Aboriginal Land Councils, incorporated associations or co-operatives, incorporated not-for-profit organisations, nationally accredited providers of tertiary education, and, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporations incorporated under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth).

Applications must meet all of the requirements outlined in the program Guidelines to be eligible, this includes: 

• the project must be able to meet the project delivery timeframe listed in the Key Information.
• the project must not require the acquisition of a water licence or access to additional water as a result of the project over the life of the program or infrastructure.

In addition, Infrastructure projects must also ensure that all necessary approvals are in place at the time an application is submitted. Funding deeds for successful projects will not be established until any approvals required for the project to commence are secured. If required approvals to commence a project are not secured within 60 days of the applicant signing the confidentiality undertaking on the letter of conditional offer of funding, the offer may be withdrawn at the discretion of the department.

The project costs must support the objectives of the Program.

The following types of project costs are eligible for funding:

• construction costs for infrastructure development, expansion or upgrades that would not be considered business-as-usual activities and operations 
• purchase of plant and equipment (including technology or software) that need additional workers to operate or retain jobs
• expanding built infrastructure to enable job creation activities or industry diversification
• program/training event delivery costs (i.e. facilitator, venue hire and workshop materials)
• costs associated with preparatory activities (i.e. revised design/QS estimates, regulatory approvals) will be considered part of project management and administration expenses and will only be considered eligible up to 10 per cent of the total funding requested.

The total funding requested can include up to:

• 20 per cent for contingency; and
• 10 per cent for project management and administration costs.

The total of all eligible project costs, project management and contingency costs being claimed must be within the maximum grant amount for the project type.

Ineligible applicants include:

• individuals
• sole traders
• unincorporated associations
• Australian or NSW Government agencies, State Owned Corporations or statutory authorities
• Businesses that are insolvent

The provision of financial assistance to businesses may require consideration of the impact on local competition. Competition issues will be reviewed as part of the assessment process to avoid advantaging or disadvantaging businesses legitimately competing in the same immediate market.

Businesses whose primary operation is in the below industries will not be eligible for funding under this program: 

• retail
• localised trades
• administrative or professional services that serve only the local or regional community
• hospitality, except where a proposal is unique to the existing market and considered regionally significant and/or iconic or a small part of a larger project (e.g. brewery expansion focussed on production enabling out of region sales, with a small hospitality element such as a kitchen/bar).

The following project costs are ineligible for funding:

• costs associated with the purchase of, or improvement to, irrigation infrastructure, assets or equipment
• costs related to buying or upgrading non–fixed equipment, supplies or vehicles such as cars, trucks and vans, unless considered essential to the overall project delivery and are incidental costs to the project budget
• financing, including debt financing, insurance or rental costs
• costs relating to depreciation of plant and equipment beyond the life of the project
• advertising costs, including marketing campaigns, unless considered essential to the overall project delivery
• purchase of land or buildings
• funding for any ongoing staff or operational costs that are not directly related to the project or beyond the duration of the project
• costs that would be considered business-as-usual activities and operations (including costs associated with recruiting employees, staff development and training)
• operational expenditure, including but not limited to regular repairs, maintenance and administration
• costs associated with early project planning and future planning, (i.e. business case development, economic/financial or feasibility analysis, strategies or plans)
• ongoing or recurrent funding that is required beyond the stated timeframe of the project
• retrospective project costs already incurred prior to the executed funding agreement
• costs already funded by insurance or other NSW or Australian Government programs
• costs associated with exiting an industry or business
• project management and administration costs that exceed 10 per cent of the total funding requested; and/or
• project contingency costs that exceed 20 per cent of the total funding requested.

Infrastructure

• enabling and economic infrastructure to activate land and create business investment and job opportunities (e.g. utility upgrades to industrial land, start-up hubs, infrastructure upgrades for businesses, Aboriginal-owned business site upgrades)
• tourism infrastructure (i.e. facility improvements/refurbishments, walking trails, signage/wayfinding, electric vehicle charging stations, beautification/upgrades to towns or villages, Aboriginal cultural centres)
• workforce infrastructure (e.g. new or expanded education or research and development facilities)
• projects that address infrastructure challenges impacting on industry sustainability or expansion.

Capital investment

• expansion or improvement to facilities, plant or equipment (fixed) to support productivity, efficiency, competitiveness of local industry
• integrate new technology for improved capability, productivity and competitiveness
• supply chain improvements in distribution and storage (including cold-chain), biosecurity, waste management.

Programs and initiatives

• employment programs to strengthen economic participation that are not already funded by the NSW or Australian Government
• targeted workforce skills and capability development programs (e.g. re-skilling programs for local workforce, process and efficiency improvements) in-line with projected industry needs
• targeted programs that deliver on an action identified in an existing Aboriginal organisation’s business plan, or Community Land and Business Plan
• industry or business development or innovation activities (e.g. workshops)
• workforce safety and inclusion programs.

Grant recipients must provide co-contributions of at least:

• not-for-profit entities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporations - Nil.

• Local Government organisations - A minimum of 25% of the requested funding either in cash or in-kind.

• all other applicants - A minimum of 50% of the requested funding in cash.

Evidence of the co-contribution and applicant entity type must be provided at the time of application.

Co-contributions may include confirmed funding from the Australian Government. Funding received from the NSW Government cannot be included as part of the co-contribution requirement.