Cultural and Economic Development Uplift Pilot Program Guidelines

Applications for this funding can be up to maximum of $500,000. There is no minimum grant amount.

Eligible applicants are not required to provide a financial co-contribution towards their project.

If the situation arises where a grant recipient’s project is completed and there are unspent funds remaining from the grant allocation, the Department may require the grant recipient to return the unspent funds. If the grant recipient requests to use the funds to extend the scope of the project, the Department may assess that request if it aligns to the objectives of the grant program. The Department may require the grant recipient to provide supporting information such as revised economic or social impact data.

Eligible applicants are:

• Aboriginal owned Registered Training Organisations

An Aboriginal owned Registered Training Organisation is defined as having a minimum of 50 per cent Aboriginal ownership that can be demonstrated through recognition from an appropriate organisation, such as: 

• Supply Nation
• NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce
• Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations.

An applicant can also choose to provide a statutory declaration to demonstrate a minimum of 50 per cent Aboriginal ownership.  

Applicants must provide evidence they are an incorporated entity by providing either an Australian Business Number (ABN), an Australian Company Number (ACN) or an Indigenous Corporation Number (ICN). Eligible organisations that are unincorporated must provide evidence that they are registered with NSW Fair Trading under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 or another Act.

Applicants must demonstrate they are financially viable by providing financial statements from the most recent financial year.

Applicants must have at least $20 million public liability insurance or be willing to secure the insurance before entering into a funding deed if the application is successful.  

Applicants must demonstrate their ability to deliver a Training Program tailored for Aboriginal organisations by providing a detailed project delivery plan that meets the Program’s assessment criteria. 
The Training Program must: 

• be tailored and designed for Local Aboriginal Land Councils, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, and Native Title Prescribed Body Corporates
• be delivered at no cost to participants  
• be delivered over a 12-month period within the 2 pilot regions. 

The Training Program must be delivered as a pilot in the following NSW Aboriginal Land Council regions: 

• North Western
• Mid North Coast.

A full list of the eligible Local Aboriginal Land Council areas located within the pilot regions is provided as an appendix to these guidelines.  

Eligible Aboriginal owned Registered Training Organisations do not need to be physically located in the pilot regions to be eligible to apply, however a strong local presence and demonstrated experience and understanding working with Aboriginal communities in the pilot regions will be preferred. 

Applicants may include up to 10 per cent of the requested funding for project contingency.

Costs that are not eligible for funding include: 

• costs that would be considered business-as-usual activities and operations 
• activities already funded or expecting to receive NSW Government funding 
• activities, equipment or supplies that are already being supported through other sources 
• financing costs, including interest and debt financing 
• costs involved in the purchase or hire of software (including user licences) and ICT equipment, with the exception of equipment and software specifically related to the delivery of the Training Program and essential to its success 
• costs such as rent and utilities unless specifically related to the delivery of the Training Program 
• insurance costs (applicants must hold and maintain adequate insurance coverage for any liability arising from their participation in funded activities) 
• depreciation of plant and equipment 
• opportunity costs relating to allocating resources to the delivery of the Training Program 
• retrospective funding to cover any expenditure related to the delivery of the Training Program that has occurred prior to both the applicant and the Department executing a funding deed.

Applications must demonstrate their capability and capacity to deliver the Training Program by providing a detailed project delivery plan as part of their application.  

The project delivery plan must outline the following: 

• a detailed and realistic delivery plan and timeline, including a forecasted schedule of training sessions and deliverables for participants in the Training Program 
• a stakeholder communications and engagement plan that ensures the Training Program is sufficiently communicated to eligible participants 
• a budget including an estimate of the funding required to deliver the Training Program at no cost to participants and cost estimates and quotes provided by other suppliers or contractors 
• previous experience and/or the capabilities of key personnel who will deliver the Training Program 
• a risk assessment and risk mitigation strategies  
• forecasted outcomes that can be expected at the completion of the Training Program 
• a detailed approach to measuring and reporting outcomes during delivery of the Training Program and on completion.

The project delivery plan must outline that the Training Program will commence from September 2024 and be completed within 12 months.

Applicants must apply via SmartyGrants by clicking the ‘apply now' button on the program’s Grants and Funding Finder webpage.

An Assessment Panel will be convened by the Department to consider the eligibility and suitability of the applications received and to make recommendations to the Minister for Regional NSW for consideration and final approval.

The Assessment Panel may recommend partial funding for projects if there is insufficient funding available for the whole project, or where only a component of the project is considered eligible.

During the assessment process, the Department may ask applicants to provide additional information to assist in the assessment process. Advice may be sought from other NSW Government agencies or other sources to assist in the assessment of projects. Confidentiality will be maintained throughout the process. 

The Department, at its sole discretion, can take other factors into account that may make an application ineligible for funding, such as any person, business or organisation that could cause reputational or other risk to the NSW Government.

The recommendations of the Assessment Panel will be reviewed by the Regional Development Advisory Council (Advisory Council) who will provide advice on the suitability of the proposed investments to the Minister for Regional NSW.

The decision maker for the Program is the Minister for Regional NSW.

The decision maker can consider the availability of funding, the Assessment Panel’s recommendations, and the advice of the Advisory Council before deciding which applications to approve. The NSW Government typically receives far more applications than it can support. Applicants are not guaranteed funding even if the application is of high merit. 

Further, even if an application is successful, it may not be funded to the full amount requested.

The decision maker may take other factors into account that may result in  an application being considered unsuitable for funding, including issues that could cause reputational or other risks to the NSW Government.

The decision maker’s decision is final in all matters, including:

• the approval of the grant
• the grant funding amount to be awarded, and
• the terms and conditions of the grant.

Independent probity advisors will provide guidance to the Department and the Assessment Panel on any issues concerning integrity, fairness and accountability that may arise throughout the application, assessment, and decision-making process. This will ensure decisions are made with integrity, fairness and accountability, while delivering value for money for NSW.

Successful applicants will be notified in writing from August 2024 or as soon as possible via a Letter of Conditional Offer with Confidentiality Agreement. 

The contracting process will commence after the signed Letter of Conditional Offer with Confidentiality Agreement is returned to the Department. 

The Department is required to publish information about grants awarded on the NSW Government Grants and Funding Finder at nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding. 

Successful applicants will be required to enter into a funding deed with the NSW Government. 

The NSW Government makes no binding funding commitment to an applicant unless and until both parties sign a funding deed.

The process to enter into a funding deed will require the successful applicant to provide a copy of all relevant insurances, project approvals (for example development approvals and/or landowner’s consent) and other supporting documentation relevant to the project or as requested by the Department.

Grants will be paid as set out in the funding deed. Timing and requirements will vary at NSW Government’s discretion, depending on the scope and risk of the project. 

For applicants registered for GST and where it is payable, successful applicants will be paid the approved grant amount plus 10 per cent by the Department, with the exception of local councils. Where an applicant is not registered for GST, it is not payable on grant amounts. Applicants not registered for GST must incorporate any GST paid by them to third parties into their application.

Successful applicants will be required to submit project progress reports to the NSW Government as outlined in the funding deed. Examples of measures to be included in the report are the completion of project activities, jobs created or maintained through the delivery of the project, and employment outcomes for young people, Aboriginal communities and people with disability.

Applicants must keep Funding decisions and assessment outcomes confidential until announced by the NSW Government or the Applicant is advised that announcement can proceed. Successful applicants will be required to provide a confidentiality undertaking. This means they must keep the outcome of the application process confidential until the NSW Government makes a public announcement.

Upon entering into a funding deed, details about the funding deed may be made publicly available (subject to information which the Department deems to be commercial in confidence).

The applicant agrees not to disclose any confidential information pertaining to the grant program application or funding deed without prior written consent of the Department.

There may be a requirement for a conflict-of-interest declaration to be submitted with all applications. 

Where a conflict-of-interest detrimental to the assessment process is identified (by either an applicant or the Department), the Department will establish mitigation measures, including removing a departmental official from participating in the application, assessment and/or delivery stage of the process.

Applicants should note the following:

• the NSW Government may choose to publicly announce funding for individual applications and may use information provided in the application to develop case studies
• requests for variations or changes to the project will only be considered in limited circumstances
• successful applicants will be required to pay back unspent funds, or any funds not spent in accordance with the funding deed 
• successful applicants will be required to participate in a program evaluation after the project has commenced. The evaluation will require applicants to provide evidence of how projects have resulted in measurable benefits consistent with the Pilot Program’s objectives
• all recipients of NSW Government funding should acknowledge this financial support as per the requirements outlined at the NSW Government’s Sponsorship and Funding Acknowledgement webpage and the terms outlined in the funding deed
• grants are assessable income for taxation purposes, unless exempted by taxation law.

It is recommended applicants seek independent professional advice about taxation obligations or seek assistance from the Australian Taxation Office. 

The NSW Government does not provide advice on individual taxation circumstances. 
The Department reserves the right to undertake an audit of grant funding within 7 years of the funding deed ending.

Representatives from the Department’s Regional Aboriginal Partnerships and Outcomes team will be available to support applicants prepare their application. Please contact regionaldevelopmentroadmap@regional.nsw.gov.au for more information and support from your local representative. 

Please check with the Department prior to submitting if you are unclear about any part of the application.

Applicants are encouraged to seek advice from their legal, business and financial advisors to determine the suitability of the funding before applying.

Any concerns about the Program or individual applications should be submitted in writing to regionaldevelopmentroadmap@regional.nsw.gov.au. 

If you do not agree with the way the Department handled the issue, you may wish to contact the NSW Ombudsman via www.ombo.nsw.gov.au

Applicants should be aware that information submitted in applications and all related correspondence, attachments and other documents may be made publicly available under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW). Information that is deemed to be commercially sensitive will be withheld. 

The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) makes government information accessible to the public by: 

• requiring government agencies to make certain sorts of information freely available
• encouraging government agencies to release as much other information as possible
• giving the public an enforceable right to make access applications for government information
• restricting access to information only when there is an overriding public interest against disclosure.

Applicants must not participate in any anti-competitive conduct.

It is a condition of the grant program application process that no gifts, benefits or hospitality are to be made to any department/agency employee at any time. Any inducement in contravention of this condition may result in an applicant’s proposal not being considered.

The Department may, in its absolute discretion, and without limiting any other right which the Department may have, do all or any of the following at any time:

• require additional information from an applicant
• change any of the requirements of these guidelines
• alter or vary any process, procedure or timing related to the grant opportunity, including any process, procedure or timing regarding the consideration or the evaluation of any proposal or all applications
• suspend or terminate the grant opportunity
• negotiate with one or more preferred applicants without prior notice to any other applicant
• terminate any negotiations being conducted with any applicant
• readvertise for new applicants
• consider any non-conforming application
• terminate further participation in the grant opportunity by any applicant for any reason (including where the applicant has engaged in conduct that might cause reputational damage to the NSW Government, or if the Department reasonably considers an application to contain any false or misleading claims or statements)
• not proceed with any funding deed, or
• proceed with a funding deed in ways not contemplated in these guidelines.

All intellectual property rights in these guidelines remain the property of the Department. Applicants are permitted to use these guidelines for the purpose of preparing an application only, and if successful, managing grant expenditure in accordance with these guidelines. Applicants must not use these guidelines, or any information contained in these guidelines for any other purpose.

Applications and information submitted in response to these guidelines may be used by the Department for promotional material if successful, unless otherwise agreed between the applicant and the Department. The applicant agrees that the Department may make copies and reproduce applications for any purpose related to the grant opportunity. In addition, the Department will retain (electronic and hard) copies of all applications.

These guidelines are not an offer, recommendation or invitation by the Department in respect of any contract or commitment and are subject to a funding deed being fully executed by the parties involved.

The Department may, in its absolute discretion, issue an addendum to these guidelines. In each case, an addendum becomes part of these guidelines.

Information in this publication is provided as general information only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from a qualified professional. 

The Department recommends that users exercise care and use their own skill and judgment when using information from this publication and that users carefully evaluate the accuracy, currency, completeness, and relevance of such information. Users should take steps to independently verify the information in this publication and, where appropriate, seek professional advice. 

These guidelines are subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of the Department.