Regional NSW – Business Case and Strategy Development Fund

Stream One: Regional Significance

Applicants must be an incorporated entity and hold an Australian Business Number (ABN), Australian Company Number (ACN) or be registered with NSW Fair Trading under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 or another Act. Unincorporated organisations are ineligible to apply.
Eligible applicants include:

• local councils or Joint Organisations of Councils
• infrastructure providers such as telecommunication, energy, or water companies
• peak bodies such as business, industry, and community associations
• cooperatives
• tertiary educational institutions
• incorporated not-for-profit organisations.

Stream Two: Aboriginal Prosperity

Eligible organisations are not-for-profit, incorporated Aboriginal community organisations (i.e. initiated by, controlled and operated by Aboriginal people and/or governed by a board or committee of Aboriginal people).
Eligible applicants include:

• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Corporations registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006
• companies incorporated in Australia under the Corporations Act 2001 
• Local Aboriginal Land Councils under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW)
• Incorporated Associations (incorporated under state legislation, and commonly have ‘Association’ or ‘Incorporated’ or ‘Inc’ in their legal name)
• Incorporated Cooperatives (incorporated under state legislation, and commonly have ’Cooperative’ in their legal name).

Ineligible applicants include:

• businesses, except where specifically noted as eligible or as part of a public/private partnership
• unincorporated organisations
• trusts
• partnerships
• pre-school, primary and secondary schools
• individuals and sole traders
• Australian or NSW Government agencies. State Owned Corporations or statutory authorities.

Stream One: Regional Significance

Examples of eligible subject matter under Stream One include: 

• a business case for a regionally significant project that will activate new or expanded industry investment and job creation 
• a feasibility study for the establishment of cultural infrastructure to service a region
• a land use planning study to facilitate community activation or future investment
• master planning of transport and logistics infrastructure to support industry growth
• a regional industry development strategy that leverages existing economic assets and government investments (e.g. Special Activation Precincts)
• a business case for shared infrastructure supporting the visitor economy in a region.

Stream Two: Aboriginal Prosperity

Examples of eligible subject matter under Stream Two include: 

• a business case for an Aboriginal cultural tourism project or other economic development project
• a feasibility study for economic activation of native title land holdings
• a business case for a community-owned enterprise where there is a common ownership structure and local job creation 
• a strategy to develop the cultural tourism sector in a region.

Applications for the development of business cases or strategies are ineligible if they relate to projects or initiatives that:

• are located in, or centred on, ineligible locations
• are centred on private land unless there is a clear public benefit or benefit for multiple users, organisations or businesses
• have exclusive private benefits for a single business
• relate to buying or upgrading non-fixed equipment
• relate solely to marketing, advertising or product promotion
• duplicate existing business cases, strategies or programs
• are to meet the cost of reports that would usually be the accountability of local government entities as part of standard operating requirements
  • require ongoing funding from the NSW Government or Commonwealth Government.