Important dates
Applications open - Monday 27 June 2022
Applications close - 1pm, Friday 2 September 2022
Outcomes advised - November 2022 onwards
Funding agreements executed for successful projects - within 3 months of notification of outcomes
Construction must commence by July 2023. Projects to be completed by 31 December 2025.
Key objectives
The primary objectives of the Fund are to:
Increase the number and type of multi-sport facilities across NSW
Improve the standard of existing multi-sport facilities across NSW
Increase the utilisation of sport facilities
Support the equitable provision of, and access to multi-sport facilities to grow sport participation for women and girls
Provide inclusive and accessible multi-sport facilities that support sport participation for people with disability, First Nations peoples and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Secondary objectives of the Fund are to:
Establish a diversified funding model
Improve operational sustainability
Promote and incorporate environmental sustainability and climate resiliency into design, construction and operation.
Funding availability
The NSW Government is allocating $100 million in 2022/2023 (Round 2).
The Multi-Sport Community Facility Fund grants are for the capital cost of the project only. Applicants are responsible for project administration costs, non-fixed or movable equipment and the ongoing operation of the facility.
The grant amount requested by an applicant must be a minimum of $1 million and cannot exceed $5 million.
All applications are expected to provide a minimum 50% financial co-contribution of the grant amount requested (e.g., if an applicant’s grant amount requested is $2 million, they should demonstrate at least a $1 million financial co-contribution).
Applicants that cannot meet the funding co-contribution expectation may apply for financial hardship. A financial hardship application provides applicants the opportunity to outline why they should be exempt from the expectation to provide a minimum 50% financial co-contribution of the grant amount requested. Financial hardship applications are to be made through the application process.
Financial hardship may be granted where a project is located in a disadvantaged area of NSW and/or is recovering from a significant natural disaster or pandemic e.g., COVID-19 or other exceptional circumstances. The Socio-Economic Index for Areas (SEIFA), published by the ABS, will assist the Grant Assessment Panel in measuring disadvantage.
All successful applicants must enter into a funding agreement with the Office of Sport. Grant payments will not be made until an executed funding agreement is in place and the Office of Sport will not be responsible for any project expenditure until this time. Project construction is to commence by July 2023, and it is expected that project construction will be completed by 31 December 2025. Funding approval may also have specific conditions that have been determined during the assessment process.
Applicants can submit up to three (3) applications in total for round two of the Fund. The applicant can advise of their project priority ranking in the application form. All projects will then be assessed in line with the Guidelines.
The Office of Sport reserves the right to recommend grant amounts that may differ from the amount requested in the application. Any such details will be specified in a written offer as well as in the funding agreement. Applications should identify the risk of the project not proceeding should the full grant amount requested not be approved.
Projects that are not the focus of the Multi-Sport Community Facility Fund will be encouraged to consider an application under other grant programs e.g., Community Building Partnership Program and Office of Responsible Gambling Infrastructure Grants.
Eligible applicants
Local government authorities in New South Wales
Regional Joint Organisations of councils, the Lord Howe Island Board and the Unincorporated Far West groups
NSW Office of Sport recognised NSW State Sporting Organisations (including National Sporting Organisations where the state body is part of a unitary governance model)
Incorporated, community-based, not-for-profit sporting organisations (clubs and associations whose primary purpose is to organise sporting activities/deliver sport programs)
Organisations providing sport and recreation programs that benefit the community, such as PCYCs, YMCA and YWCA
NSW based professional sporting organisations competing in a national or state competition
NSW Department of Education operated specialist sports high schools
Private enterprises (companies established under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), incorporated associations established under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 (NSW) or incorporated limited partnerships established under the Partnership Act 1892 (NSW)).
Applications involving partnerships between groups are encouraged and will be considered favourably, for example with a council or a Department of Education specialist sport high school. A council may apply on behalf of a sporting club or association; however the council will be the grant recipient and responsible for project delivery.
Ineligible applicants
Ineligible applicants are any organisation types not listed in the ‘Eligible Applicants’ section, and include (but are not limited to):
Individuals
Schools (other than NSW Department of Education operated specialist sports high schools), TAFEs, and Universities
Parents and Citizens (P&C’s) Associations
Progress Associations
Other community based or religious groups that do not have a primary purpose of sport and/or recreation
NSW Government agencies.
Organisations named by the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse on its list of Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent not to join the Scheme are not eligible for funding under this program.
Eligible projects
Applications should be limited to constructing new or enhancing existing multi-sport facilities that demonstrate inclusive and accessible design, maximise community participation and demonstrate provision of accessible program content and scheduling for women and girls.
Projects must be on be on land within NSW. Applicants should submit a landowner consent form for the project on the land on which the facility is to be developed.
For projects located on public land, a landowner consent form or signed letter of consent from the appropriate authorised delegate must be provided. For example, for projects located on public school land, including specialist sport high schools a letter of support for the specific project must be provided from School Infrastructure NSW as part of the application.
Additional information also sought includes evidence of applicant’s tenure and lease arrangements.
Examples of eligible project types and project components include:
Construction of new or upgraded multi-sport unisex and universally designed change rooms to be inclusive and female-friendly, including parent and child change spaces and officials’ areas (this includes prefabricated modular facilities)
Indoor sport complexes which cater to more than one sport
Aquatic and leisure centres
Amenity buildings such as kiosks, club rooms, change rooms and grandstands that are universally designed and enhance community connectivity and multi-purpose use
New and significant multi-sport upgrades to playing surfaces (fields and courts), specifically multi-sport upgrades and resurfacing that supports increased use and/or improves safety
New and upgraded provision of disability access and universally designed amenities that are beyond compliant and provide dignified inclusion in sport participation
Provision of administration facilities for a sporting organisation that is attached to a new or existing sport facility that supports multiple sports
Environmentally and operationally sustainable initiatives that support water and energy savings including water harvesting, new or upgraded irrigation infrastructure, more efficient lighting including technology-controlled and LED lighting and installation of solar panels and smart metering technology
New and upgraded all weather facilities including synthetics, shelter for outdoor activities, and irrigation projects
Digital technology uplift projects, including installation of WIFI, increased automation and other innovative smart technologies
Projects that improve the storage, security and safety capability of facilities
Construction of new or significantly improved walking, running, fixed outdoor exercise equipment, or off-road cycling trails that are an integral component of the sport facility development.
Application process
Step 1: Check your eligibility
Before you apply, please read these guidelines and related materials including the 2022/2023 eligibility checklist to make sure you understand all relevant requirements, including whether you are eligible to apply.
You can find the relevant information on the Office of Sport’s website: sport.nsw.gov.au/grants/multi-sport-community-facility-fund.
Projects must be submitted through the SmartyGrants website to be considered eligible.
Step 2: Prepare your application
For projects costing $5 million or more a business case is required to be submitted as part of your application.
The business case should be proportional to the scope, value and complexity of the project.
Step 3: Submit your application
Complete the application by filling in each of the sections (including a business case for projects costing $5 million or more and supporting documentation).
Submit the application before the closing date and time of 1.00pm, Friday 2 September 2022.
Successful submissions will be issued with a SmartyGrants system generated acknowledgement email containing a PDF copy of the application which will confirm the time the application was submitted.
Late supporting documentation
If any document is not available prior to the closing date/time and you would like to submit this for consideration you must contact infrastructuregrants@sport.nsw.gov.au within one hour of the closing date/time.
Late support documentation will only be accepted for applications already submitted in SmartyGrants and it will only be considered where its acceptance would not compromise the integrity and competitiveness of the process. The final determination on whether a late supporting documentation will be accepted will be made by the Grant Assessment Panel supported by a probity advisor.
Haines Consulting Group is a management consultancy firm specialising in business strategy, growth, government grants and new venture developments. If you need any assistance with a Grant submission please contact us now for a confidential conversation.