Regional Growth Fund

Regional NSW – Business Case and Strategy Development Fund

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The Business Case and Strategy development fund supports strategies and initiatives that will strengthen community infrastructure, regional prosperity, and planning for future projects.

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Key information

  • Status: Closed
  • Grant amount: Amount determined by business case or strategy.
  • Application opened: 29 June 2022
  • Application closed: 24 August 2022

Program objective

The Regional NSW - Business Case and Strategy Development Fund aims to support local councils, joint organisations of councils, not-for-profit, industry and Aboriginal community groups develop business cases or strategies for projects delivering significant economic or social benefits to regional communities, with a focus on infrastructure. 

The funding will help organisations build their capacity to plan for and deliver projects and regional development initiatives. The program will also help to build a pipeline of investment-ready projects for future funding opportunities. 

The Regional NSW - Business Case and Strategy Development Fund aims to:

  • encourage regional collaboration to identify projects and strategies with regional scale and impact
  • increase alignment of regional projects and strategies with Regional Economic Development Strategies (REDS) and other relevant regional or NSW Government plans and policies
  • build a pipeline of investment-ready economic and priority community projects in regional NSW.

The Regional NSW - Business Case and Strategy Development Fund comes under the $3.3 billion Regional Growth Fund. It’s part of the NSW Government’s ongoing commitment to supporting our regions in practical and effective ways and giving local organisations the resources to deliver exactly what their communities need.  

Available Funding

  • Stream One: Regional Significance – up to $27 million available funding.
  • Stream Two: Aboriginal Prosperity – up to $7 million available funding.

This program is funded and administered by Department of Regional NSW.

Eligibility

Who can apply

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).

Who can’t apply

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.

Example projects

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.

What you can’t apply for

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.

Most recent recipients

All recipients (143)

What your application needs to include

All applications need to include:

  • a clear scope for development of the business case or strategy
  • for applications relating to planning for infrastructure projects, an estimated cost for development of the infrastructure
  • information and evidence detailing how the application meets the program’s eligibility and assessment criteria
  • a timetable for development of the business case or strategy
  • a quote for development of the business case or strategy
  • for applications involving the use of land, a letter of support from the landowner
  • letters of support from key stakeholders in the project (if applicable)
  • evidence of consultation and industry or community support for the application/subject matter (if applicable).
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View the Program Guidelines

For more information about the Regional NSW - Business Case and Strategy Development Fund including key dates, eligibility, funding streams and assessment criteria, please see the Program Guidelines (PDF 2.64MB).

2

Online Information Session

The Department of Regional NSW hosted an Online Information Session to provide general information about the Regional NSW - Business Case and Strategy Development Fund. It included an overview of the Program Guidelines and the application process. The recording of this webinar is below:

49:16

Business Case and Strategy Development Fund Meeting Recording

The Department of Regional NSW hosted another Online Information Session focused on Stream Two of the Regional NSW - Business Case and Strategy Development Fund. Stream Two supports Aboriginal Prosperity and up to $5 million in funding is available. The Stream Two Online Information Session recording can be viewed below:

21:46

Business Case and Strategy Development Fund Meeting Recording for Stream 2

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Resources for applicants

The following resources are available to assist with applications for the Regional NSW - Business Case and Strategy Development Fund:

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Frequently Asked Questions

View Frequently asked questions.

After the application is submitted

The Department of Regional NSW will review applications against program eligibility and facilitate assessment of applications against the assessment criteria. Throughout the assessment process, the Department of Regional NSW may request additional information from applicants.

Successful applicants will be notified via email and/or letter. Applicants may be requested to keep the grant confidential for a period if an announcement is likely to be made by the NSW Government. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application and will be offered a feedback session.
 

Support and contact

The Department of Regional NSW Regional Development network can offer support and assistance for Regional NSW - Business Case and Strategy Development Fund applicants.

Email: rddrppbusinessoperations@dpird.nsw.gov.au 

Program evaluation

This Process Evaluation of the Business Case and Strategy Development Fund (BCSDF) assessed the effectiveness and efficiency of program design and implementation. Overall, the evaluation found that BCSDF was appropriately designed, effectively delivered, highly valued for its alignment to local needs and as an enabler of projects of local and regional significance.

The BCSDF was designed to enable the development of business cases or strategies to build the evidence-base and organisations’ preparedness for future funding opportunities and support projects delivering significant economic and social benefits to regional communities.

$33.9 million was provided for 143 projects, with: 

  • $28.5 million approved for 106 projects under Stream One: Regional Significance, and
  • $5.4 million for 37 projects under Stream Two: Aboriginal Prosperity.   

Applicants identified the business cases and strategy documents delivered through the program as a ‘critical piece in the puzzle’ to enable future projects of local and regional significance. The program objectives were aligned with strategic priorities and local needs, while the two-stream funding model was an appropriate mechanism to address two distinct objectives and facilitate equitable access to funding opportunities. Three strategic recommendations and several detailed recommendations are made for future programs with similar objectives.

Date of publication: March 2024

Regional Aboriginal Programs Meso Process Evaluation

This Meso Process Evaluation evaluated the design, funding approach and administrative processes of five programs with a focus on improving outcomes for Aboriginal community members living in regional NSW. The purpose of the evaluation was to understand how DPIRD can best approach the design and delivery of funding programs to achieve positive outcomes for Aboriginal people living in regional NSW. The combined suite of programs represents an investment of $75 million across the following programs:

  1. Regional Growth – Environment and Tourism Fund (RGETF), Round 2, Stream 4: Indigenous Projects
  2. Business Case and Strategy Development Fund (BCSDF), Stream 2: Aboriginal Prosperity
  3. Community Local Infrastructure Recovery Program (CLIRP) 2022, Aboriginal Owned Assets Program (AoAP)
  4. Infrastructure Package for COVID-19 Impacted Aboriginal Communities in Far West NSW (IPCIC)
  5. Speaking in Colour (SiC) program and funding model 2023.

A culturally safe and inclusive approach was taken to this evaluation, including engagement of an independent Aboriginal consultant to conduct on-Country yarning with Aboriginal stakeholders. Where programs were designed with a focus on self-determination enabled through culturally safe and inclusive engagement, an increased alignment was identified between program/project objectives and the priorities of Aboriginal communities. Application timeframes and processes were found to have impacted the accessibility of some funding programs. Where funding provisions were made for application writing and project management support, this effectively supported grantees to navigate these processes to access the funding opportunity.

The evaluation identified the importance of a contextualised, strengths-based approach to ensure program design and delivery are aligned with the needs, aspirations and available resources of Aboriginal communities. Eight key recommendations were identified, including the need for program design and delivery to be underpinned by the principles of self-determination, equity, flexibility, transparency and collaboration. The report contains 25 operational recommendations grouped under program design and delivery domains including guidance for culturally safe and inclusive program administration. Stakeholders highlighted the critical importance of showcasing the achievements and strengths of Aboriginal communities, including projects enabled through the funding programs.

Date of publication: October 2025 
 

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