Community Building Partnership 2026

Stage 1 Expression of Interest (EOI)

Before submitting an EOI, make sure you can confirm all of the following:

Organisation

• You are an eligible organisation
• You hold current Public Liability Insurance ($5 million minimum)
• You have no outstanding unacquitted CBP projects (unless an approved extension is in place)

Project

• The project is located in the NSW electoral district you are applying for
• The project fits one category only (capital works, equipment or registered vehicle)
• The funding request is $10,000–$100,000
• The project has not commenced
• The project can be completed by 24 January 2028

EOI Submission

• The EOI clearly describes:
  • what the project will deliver
  • who will benefit
  • how it aligns with the local MPs district priorities
• You have declared any conflict of interest
• You are submitting no more than 2 EOIs per electoral district*
• The EOI is complete and submitted in SmartyGrants by the closing date

Only complete EOIs are considered for shortlisting.

*Applications that request full and partial funding for the same project will be classed as 1 submission

Stage 2: Detailed Application (shortlisted applicants only)

If your EOI is shortlisted, you will be invited to submit a Detailed Application. Before submitting, make sure you have:

Required Documentation (all projects)

• valid and current Certificate of Currency for Public Liability Insurance with a minimum cover of $5 million.

Additional Documents (if applicable)

• Development Approval evidence for capital works projects where Development Approval (DA) is required. Acceptable evidence includes:
  • current valid notice of determination showing consent has been granted
  • complying development and/or construction certificate.
• Property/landowner’s consent for capital works projects where property/landowner’s consent is required. Acceptable evidence includes:
  • A CBP Property/Landowner’s Consent form, completed by the owner of the buildings/land or Crown land manager
  • A letter providing full consent from the owner or Crown Land manager for works to commence
  • For projects on Crown lands only, confirmation from the applicant that the proposed works fit within the parameters of ‘deemed consent’ as defined in section 2.23 of the Crown Land Management Act 2016
  • For projects on Department of Education land only, a PDF print-out of the Asset Management Unit (AMU) approval as it appears in the Department's Facilities Management portal (FM portal).
• Quotes for projects that request $30,001 or above
  • Quotes for applications that request less than $30,000 are preferred but not mandatory.

Detailed Application Submission

• The detailed application clearly demonstrates:
  • how the project will strengthen community wellbeing
  • value for money
  • the organisation’s capacity to deliver the project on time and within budget
• All information is accurate and complete
• The declaration is authorised by the appropriate officer
• The application is submitted in SmartyGrants by the due date

Each applicant, as part of an application response, must confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria.

Applicants that do not address the eligibility criteria in full may be excluded from the application process at the department's discretion.

Criterion 1: Strengthen community wellbeing by delivering local infrastructure that will facilitate: Vibrant and active communities, Sustainable and resilient communities and/or Inclusive and accessible communities.

Applicants demonstrate this by:

• Describing how your project will strengthen community wellbeing.
• Describing the benefits the project is expected to achieve.
• Explaining the intended outcomes of your project and how it will enhance current activities and services in your community.
• Specifying the groups within your community that will benefit from the project.
• Telling us how you know that the project will strengthen community wellbeing. (Include any evidence such as feedback, statistics, surveys and research, if available.) 

Criterion 2: Deliver value for money: the project will deliver value for money in regard to the costs of the project and the community outcomes it will achieve.

Applicants demonstrate this by:

• Providing a detailed breakdown of all project costs and explaining how each will be funded.
• Providing quotations, price comparisons or advice from professionals to show that the costs are reasonable.
• Providing letters confirming other sources of financial support.

Criterion 3: The organisation’s capacity: the applicant has the capacity to deliver the project on time and within scope.

Applicants demonstrate this by:

• Telling us about the resources and skills within the organisation, or through a partnership, which will help it to successfully deliver the project on time and within budget.
• Detailing your organisation’s experience in delivering any similar projects. (For example, have you been successful in receiving grant funding previously and did you deliver the project on time?).
• Demonstrating that your organisation understands what it takes to deliver the project on time by including relevant project planning documentation in your application.