The $55 million Sport Infrastructure Recovery Fund, which was announced in May 2022, will provide much needed financial support to those in our sport and recreation sector impacted by the NSW severe weather storms and flooding from 22nd February 2022 onwards.
Funding under the Sport Infrastructure Recovery Fund will be delivered in two stages:
Sport Priority Needs Program (stage 1) – Complete.
Essential Community Sport Assets Program (stage 2)
The objectives of the fund are to
improve the standard of directly damaged community sport facilities to enable the return of sport activities as soon as possible through repair, reconstruction, and betterment
increase the utilisation of community sport facilities
provide inclusive and accessible community sport facilities to grow participation for women and girls, people with disability, First Nations peoples and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities
upgrade sport facilities to be more resilient to future extreme climate events and natural disasters.
This program is administered by Stronger Communities.
Eligibility
Who can apply
Eligible applicants for Stream one and two must be from Australian Government natural disaster declared LGAs listed below.
Stream one
Councils in an Australian Government natural disaster declared LGA listed below (including Joint Organisations or Regional Organisations of Councils where at least one member council is from an Australian Government natural disaster declared LGA listed below).
Stream two
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 programs that benefit the community, such as PCYCs, YMCA and YWCA
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 government and non-government groups are encouraged and will be considered favourably.
If successful, eligible applicants will be the grant recipient and responsible for the project’s delivery.
Australian Government natural disaster declared LGAs
Armidale
Cumberland
Maitland
Shoalhaven
Ballina
Dubbo
Mid Coast
Singleton
Bayside
Dungog
Mid-Western
Snowy Monaro
Bega
Eurobodalla
Muswellbrook
Strathfield
Bellingen
Fairfield
Nambucca
Sutherland
Blacktown
Georges River
Narromine
Tenterfield
Blue Mountains
Glenn Innes Severn
Newcastle
The Hills
Bogan
Goulburn Mulwaree
Northern Beaches
Tweed
Brewarrina
Hawkesbury
Oberon
Upper Hunter
Byron
Hornsby
Parkes
Upper Lachlan
Cabonne
Inner West
Parramatta
Walgett
Camden
Kempsey
Penrith
Warren
Campbelltown
Kiama
Port Macquarie Hastings
Waverley
Canterbury Bankstown
Ku-ring-gai
Port Stephens
Willoughby
Central Coast
Kyogle
Queanbeyan Palerang
Wingecarribee
Cessnock
Lake Macquarie
Randwick
Wollondilly
Clarence Valley
Lismore
Richmond Valley
Wollongong
Coffs Harbour
Lithgow
Ryde
Cowra
Liverpool
Shellharbour
Who can’t apply
Ineligible applicants for the ECSAP are any organisation types not listed in the ‘eligible applicants’ section of the guidelines, and include (but are not limited to):
individuals
schools, TAFEs, and Australian Universities with NSW campuses
parents and Citizens (P&C’s) Associations
progress Associations
NSW Institute of Sport, Australian Sports Commission (incorporating the Australian Institute of Sport) and NSW Regional Academies of Sport
other community based or religious groups that do not have a primary purpose of sport and/or recreation
NSW based professional sporting organisations competing in national or state competitions
NSW Department of Education operated specialist sports high schools
NSW Government agencies.
An eligible organisation will be deemed not eligible for funding under the ECSAP if they are an organisation 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; or
in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that has not yet joined the National Redress Scheme.
Types of projects funded under this grant
Examples of eligible project types and project components for infrastructure that has sustained damage as a result of AGRN 1012 or AGRN 1025 include repair, reconstruction, and betterment of:
sport playing fields drainage and irrigation
sport playing field and court surfaces
indoor sports facilities including damaged flooring, electrical and fittings
sport training facilities including cricket nets
fixed sport equipment (for example, scoreboards and soccer posts)
fixed shelters, seating, and grandstands
landscaping directly related to the damaged sport facility
sports facility amenity, administration, and storage buildings / areas
sport facility change rooms, kiosks, and canteens
fencing and connectivity pathways directly related to the damaged sport facility
sport facility lighting and electrical repairs
aquatic and leisure centres
walking, running, fixed outdoor exercise equipment, or off-road cycling trails that are an integral component of the sport facility development
storage, security, and safety capability of sport facilities
digital technology projects, including installation of Wi-Fi, increased automation and other innovative smart technologies that support future facility resilience
environmentally and operationally sustainable measures that support water and energy savings including water harvesting, new or upgraded drainage and irrigation infrastructure, more efficient lighting including technology controlled and LED lighting and installation of solar panels and smart metering technology.
What can’t you apply for
Examples of ineligible project types, project components and costs include:
repair of facilities where the damage can be covered by insurance or costs that have already been covered or claimed under insurance or from other NSW or Australian Government grant programs
assets that were not directly damaged from the 22 February 2022 onwards and 27 June 2022 onwards storm and flood events (AGRN 1012 and/or AGRN 1025)
projects located outside of the eligible LGAs
on private land unless there is clear public benefit to the community’s interest in sport and have documented consent from the landowner
facilities where little or no public access is available
local council costs for the primary purpose of waste clean-up and/or make-safe works for directly damaged community sport facilities (except for in exceptional circumstances where the Office of Sport has specifically approved the costs as eligible)
costs related to buying or upgrading non–fixed equipment or supplies unless it is a small component of a larger fixed project (for example, computers, office goods, footballs, clothing and footwear, ride-on mowers)
project components that do not meet relevant Australian standards
arts, music, craft, and recreation facilities that provide experiences that do not meet the definition of sport and active recreation unless it is a multi-purpose facility providing a clear public benefit to the community’s interest in sport
playgrounds and playspaces, including aquatic playspaces
costs associated with the building or upgrade of licensed areas and gaming areas
costs associated with the maintenance or construction of local roads, car parks (public or private) or any other core service infrastructure works that are ordinarily the responsibility of council, other level of government or private enterprise
applicants and/or projects that have received grant funding from another NSW or Australian Government grant program for the same project, unless there is significant new and additional scope
financing of budget deficits or insurance shortfall
operational and/or maintenance costs not related to the project
costs that require recurrent or ongoing funding from the NSW Government.
Most recent recipients
Armidale Golf Club
$170,888
Armidale Golf Club Flood Mitigation And Drainage Works
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What was approved
Approved for Armidale Golf Club
$170,888
The project will deliver a drainage system for Armidale golf course to remove excess sub-surface water from the course. The project will include repairing the existing dam wall so that water does not flow from the dam onto the golf course, and will also allow greater harvesting and storage of surface water flows to help drought proof the course in times of drought.
$170,888 was approved by
Minister for Sport
Date approved
March 2023
Location of the recipient
Armidale 2350
About the grant
Applications approved
94
Applications received
109
Essential Community Sport Assets Program (stage 2)
Program term
Until 31/12/2025
Arunga Polo Club
$135,660
Repair and replace natural turf playing surface and repair toilets
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What was approved
Approved for Arunga Polo Club
$135,660
While COVID prevented the Club from earning the necessary income required to maintain the playing surface at our ground, the recent flooding events (twice) have ruined the surface making it unsafe to use, compounding the problem of income generation.
This grant will fix the surface and through a combination of replacement and restoration allow us to play again and generate income for future maintenance. The scope of works will also mitigate the severity of impact from future severe climate events that results in sustained inundation due to a more robust surface. Also fixing damaged toilet block walls.
$135,660 was approved by
Minister for Sport
Date approved
March 2023
Location of the recipient
Richmond 2753
About the grant
Applications approved
94
Applications received
109
Essential Community Sport Assets Program (stage 2)
Program term
Until 31/12/2025
Bankstown Golf Club
$411,965
Fairway Drainage Works
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What was approved
Approved for Bankstown Golf Club
$411,965
Provide drainage for each fairway using sand gravel silt drainage system and the installer of a tank transfer for reuse of water captured.
$411,965 was approved by
Minister for Sport
Date approved
March 2023
Location of the recipient
Milperra 2214
About the grant
Applications approved
94
Applications received
109
Essential Community Sport Assets Program (stage 2)
Program term
Until 31/12/2025
Bayview Golf Club Limited
$482,490
Improve construct course drainage and irrigation for women and girls
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What was approved
Approved for Bayview Golf Club Limited
$482,490
The construction of irrigation and subsurface drainage at Bayview Golf Course reduces the risk of fairways flooding and impacts of climate change. If the golf course does not flood it can stay open more days increasing participation in the sport of golf particularly for our female players who have found muddy fairways unpalatable. The improved playing conditions will attract golfers to exercise which improves social connection, health including mental health, educational and economic benefits for the community plus the betterment will improve sustainability of the facility following natural disaster.
$482,490 was approved by
Minister for Sport
Date approved
March 2023
Location of the recipient
Bayview 2104
About the grant
Applications approved
94
Applications received
109
Essential Community Sport Assets Program (stage 2)
Program term
Until 31/12/2025
Bellingen Shire Council
$995,574
Connell Park Drainage and Surface Improvement Project
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What was approved
Approved for Bellingen Shire Council
$995,574
This project will improve the drainage and playing surfaces at Connell Park by seeing the area reshaped and swale drains constructed to enable natural drainage to occur which will reduce the frequency and likelihood of field closures during and post-rainfall and flooding events.
$995,574 was approved by
Minister for Sport
Date approved
March 2023
Location of the recipient
Bellingen 2454
About the grant
Applications approved
94
Applications received
109
Essential Community Sport Assets Program (stage 2)
Before you apply, please read these guidelines and related materials to make sure you understand all relevant requirements, including whether you are eligible to apply and whether projects you have identified are eligible.
You can find the relevant information on the Office of Sport’s website.
Projects must be submitted through the SmartyGrants website to be considered eligible.
Step 2: Prepare your application
Applying for the ECSAP is a simple process using the SmartyGrants platform sport.smartygrants.com.au/ECSAP-2022-23.
The Office of Sport recommends that applicants familiarise themselves with the online application form ahead of preparing the application and plan ahead of the closing date. You can download a copy of the application form prior to commencing your application.
Step 3: Submit your application
Complete the application by filling in each of the sections including required documentation.
Submit the application before the closing date and time.
An authorised delegate must approve the grant submission.
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.
2
The Office of Sport conducts a preliminary eligibility check of all applications ensuring that the:
applicant is an eligible applicant
applicant has provided an ABN/ACN and/or Incorporation number
project is in one of the 74 eligible LGAs
project is for the repair, restoration, and/or betterment of community sport facilities that were directly impacted by the severe weather and flood events in from the 22 February 2022 onwards and 27 June 2022 onwards (declared as AGRN 1012 and/or AGRN 1025)
project grant request is a minimum of $150,000 and does not exceed $1,000,000 for Stream one projects
project grant request is a minimum of $15,000 and does not exceed $500,000 for Stream two projects
project is not covered by insurance or any other NSW or Australian Government grant programs or flood recovery initiatives.
The Office of Sport will make recommendations to the Grant Assessment Panel on ineligible applications and ineligible project components. The Grant Assessment Panel will make the final determination on eligibility.
3
Criterion 1: Strategic alignment and community need (30%)
Criterion 2: Project scope, inclusive design, and resilience building (25%)
Criterion 3: Project affordability (20%)
Criterion 4: Project deliverability and applicant capability (25%)
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: The Minister for Sport will consider the recommendations of the Grant Assessment Panel and make decisions relating to the approval of funding.
The applications will be assessed and both successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified.
Assessment process
The ECSAP is administered by the Office of Sport in two stages:
eligibility check
merit assessment.
Throughout the assessment process the Office of Sport may request additional information from the applicant.
An independent probity advisor will oversee the grant process, attend all Grant Assessment Panel meetings, and complete a Probity Report.
A Grant Assessment Panel, appointed by the Office of Sport, will assess all applications, and make recommendations to the Minister for Sport. Project assessment may include seeking expert advice from relevant NSW Government agencies or other subject matter experts.
The Office of Sport reserves the right to recommend grant amounts that may differ from the amount requested for a project 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 each project not proceeding should the full grant amount requested not be approved.
To avoid duplication of NSW Government funding, the Office of Sport may request comment on applications from stakeholders such as other government agencies, state/national sporting organisations and members of parliament.