2026-27 Regional NSW Strategic Partnerships Program

Program objective

The Regional NSW Strategic Partnerships Program is announced as part of the Plan for Regional NSW Arts, Culture and Creative Industries. The Program provides support for organisations to deliver key programs in regional NSW to support the diverse arts, culture and creative industries sector of the region.

The Regional NSW Strategic Partnerships Program is funded and administered by Create NSW.

The Regional NSW Strategic Partnership Program aims to establish partnerships that strengthen the arts, culture and creative industries in regional NSW through programs for the following focus areas:

• skills development
• organisational capacity building
• audience development
• development of partnerships
• investment sourcing
• creative activation of spaces.

Through partnerships and delivery of targeted programs, the Program will address gaps in the above focus areas for regional NSW creative organisations and workers.

The intended long-term outcomes of the Program are:

• A more connected sector in regional NSW through partnerships
• Development of artists and creative workers’ practices in regional NSW
• Improved or new income streams for organisations
• Increased capacity of organisations to retain staff, deliver impactful programs and enhance community engagement.

The Program will be administered in accordance with the NSW Grants Administration Guide.

Image credit: Dancer: Jordan Bretherton. Sculpture: Marlene Houston. Courtesy Flipside Dance Inc (Catapult Dance Choreographic Hub).  Image by Joel De Carteret (Stories in Motion)

This program is administered by Create NSW.

Eligibility

What your application needs to include

After the application is submitted

Successful applications will be decided by: Secretary, DCITHS

Late applications and additional information 

If we find an error or information that is missing, we may ask for clarification or additional information from you that will not change the nature of your application.

If you find an error in your application after submitting it, you should contact us as soon as possible at arts.funding@create.nsw.gov.au.

If applications are still open and there is sufficient time before the closing date, we may be able to reopen your application to allow updates. You must resubmit your application form before closing time.

If applications have closed, Create NSW may, at its discretion, consider late applications, corrections, additional information or supporting material where technical difficulties or extenuating circumstances have affected submission. This will only occur where doing so would not disadvantage other applicants or compromise the integrity of the grants process.  

To request consideration, you must contact Create NSW via arts.funding@create.nsw.gov.au by 3pm on the closing date and provide supporting evidence. Create NSW is not obliged to accept late submissions, corrections or additional information received after the application closing time. 

Applicants must not lobby the NSW Government on an issue related or seen to be related to the Program that may or may be perceived to give an unfair advantage to the applicant. Applicants are required to comply with all applicable laws including the NSW Lobbyists Code of Conduct.

Assessment of grant applications

This grant program is an open and competitive grant program. All applications are to be submitted and assessed through the staged process below. It is important to note that the detailed application stage is only applicable to applications that are successful at the expression of interest stage.

Applications that are successful at the expression of interest stage are not guaranteed to be successful at the detailed application stage.

Eligibility Assessment

All submitted applications are initially reviewed against the eligibility criteria set out above in the program guidelines. Eligibility assessments will be conducted by Create NSW staff.

If further information is required to determine the applicant’s or application’s eligibility, a request will be made to the applicant in writing before the eligibility assessment is completed. Where an application’s eligibility on one or more criteria remains uncertain, a final eligibility determination will be made by the Director, Program Development and Delivery and presented to the Executive Director, Create NSW for approval.

If an application is deemed ineligible, applicants will be notified by email within 14 days.

Eligible applicants will proceed to the next stage of the assessment process.

Expression of Interest Assessment

All applicants proceeding to this stage will be assessed against the expression of interest assessment criteria.

EOI assessments will be conducted by an assessment panel comprising a minimum of three qualified and experienced representatives from Create NSW and other NSW Government organisations.

Applications are compared against other applications and given an initial ranking / score. They will consider the assessment criteria, distribution, range, and scale of the initial recommendations. This may include prioritising applications and activities with outcomes that better meet the Program objectives or address and ensure equity and the best outcomes for NSW Government investment.

The assessment panel may recommend that an application is conditionally successful, subject to further development. This may include connecting multiple applicants to co-design a program for submission at the detailed application stage.

In these instances, Create NSW will provide detailed feedback to the applicant, or applicants, to consider.

The Executive Director, Create NSW, is the decision maker for the outcomes of the Expression of Interest process.

Detailed Application Assessment

All applicants that proceed to the detailed application stage will be contacted via email and invited to submit a second application (Stage Two Application Form). The Stage Two Application Form must be submitted by 2.00pm Monday 7 December via the SmartyGrants portal.

Stage Two assessments will be conducted by an assessment panel comprising representatives with relevant experience and skill, including a senior representative from Create NSW and a minimum of three independent assessors from regional NSW. Applications will be assessed against the published assessment criteria. External experts/advisors may be invited to provide advice during any part of the assessment process.

The assessment panel members’ scores will be amalgamated and presented at an assessment meeting to determine their final recommendations. They will consider the assessment criteria, distribution, range, and scale of the initial recommendations. This may include prioritising applications and activities with outcomes that better meet the Program objectives or address and ensure equity and the best outcomes for NSW Government investment.

Due diligence and other checks

At any time during the assessment process, Create NSW may undertake due diligence or other checks on an application. This may include, but is not limited to:

• financial checks such as ASIC searches to confirm the financial status or financial viability of the applicant
• criminal checks
• internal conflict checks
• commissioning or completing research, analysis and modelling to support assessments
• contacting identified project participant organisations.

Assessment process considerations

Applicants should note that:   

• The NSW Government typically receives far more applications than it can support. 
• Funding allocation follows a competitive process. You are not guaranteed funding even if your application meets the published criteria.  

Create NSW may, at its sole discretion and at any stage of the application process, do all or any of the following:  

• Require additional information from an applicant. 
• Request applicants to provide clarification or additional information regarding the eligibility criteria. 
• Change the scope of the requirements of these guidelines. 
• Vary, amend (including by replacement), or terminate the application process. 
• Re-open an application after the closing date, provided it doesn’t give the applicant an advantage over other applicants. 
• Consider any non-conforming or late application.  
• Request further advice and/or clarification from applicants during the assessment process (note: The purpose of clarifying information will be to resolve ambiguity – applicants will not be able to strengthen their application through this process.)
• Use previously submitted applications and acquittal data to inform the decision making.

Recommendation and decision making

The assessment panel makes their recommendations to the decision maker, who is the Secretary, Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport (DCITHS).

The Secretary, DCITHS, makes the final decision to determine successful grant recipients. Where applicable, advice from a probity advisor may be considered in making the final decision.

The Department has the discretion to reject, refuse or cease assessment of an application at any time.

Notification of application outcome

We will advise you of the outcome of your application in writing via email.  Applicants will be notified of the outcome within 8 weeks of applications closing.

If you are successful, we will advise you of any specific conditions attached to the grant. This could include a request to keep the grant confidential for a specified period due to an announcement being made by the NSW Government in relation to the grant.

Feedback on applications

General panel feedback will be made available to unsuccessful applicants in the notification email. Applicants can request clarification on this feedback by contacting regional@create.nsw.gov.au after the funding notifications are sent out. Please note that due to the volume of applications, individual application feedback may not be possible.

The Department’s decision is final.

Publication of grants information

The Grants Administration Guide (Guide) requires that certain information is published in relation to grants awarded no later than 45 calendar days after the grant agreement takes effect (see section 6.5 of the Guide and Appendix A to the Guide). This information is also open access information under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act), which must be made publicly available unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure of the information.

In accordance with these requirements, relevant information about the grants awarded will be made available on the NSW Government Grants and Funding Finder within 45 days of the execution of funding agreement.

All records in relation to this decision will be managed in accordance with the requirements of the State Records Act 1998.

Successful grant applications

Grant agreement

The NSW Government makes no funding or other commitment to the successful applicant until all parties have signed a grant agreement. You must not make financial commitments reliant on this grant until the grant agreement is signed and executed by all parties. 

Amendments to the grant agreement template are not encouraged. However, where you cannot accept the terms and conditions in the template, you must notify the Department in writing of your proposed amendments to the template and qualify the reasons for your proposed amendments. The Department may or may not accept these proposed amendments at its discretion.

The grant agreement can only be signed by authorised officers or delegates of your organisation.

All applicants must provide the contact details (email address, phone number, name, and position) of the relevant authorised signatories, or their delegates, in the contracting form that will be provided to you via SmartyGrants.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure signatories have the capacity and availability to understand, complete and sign documents, to carefully read the terms and conditions of their grant agreement, and for it to be signed by the correct authorised signatories. Important terms and conditions associated with the funding are attached to the grant agreement.

Create NSW may not issue a grant agreement and/or make payments until all outstanding Create NSW acquittals have been submitted. 

Grant payment

An invoice template is provided with the grant agreement. The grant will be paid to the nominated bank account only after the grant agreement has been executed by the relevant parties, a satisfactory invoice is received, bank details are verified and all information is satisfactory. The grant agreement will set out the milestones and conditions required for payment.

Variations to the grant agreement

Any variations to the funding agreement, including program scope or activities, location or timeframes outlined in the application form and Grant Guidelines must be submitted for approval by Create NSW. Failure to do so may result in the withdrawal of the grant offer.

Create NSW has the discretion to approve or reject any variation request from a grantee where the grant agreement has already been executed.

All requests for a variation must be submitted in writing to Create NSW. To request a variation, or if you are unsure if your enquiry qualifies as a variation, contact arts.funding@create.nsw.gov.au with your SmartyGrants application ID.

Unspent funds

All grant funds are required to be spent on the approved program, and any unspent funds must be returned to the Department in accordance with the terms and conditions of the grant agreement.

Indicative reporting and acquittal requirements

You must submit reports as set out in the grant agreement. We may provide sample templates for these reports in the funding agreement.

We will expect you to report on:

• progress against agreed program milestones and outcomes
• contributions of participants directly related to the grant
• expenditure of the grant.

Acknowledgement

All recipients of NSW Government funding should acknowledge the financial support in accordance with the Funding Acknowledgement Guidelines for Recipients of NSW Government Grant Funding available at nsw.gov.au/branding/sponsorship-and-funding-acknowledgment-guidelines.

You must seek our written consent prior to any significant public announcement, marketing, press announcements, or official launch in relation to the grant.

The NSW Government logo should be used on all materials related to grants provided to the funded activity. Whenever the logo is used, the publication must also acknowledge the NSW Government.

Additional information and resources

Evaluation

The Department regularly evaluates its initiatives to determine the effectiveness of implementation and to examine the extent to which outcomes and objectives have been achieved. Evaluations are conducted and published in line with requirements from NSW Treasury and the NSW Grants Administration Guide.

We may use information from your application, grant activities and reports you have submitted for this purpose. Create NSW may seek to interview you or ask you for more information to further understand your experience with the grant program, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the program in achieving its objective(s) and outcomes. All applicants, whether successful or unsuccessful, may be contacted to participate in interviews or surveys for evaluation purposes.  

You consent to the use of your information for this purpose by:

• the Department
• NSW Treasury
• the Minister for the Arts office
• the NSW Ombudsman and Audit Office of NSW
• consultants and advisers
• any agency or body of the NSW Government, or any other organisation or individual considered by the office to have a need or an entitlement to know that information (including any federal, state or territory agency or body), where that need or entitlement to know that information arises out of or in connection with the purpose above.

Complaint handling

Details on how we handle complaints, access to information and your private information is available at: https://www.create.nsw.gov.au/about-us/feedback-complaints-privacy-and-government-information

Access to information

The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA) provides for the proactive release of government information by agencies and gives members of the public an enforceable right to access government information held by an agency (which includes Ministerial offices). Access to government information is only to be restricted if there is an overriding public interest against disclosure.

The NSW Legislative Council has the power to order the production of State papers by the Executive Government. Standing Order 52 provides that the House may order documents to be tabled by the Government in the House. The Cabinet Office coordinates the preparation of the papers – that is, the return to order.  

The return to order may contain privileged and public documents. Privileged documents are available only to members of the Legislative Council.

Note that documents submitted as part of a grant application may be subject to an application under GIPA or an order for papers under Standing Order 52. 

Further information on how DCITHS holds information, and how to access it, is available at https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/dciths/policies-plans-and-procedures/access-to-information/agency-information-guide

Conflict of interest management

Conflicts of interest are any factors that could compromise the judgement, decisions, or actions of a person or group of people.

Conflicts may arise if a party in the grants administration process, whether it be Department staff, assessment panel members, the applicant or staff employed by the applicant: 

• has a professional, commercial, or personal relationship with a party who can influence the application selection process
• has a relationship with, or interest in, an organisation which is likely to interfere with or restrict the applicants from carrying out the proposed activities fairly and independently
• has a relationship with, or interest in, an organisation from which they will receive personal gain because the applicant received a grant
• are involved in any other situations which could lead to unfavourable advantage.

Conflicts of interest for the Department will be handled as set out in the Department’s Code of Ethics and Conduct.

Applicants must disclose any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest as part of their application or, if successful, as they arise during program implementation.

You must inform us as soon as you identify an actual, apparent or perceived conflict of interest.

NOTE: You are advised to contact us if you are unsure whether something constitutes an actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest.

Risks are managed in accordance with Department’s risk management framework. Risk management, including fraud controls, will occur throughout the grant life cycle.

 Confidentiality

Successful applicants may be required to keep the outcome of the application process confidential until the Government makes a public announcement. The Department follows all requirements of confidentiality required as part of the grants administration and assessment process as outlined in the NSW Grants Administration Guide.

Unless otherwise stated, any commercial-in-confidence provisions (as defined under the GIPA Act) provided by you as part of, or in connection with, a registration, application or negotiation process will be treated confidentially by the office. We may disclose commercial-in-confidence information provided by you to the following parties:

• The Minister or Minister’s office;
• the NSW Ombudsman and Audit Office of NSW;
• consultants and advisers engaged by the Department;
• any agency or body of the NSW Government, or any other organisation or individual considered by the office to have a need or an entitlement to know that information (including any federal, state or territory agency or body), where the need or entitlement to know that information arises out of or in connection with the office’s assessment, verification or due diligence of any aspect of your application; and
• where authorised or required to by law.

If we disclose commercial-in-confidence information to any of the above parties, we will inform the party that the information is strictly confidential. We will otherwise only disclose commercial-in-confidence information provided by you with your consent.

Privacy

The Department will collect and store the information you voluntarily provide to enable the implementation of this grant program.

The Department is required to comply with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (PPIP Act). The Department collects the minimum personal information to enable it to contact an organisation and to assess the merits of an application. Applicants must ensure that people whose personal details are supplied with applications are aware that the Department is being supplied with this information and how this information will be used.

We treat your personal information in accordance with the PPIP Act and the Department’s privacy policy. This includes letting you know:

• what personal information is collected;
• why your personal information is collected; and
• who your personal information is given to.

The personal information will only be used for the purpose for which it was collected unless an exemption applies.

Anticipated assessment outcome date is within 8 weeks of applications closing

Anticipated date for funding deed execution with successful applicants is within one month of successful notification

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