Funding is available to Community Preschools for minor construction and specialised equipment or furniture that will enable children with disability and additional needs to participate in the educational program on the same basis as their peers
Key information
- Status: Open
- Grant amount: Up to $20,000
- Application opened: 15 August 2026
- Application closes: 16 October 2026, 5:00 pm
Program objective
Inclusive Environments (IE) (formerly Minor Capital Works) is a component of Disability and Inclusion Program for NSW Community Preschools.
The program aims to:
- increase the capacity of the early childhood education sector to include children with disability and additional needs on the same basis as their peers
- support equitable education outcomes for children with disability and additional needs during their attendance at preschool and as they transition to school
- align with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in NSW (the NDIS provides functional support, and this program provides educational support)
- target funding to children who have high learning support needs
- support quality uplift and ensure children have access to high quality early childhood education programs that drive improved outcomes.
This program is funded and administered by Department of Education.
Eligibility
Service eligibility criteria
All IE funding is available only for community preschools who are receiving funding under the NSW Start Strong for Community Preschools or the Mobile Preschool Funding Program.
Child Eligibility Criteria
For child-based IE funding, the child/children must:
- be at least 3 years old on or before 31 July in that preschool year; or
- turn 3 years old after 31 July in that preschool year and demonstrate exceptional circumstances. Exceptional circumstances are like or related to the following circumstances: any child or family that experiences out-of-home or alternative care arrangements, isolation, violence, trauma, mental health issues, environmental disasters or other crises, and
- either have:
- constant and ongoing support needs and require significant adjustments to enable them to engage with the educational program on the same basis as their peers, or
- a temporary illness or injury that requires short term adjustment to enable participation in the educational program on the same basis as their peers.
Applications are specific to individual or multiple children. An application can include inclusive environment requirements for multiple children, where the environment adjustment/equipment/furniture relates to more than one child.
It is no longer a requirement for the child/children to have an application approved for HLSN funding. This change recognises that some preschools can include children with constant and ongoing support needs with environmental adjustments and may not need an additional educator funded under the HLSN program.
The department does not take citizenship and residency status of the child/children into consideration to determine eligibility for funding under the IE funding program.
Child-based funding
Child-based funding for a community preschool to support individual children with constant and ongoing support needs currently attending their service.
- Up to $5,000 (ex GST) per child per year (or per application, if the application is for more than one child) is available for specialised equipment/furniture.
- Up to $20,000 (ex GST) per child per year (or per application, if the application is for more than one child) is available for minor construction. Funding will not be provided more than once for the same equipment/furniture or minor construction project. Funding requests for multiple equipment/furniture of the same type can be considered for other children in other applications.
Funding above $5,000 (ex GST) for highly specialised, individualised and essential equipment for an enrolled child with significant and complex needs may be considered under exceptional circumstances. The department may consider requests related to funding amount for eligible IE applications to a maximum amount of $20,000 (ex GST) per child per year (or per application if the application is for more than one child). Requests should be made in writing and emailed to ecec.funding@det.nsw.edu.au.
What your application needs to include
For full application details, download the 2026 Inclusive Environments Funding Program Guidelines
Child-based applications for funding to support the child/children currently attending the service (Child-Based Applications) require:
- a description of the child/children’s learning and developmental needs and any disability
- a description of the essential minor construction and/or specialised equipment/furniture that are required to enable the child/ children to access, and participate in, the educational program
- if applying for specialised equipment/furniture, supporting evidence from specialised professionals recommending the specialised equipment/furniture
- a description of how the minor construction and/or specialised equipment/furniture are linked to/will deliver outcomes specified in a child/children’s Individual Learning Plan (ILP)
- an itemised quote/s clearly indicating the breakdown of costs excluding GST, and freight components where applicable. Where GST is not clearly indicated, the department will assume that GST is included in the cost and will subtract this amount from the total amount if applying for specialised equipment or furniture, photocopies or sample pictures from catalogues to support your application
- a declaration confirming sufficient space for equipment/furniture to be installed and used safely.
Where applications are submitted that exceed the available grant amount, applicants are required to confirm that they can fund the difference.
If circumstances change, and a preschool cannot fund the difference, they must notify the department. In such circumstances, the grant must be returned to the department in full, unless expenditure is otherwise agreed by both parties and approved by the department. These decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Start the application
Applications for this grant are available via the Grants portal.
Applications can be made in the Early Childhood Contract Management System (ECCMS)
After the application is submitted
The applications will be assessed and both successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified.
The department will individually assess all applications against the eligibility criteria and assessment requires outlined in the 2026 Inclusive Environments Funding Program Guidelines
If there is any missing or unclear information, community preschools may be contacted with the opportunity to provide additional information. This will be done on a case-by-case basis.
Providers will be notified of assessment outcomes for each application, and their funding allocation via email.
Feedback on the outcome of a funding application is provided via email to the providers of community preschools that submit an application.
Support and contact
For questions, feedback or complaints about the Disability and Inclusion Program, please contact the department by:
- calling 1800 619 113
- emailing ecec.funding@det.nsw.edu.au.
For more information, read the 2026 IE Funding Program Guidelines