Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: Up to $13,650
- Application opened: 29 April 2024
- Application closed: 24 May 2024
Program objective
The Business Capability Development program main objective is to enhance the viability and sustainability of NSW early childhood education and care (ECEC) services operating under small NSW providers, by uplifting workforce business leadership and management capabilities to better support NSW families, children and the ECEC workforce.
This program is administered by Department of Education.
Eligibility
Who can apply
To be eligible for the program, a service must meet all the eligibility criteria:
1. Service type: The service must be one of the following approved service types operating in NSW:
- a centre-based service (education and care for children up to school age), including:
- long day care,
- community preschool
- a mobile preschool
2. Service location: The service must operate in one of the following Statistical Area 3 trial locations (as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics):
3. Service and provider size: The approved provider of the eligible service must be a small, approved NSW ECEC service provider. A small provider is defined as an approved provider with between 1-6 NSW ECEC services.
4. Educational program: The service must deliver an early childhood education program designed by a degree qualified early childhood teacher in accordance with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and relevant legislation.
5. Self-assessment: Complete a simple self-assessment as a part of the application form demonstrating the services goals, opportunities, and challenges align with program objectives and activities.
6. Approved provider endorsement: Applications must be endorsed by the approved provider.
7. Early Childhood Contract Management System (ECCMS) registration: Be registered, or willing and able to register, with the Department of Education’s Early Childhood Contract Management System (ECCMS).
8. Terms and Conditions compliance: Enter into and comply with a funding agreement and these Business Capability Development program guidelines.
9. Program Intent: Agree to participate in eligible program activities and funding uses outlined in the program guidelines.
10. Service Application: Satisfactory completion of the application form and self-assessment.
Who the grant is targeted towards
The program encourages the engagement of staff in a range of roles within participating services. This may include:
approved providers (for example, persons with management or control (PMCs) under or as part of the approved provider, officers of a body corporate, persons in management positions, members of management committees)
service workforce – directors, early childhood teachers, ECEC educators
support and administrative staff
community or volunteer service support such as voluntary members of management committees, community Elders.
Participants will be supported by the program partner/s who will provide – where possible – face-to-face, localised program delivery that is tailored to their needs.
Types of projects funded under this grant
The core objective of the program is to enhance the viability and sustainability of NSW ECEC services by uplifting workforce business leadership and management capabilities.
The program could include activities the following business leadership and management capabilities areas delivered through designated program partners:
- governance processes and oversight
- for example, volunteer board onboarding and operations
- community, family and staff engagement
- for example, relationship management, conflict management, cultural competency and excellence
- change management
- for example, implementing and communicating change related to new programs
- staff management
- for example, staff induction, rostering, recruitment
- administration processes
- for example, record keeping, reporting
- processes and procedures for operational management, work health and safety, property and asset management, financial management and information technology
- for example, risk management, budgeting
- strategy/business planning
- for example, project management, disaster management planning
What costs you can apply for
Program participants will be eligible for access payments to supplement the cost of backfilling while staff engage in direct approved program activity, or to supplement approved activities undertaken outside of work hours.
Who can’t apply
The following eligibility exclusions will apply:
1. Public preschools, family day care services and out of school hours care (OSHC) services are not eligible for this program.
2. Services participating in:
- the Australian Government, Department of Education Business support for Community Child Care Fund (CCCF) grant recipients are not eligible for this program.
- the NSW Government, Department of Education, Sector Strengthening Partnership (nsw.gov.au) are not eligible for this program.
3. Services cannot use the Australian Government Department of Education Professional development subsidy for this program.
Types of projects not funded under this grant
The program focus is on capability uplift, not on achieving regulatory compliance, providing recommendations for operational changes, nor provision of ongoing business support services. At all times, services and approved providers maintain responsibility for compliance with relevant legislation and standard policies.
The program does not support:
- quality uplift and compliance with the National Quality Standards (NQS), regulatory compliance, educational leadership and/or educational program management
- the provision of business advice and development of capabilities which are not targeted towards creating affordable, accessible, or quality ECEC services (for example, profit maximisation)
- recommendations of specific operations, systems or processes, such as IT software recommendations.
- The program will not provide recommendations, resourcing or funding for service-level implementation supports, such as IT equipment, software, other physical resources or funding for additional staff positions.
Most recent recipients
What your application needs to include
Prepare your application with this checklist
The applicant must complete the application form and self-assessment.
Address the eligibility criteria
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.
Address the assessment criteria
Stage 1 - Application and assessment
The Business Capability Development Program has a targeted competitive assessment process. To be considered, applicants need to meet and demonstrate eligibility requirements in their application and, in addition, provide a self-assessment that covers the criteria detailed in the below assessment criteria. These criteria will be used to evaluate applications for program participation and funding approval for Stage 1.
The level of funding and activities provided in Stage 2 will be determined following completion of the Stage 1 and the Stage 2 assessment as outlined below. Note there is no application assessment for Stage 2.
Eligibility assessment
The assessment panel will firstly perform an eligibility check. Eligible applications will then progress to Stage 1 Assessment if the number of applications is greater than the budgeted places. If further assessment is not required, the assessment panel will recommend eligible applications for funding to the Board or delegate. The Board or delegate is the final decision-maker, and, in all circumstances, the Board’s or delegate’s decision is final.
Stage 1 Assessment criteria
If the number of applications is greater than the budgeted places, eligible applications will be evaluated by the assessment panel (comprised of NSW Department of Education representatives) against the following criteria:
- Comparative assessment of relative need for capability uplift in key areas based on certain self-assessment information which will be identified in the application form.
- Weighting that might include priority location, service, service provider and population data with a defined region.
Following its assessment, the assessment panel will recommend suitable applications for funding to the Board or delegate based on their comparative merit and need. The Board or delegate is the final decision-maker, and, in all circumstances, the Board’s or delegate’s decision is final.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application to participate in the program.
Stage 2 - Assessment to determine program activities and funding
Following satisfactory completion of Stage 1 of the program, existing participants who wish to continue into Stage 2 will be evaluated by the assessment panel (comprised of Department of Education representatives) against the following criteria. This assessment will determine the extent (as an allocation of hours) and types of capability development activities, as well as the value of access payments to support participation. The assessment panel will be informed by recommendations from the Stage 1 program partner/s based on comparative merit and need for services to receive support in at least one capability focus area for Stage 2. Note there is no application required by existing participants for assessment for Stage 2.
- Satisfactory completion of Stage 1.
- Comparative assessment of relative need based on the business review and action plan completed with their program partner in Stage 1.
- Service preferences outlined in the service action plan.
- Availability of program partner offerings.
The Board or delegate is the final decision-maker, and, in all circumstances, the Board’s or delegate’s decision is final.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of the Stage 2 assessment.
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: Child care and Economic Opportunity Fund Board
The assessment panel will firstly perform an eligibility check. Eligible applications will then progress to Stage 1 Assessment if the number of applications is greater than the budgeted places.
Anticipated assessment outcome date is 02/08/2024
Support and contact
Business Capability Development Program specific enquiries including:
- program activities or requirements
- any of the eligibility criteria
- how to apply for the Business Capability Development Program
- service ratings, regulatory enquiries and/or compliance
Please contact the Department of Education's Early Childhood Education Information Enquiries team on:
Phone: 1800 619 113
Email: ececd@det.nsw.edu.au
The Early Childhood Education Information Enquiries team can also put you in contact with your local Department of Education team (Local Reform and Commissioning representative).