Key information
- Status: Open
- Grant amount: From $20,000 to $80,000
- Application opened: 19 March 2026
- Application closes: 22 March 2027, 5:00 pm
Program objective
This funding round aims to support eligible NSW councils to strengthen their capacity, capability, systems and processes to achieve the following objectives:
- accelerate the rollout of kerbside EV charging
- participate in NSW Government EV charging programs
- contribute to state net-zero emissions reduction targets through transport electrification
- overcome capacity and capability constraints related to resourcing, planning policy, community engagement, and other processes for kerbside EV charging.
This new $3 million funding round is under the EV Kerbside Charging Program, supporting the rollout of EV kerbside chargers in areas of NSW with the least access to private, off-street parking.
For further information please visit the EV Kerbside Council Round website.
This program is administered by Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Eligibility
Who can apply
To be eligible for funding, applicants must:
- be a local government (council) as defined under theLocal Government Act 1993 No 30
- be an eligible council as listed on page 8 of the grant guidelines, available on the EV Kerbside Council Round website.
- be an authorised council representative
- have and provide the ABN of their organisation and any other partner councils in the application
- hold the following insurances:
- $20 million public liability
- Workers’ compensation.
Who the grant is targeted towards
To select the eligible councils, the NSW Government considered factors such as population density, dwelling type, housing tenure, vehicle ownership and future need for kerbside charging.
Other local councils may partner with an eligible council on an application. Read the Council Capacity Building Funding Round Guidelines, available on the EV Kerbside Council Round website for more information.
Types of projects funded under this grant
Councils can apply for funding relating to receiving expert advice, developing policies, engaging their community, or building capability in other ways related to public EV charging.
Eligible councils can apply for funding individually or as part of a collaborative grant application with other councils.
This grant does not fund EV charging hardware or installation costs or council staff salaries.
Read the Council Capacity Building Funding Round Guidelines, available on the EV Kerbside Council Round website for more information.
Outcomes for projects funded under this grant
Once this opportunity is taken advantage of, your council will be in a stronger position with greater capacity and capability to support the rollout of public kerbside charging which means:
- residents will be satisfied knowing they have access to more essential charging options
- kerbside charging helps your council achieve your net zero and sustainability goals
- kerbside charging helps to increase community adoption of EVs
- you'll secure your reputation as a leading local government.
What costs you can apply for
Eligible expenditure can be found on page 15 of the Council Capacity Building Funding Round Guidelines, available on the EV Kerbside Council Round website.
It is a non-competitive grant, meaning each of the 37 councils can receive funding, so long as they meet the eligibility requirements and assessment criteria outlined in the Guidelines.
What costs you can't apply for
This grant does not fund EV charging hardware or installation costs or council staff salaries. For the complete list of exclusions, see page 16 of the Council Capacity Building Funding Round Guidelines, available on the EV Kerbside Council Round website.
Types of projects not funded under this grant
Projects that funding cannot be used for include (but are not limited to):
- any portion of a council staff member’s salary or any internal council costs
- EV charging hardware or installation costs
- EV charging software or energy costs
- council fleet vehicles (learn more about our incentives for EV fleets)
- projects where any portion of the project costs are being covered by other grant funding including other NSW or Federal Government grants
- projects started or completed prior to the launch date of this funding round.
Read page 16 of the Council Capacity Building Funding Round Guidelines, available on the EV Kerbside Council Round website for a full list on what the grants won't fund.
Example projects
These are some examples of projects which could apply for funding under each category:
- Expert advice - this may include projects such as site mapping, legal advice, or data tools.
- Policy development - this may include projects such as EV strategies or planning integration.
- Community engagement - this may include projects such as education campaigns or consultation tools.
- Capability building - this may include projects such as staff training or consultant support.
Please see Table 3 on page 15 of the Council Capacity Building Funding Round Guidelines, available on the EV Kerbside Council Round website.
What your application needs to include
Prepare your application with this checklist
1. Read the Council Capacity Building Funding Round Guidelines, available on the EV Kerbside Council Round website.
Applicants must read the grant program requirements to determine eligibility.
2. Visit the NSW Government's EV Kerbside Council Round website.
Read the information about the grant program and any frequently asked questions available (FAQs) available.
3. Complete and submit an application by the closing date and time as published on the website.
- Visit the NSW Government’s Grant Management System (GMS) using the SmartyGrants Platform to begin the application. Instructions for how to use the GMS will be provided immediately after logging into the platform.
- Answer all questions in the application portal and attach all relevant pages or sections for supporting evidence for your application.
- Once the application is submitted you will receive an automatic email notification confirming the submission has been received.
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.
Start the application
All applications must be submitted through the NSW Government's Grant Management System (GMS) using the Smarty Grants Platform.
Note: If you are a new applicant to SmartyGrants, you will need to register and create a password. If you are already registered, you can log in with your existing username and password.
Apply now
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: Program Manager or Director.
An overview of the assessment and approval process is outlined as follows:
- Eligibility assessment: an initial check to ensure no eligibility issues are apparent within the application. The NSW Government may ask applicants to clarify or provide additional information. Applicants will not be given any chance to substantially improve or change their application during the assessment phase. The assessment panel will assess which applications and / or individual projects meet the eligibility criteria, and which are ineligible to proceed to merit assessment. Applications that meet the eligibility criteria will proceed to the next stage of assessment.
- Assessment criteria check: eligible applications and projects will be assessed against the assessment criteria listed in Table 4 of the Council Capacity Building Funding Guidelines. Applicants must request a minimum of $20,000 (ex GST) in NSW Government funding within each application with the understanding that not all funding requested may be granted.
- NSW Government approval: the assessment panel will make a final determination on applications and projects recommended for funding. This will also consider maximum funding caps for applicants. The final funding recommended by this panel will be approved by NSW Government executives.
- Notification of assessment outcomes: the Department will inform all applicants of the outcomes of the assessment process within 8 weeks from application submission. Successful applicants will be provided with a funding agreement. Unsuccessful applicants will be encouraged to apply for future funding rounds and informed of why their application was unsuccessful. If a project in an application is unsuccessful, even after clarifying information has been provided, applicants may rescope and resubmit the same project later in the round if the eligibility and assessment criteria can be subsequently met. If requested, further feedback may be provided by the NSW Government in a follow up session at an agreed time.
- Funding agreement execution: all funding offers and any payment of funds will be conditional upon the execution of a funding agreement with the NSW Government. All successful applicants will be required to sign a funding agreement with the NSW Government within 15 working days of it's receipt. This agreement will confirm the project schedule and NSW Government payments. The NSW Government does not encourage variations to the funding agreement. It is at the discretion of the NSW Government to accept or deny any departures. Prospective applicants are encouraged to review and submit any questions or concerns about the funding agreement to the NSW Government before the end of the funding round.
Support and contact
kerbside.charging@dcceew.nsw.gov.au