Holiday Break Program: Spring 2025

An applicant must meet all four requirements to become an eligible applicant for the Program:  

1. have an Australian Business Number (ABN)   
2. be one of the following:   

Local Council Groups and Unincorporated Areas (refer to Appendix A) 

• a local council recognised under relevant NSW legislation (excluding Greater Sydney Newcastle and Wollongong local government areas)  
• regional joint organisation of councils  
• Section 355 Committees of Councils (must apply in the name of the relevant Council and must have permission to apply)  
• the Lord Howe Island Board 
• the Unincorporated Far West group  

Indigenous and Aboriginal Organisations  

• a Local Aboriginal Land Council  
• an Indigenous Corporation (registered under Corporations (Aboriginal and /or Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006)  

Other  

• not-for-profit and community organisations registered with the Australian Charities and not-for-profits Commission (ACNC)  
• an association registered with NSW Fair Trading under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009  

3. acknowledge that funding will only be made available to the applicant on successful execution and Department approval of a Funding Agreement 

4. either currently hold public liability insurance of a minimum $20 million per occurrence or better self-insurance to the satisfaction of the Department or confirm willingness to obtain relevant insurance prior to executing a Funding Agreement with the Department.   

All eligible projects are for the exclusive participation of young people aged 12-24 years.

Eligible projects include social and recreational activities for the exclusive participation of young people aged 12-24 years. Activities must be age appropriate.

Saturday, 27 September 2025 to Sunday, 12 October 2025

The project should be started by 27 September 2025 and the project must be completed by 12 October 2025.

 Program objective 

1. Address geographical, financial and accessibility barriers that impact the ability of young people in regional NSW to enjoy recreational and social activities within their local communities.  
2. Provide funding to eligible applicants to host fully subsidised recreational and social activities.  
3. Deliver a program of engaging, high-quality activities during the NSW school holidays. 
4. Provide young people with a series of activities that encourage play, experimentation, reflection, and expression.  
5. Increase access to free and local activities designed to meet the needs and interests of young people aged 12-24. 

Purpose of activities under this objective 

1. To remove and/or address barriers (such as lack of transport or financial means) that prevent young people from accessing recreational and social activities. 
2. To encourage and build the capacity of eligible applicants to service the recreational and social needs of regional young people.  
3. To encourage and deliver innovative, age-appropriate (aged 12 - 24 years) activities from program applicants. 
4. To enhance the creativity, imagination, self-confidence and self-efficacy as well as the physical, social, cognitive and emotional, strength and skills of regional young people. (For example, art and drama activities; rock climbing, sports and recreation activities or cooking workshops) 
5. To increase social and recreational activities for regional young people. For example, to assist in the diversion and prevention of crime due to youth disengagement in school holiday periods.  

Eligible project costs may include but are not limited to:

• Refreshments for attendees
• Entry fees and tickets
• Transport for attendees
• Consumable supplies for the nominated activity (items necessary for project delivery such as printing, pens, pencils)
• Low-cost activity equipment (total cost must not exceed $500)
• Hire of event spaces, equipment, and facilities
• Administration costs (including advertising, marketing, promotion, activity insurances, reporting and completion of grant documentation) - no greater than 10% of the total requested grant amount
• Staff costs (including wages, travel, meals, support workers/ activity delivery staff, project coordination staff) for the planning and delivery of the program - no greater than 40% of the total requested grant amount
• Additional travel loading for suppliers travelling to remote and very remote NSW.

The Department has discretion to part fund a project where itemised project costs have been assessed as ineligible.  

Unless specifically listed above all other entities are ineligible to apply for Holiday Break funding, including but not limited to:

• Unincorporated entities
• Other Organisations (unless entity type is listed within eligible criteria as above)
• Sole traders
• Partnerships
• Individuals
• De-registered or Insolvent businesses
• Organisations that do not have an ABN or are unable to obtain an ABN
• Trusts or Trustees (unless entity type is listed within eligible applicants as above)
• State and Commonwealth Government Entities

Ineligible project costs may include but are not limited to:

• costs related to buying or upgrading equipment or supplies not essential to the activity
• donations or commissions to third parties
• financing, including debt financing or rental costs
• rental/hire costs for equipment, venues or facilities owned by the applicant or ‘parent’ organisations or subsidiaries
• staff training and development costs
• funding for ongoing staff or operational costs beyond the scope and timeframe of the funded activity
• costs that are considered ‘business as usual’ for the organisation including activity costs and organisational insurances such as Public Liability Insurance
• purchase of assets or equipment e.g. gaming consoles, laptops, mobile phones and other capital items with a total cost exceeding $500
• administration costs totalling more than 10% of the requested grant amount
• staff costs totalling more than 40% of the requested grant amount
• includes an activity that incurs costs for attendees (e.g. entry fees, club memberships and fundraising to cover these costs)

The Department has discretion to part-fund a project where some itemised project costs have been assessed as ineligible.

A project is ineligible if it:

• is located outside an eligible LGA or Unincorporated Area (refer to Appendix A for the list of eligible locations), except in cases where the activity is based in a border location and the Department has deemed it eligible. In such instances, activities may be conducted in a neighbouring state, provided this is clearly declared during the application process.
• targets club members or a pre-formed social/recreational group without genuine additional invitation or engagement of the wider community aged 12-24 years
• is considered ‘business as usual’ for the organisation
• the proposed activity is not exclusively designed for the participation of young people aged 12–24 years and includes broader community involvement or participants outside the target age group.
• is for the delivery of essential or core government services that should be funded from another source such as local government, the NSW Government or the Commonwealth Government
• is seeking grant funding for operational costs such as utilities, cleaning equipment, telephone, and electricity costs
• is for a general works package without specific scope, costs, and location (e.g. upgrading lighting at community youth centre without identifying the work required, number of sites or the locations)
• is predominantly for marketing, branding, advertising or product promotion including tourism marketing
• provides direct commercial and/or exclusive private benefit to an individual or business
• is already being funded or is approved for funding by another NSW Government grant program
• seeks to solely subsidise memberships for existing services
• promotes the consumption of alcohol or drugs
• poses a reputational risk to the Department. The Department has sole discretion in determining if activities pose a reputational risk
• includes activities that are potentially high risk or dangerous, such as bull riding, sky diving, scuba diving and carnival rides. The Department has sole discretion in determining if activities are potentially high risk or dangerous
• is not considered age appropriate for young people aged 12 to 24 years.

Examples of activities that may be eligible for such funding include, but are not limited to:

• concerts and music events appropriate for and aimed at young people aged 12-24
• cooking and life skills activities
• sports and recreational activities
• creative and cultural activities
• dance / disco events
• art and theatre workshops
• outdoor activities
• sporting and sight-seeing activities
• science, technology and gaming activities.

Co-contributions and collaborative project delivery are encouraged but not required.