Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: Up to $4,000,000
- Application opened: 12 February 2025
- Application closed: 31 March 2025, 5:00 pm
Program objective
The Metropolitan Greenspace Program helps councils in the Greater Sydney Region and Central Coast Council to deliver projects that improve regional open space and community liveability.
Please refer to the Metropolitan Greenspace Program and Metropolitan Greenspace Program Guidelines 2024-25
The key objectives for this grant round are to:
- improve regionally significant open space, including links between bushland, parks, centres and waterways;
- improve the critical ecosystem by restoring habitat;
- design and deliver projects that value and respect the cultural knowledge of the place;
- enable multiple uses of regionally significant open space;
- improve community access to a diverse mix of open space opportunities for Greater Sydney and the Central Coast;
- encourage partnerships between state, local government and our Aboriginal communities through co-design; and
- support projects that demonstrate the principles of Connecting to Country.
The Program is administered by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure.
This program is administered by Planning, Land Use, Housing and Strategy.
Eligibility
Who can apply
Councils in the Greater Sydney Region and Central Coast Council including:
Bayside Council, Blacktown City Council, Blue Mountains City Council, Burwood Council, Camden Council, Campbelltown City Council, Central Coast Council, City of Canada Bay, Canterbury-Bankstown Council, Cumberland Council, Fairfield City Council, Georges River Council, Hawkesbury City Council, Hills Shire Council, The Hornsby Shire Council, The Council of the Municipality of Hunters Hill, Inner West Council, Ku-ring-gai Council, Lane Cove Municipal Council, Liverpool City Council, Mosman Municipal Council, North Sydney Council, Northern Beaches Council, City of Parramatta Council, Penrith City Council, Randwick City Council, City of Ryde Council, Strathfield Municipal Council, Sutherland Shire Council, City of Sydney, Waverley Shire Council, City of Willoughby, Wollondilly Shire Council, and Woollahra Municipal Council
Types of projects funded under this grant
Capital works
The types of capital works that the program will consider in relation to both new and existing open space include:
- walking tracks and recreational or bicycle trails
- playgrounds
- bushland and environmental management or restoration
- interpretative signage and educational programs associated with trails and greenspaces
- conservation works guided by appropriate planning and assessment
- park and open space development and upgrading
- recreation facilities
- soft-landscape works
- hard-landscape works
Planning projects
For planning projects councils must demonstrate that projects will lead to capital works within 24 months. The types of planning works that are eligible include:
- local council open space strategies
- regional open space feasibility studies
- master plans or plans of management
- recreation trails planning, feasibility or masterplans (no construction)
- natural or cultural heritage studies, interpretation, archaeological investigation, conservation management, bushland or vegetation management plans
Types of projects not funded under this grant
The following works are not eligible for funding under this program:
- projects outside NSW
- purchase or lease of land
- funding of personnel or staff positions
- civil works associated with car parks
- amenities blocks
- seawalls and jetties
- buying or upgrading non-fixed equipment
- events, marketing, branding, advertising or product promotion
- projects requiring ongoing funding from the NSW Government
- retrospective funding to cover any project component that is already complete or underway
What your application needs to include
Familiarise yourself with the grant requirements set out in the Metropolitan Greenspace Program Guidelines 2024-25.
Complete the application form in SmartyGrants with reference to the objectives of the Program and assessment criteria in the Guidelines.
Attach the required documents to the application form including:
- Project location plan
- Land owner's consent, if not Council land
- Project plan including: project scope, objectives & deliverables; schedule; cost items; project team participants & their role; key stakeholders including any communications/engagement; procurement items & expected procurement methods; approvals, if required; and risks & mitigation measure as required.
- Cost estimate to include item description; quantity; unit cost; totals; funding sources
- Concept plan to include aerial photograph with site boundary and proposed works identified.
- Letter of support signed by the council's General Manager or equivalent authorising the application for grant funding under the Metropolitan Greenspace Program.
- Confirmation of Certificate of Public Liability Insurance
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.
The Metropolitan Greenspace Program Guidelines 2024-25 include the assessment criteria which a Panel of experts will use to assess projects against key components including project merit and project deliverability.
Priority will be given to projects which increase and improve open space to support housing supply.
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: Minister for Planning and Public Spaces
The Metropolitan Greenspace Program Guidelines 2024-25 include the assessment process and timeframes for the round.
The Department will assemble a panel of experts to complete the assessment of all eligible applications.
The eligible applications will be assessed against the Metropolitan Greenspace Program objectives and assessment criteria.
Anticipated assessment outcome date is June 2025
Anticipated date for funding deed execution with successful applicants is July 2025
Support and contact
For queries about the Metropolitan Greenspace Program Guidelines, deadlines, or questions in the SmartyGrants form please contact DPHI staff between 9am-5pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) at the GreenSpace Mailbox