This grant supports access to innovative adventure, water and nature play spaces for people of all ages and abilities throughout NSW.
Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: $500,000
- Application opened: 11 November 2022
- Application closed: 15 December 2022, 4:00 pm
Program objective
The Department of Planning and Environment is inviting councils and eligible NSW Government agencies to apply for funding to help create inclusive adventure play spaces.
The program will also contribute to achieving the Premiers Priority to increase the proportion of homes in urban areas within 10 minutes’ walk of quality green, open and public space by 10% by 2023.
Places to Play grant funding is part of the Open Spaces Program, and includes a $16.7 million investment over 3 years to support access to innovative adventure, water and nature play spaces for people of all ages and abilities across NSW.
The objectives of the Places to Play program include:
- creating innovative and inclusive open spaces that promote play
- demonstrating how to apply the Everyone Can Play principles to the creation of adventure, nature and water play areas
- supporting investment in the creation of high quality, inclusive public and open spaces to create a lasting community benefit
- supporting community health and wellbeing in rapidly growing communities.
- addressing critical shortfalls in freely accessible public places
- contributing to the post-pandemic economic recovery of NSW through the creation of jobs, stimulating businesses and the recreation and visitor economy
- contributing to the delivery of the NSW Premier’s Priority for Greener Public Spaces by increasing the proportion of homes in urban areas within10 minutes’ walk of quality green, open and public space by 10% by 2023.
This program is funded and administered by Department of Planning and Environment.
Eligibility
Who can apply
The Department invites all NSW councils and eligible NSW Government agencies to submit an application. Eligible NSW Government agencies include infrastructure agencies who own and manage the public open space.
Who can’t apply
The following projects and works are not eligible for funding:
- projects outside of NSW
- projects located in sensitive cultural sites or in environmentally restricted areas
- remediation projects that do not achieve the program objectives of delivering inclusive, public open spaces for adventure and play
- funding of personnel or staff positions, unless a labour cost exemption request is completed by council and approved by the Department
- purchase or lease of land for purposes other than open space creation
- temporary infrastructure or buying/upgrading nonfixed equipment
- public art pieces as a singular project. Public art that is integrated into a wider public and open space project will be considered
- projects that require the community to pay fees to access
- commercial buildings and clubhouses
- sports fields, full-sized courts, swimming pools, indoor facilities
- 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 (under the grant program)
- design services will only be funded as part of the delivery of a project Master planning or design services will not be funded in isolation
- maintenance works
- car parking, unless it directly supports improved access to public open space and an exemption is requested and approved by the department
Types of projects funded under this grant
Projects can include inclusive:
- water and nature playspaces
- mountain biking tracks and supporting infrastructure
- scooter and skate places and supporting infrastructure
- pump tracks and supporting infrastructure
- other spaces/facilities that offer inclusive adventure play in line with the program objectives and criteria.
What can’t you apply for
The following projects and works are not eligible for funding:
- projects outside of NSW.
- projects located in sensitive cultural sites or in environmentally restricted areas.
- remediation projects that do not achieve the program objectives of delivering inclusive, public open spaces for adventure and play.
- funding of personnel or staff positions, unless a labour cost exemption request is completed by council and approved by the Department.
- purchase or lease of land for purposes other than open space creation.
- temporary infrastructure or buying/upgrading nonfixed equipment.
- public art pieces as a singular project. Public art that is integrated into a wider public and open space project will be considered.
- projects that require the community to pay fees to access.
- commercial buildings and clubhouses.
- sports fields, full-sized courts, swimming pools, indoor facilities.
- 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 (under the grant program).
- design services will only be funded as part of the delivery of a project. Master planning or design services will not be funded in isolation.
- maintenance works.
- car parking, unless it directly supports improved access to public open space and an exemption is requested and approved by the department.
What your application needs to include
Read the
File
Places to Play program guidelines 2022/23 (PDF 12.14MB).
Visit the Open Spaces website to access resources to support your application.
Prepare your application with this checklist
Council is required to submit the following documentation at application stages:
- Concept plan and imagery to communicate the design of the project
- Community engagement outcomes report or plan for community engagement
- In-principle support from partners if needed
- High quality images of project location
- Aerial map showing project location
- Risk assessment
- Project budget breakdown
- Project plan (maximum 10 pages)
- Project schedule
- Image/s of desired materials for implementation (optional)
- Letter/s of support from local businesses or local business associations, community groups, institutions (e.g. schools, universities or cultural institutions) (optional).
Address the eligibility criteria
Projects can include inclusive:
- water and nature play spaces
- mountain biking tracks and supporting infrastructure
- scooter and skate places and supporting infrastructure
- pump tracks and supporting infrastructure
- other spaces/facilities that offer inclusive adventure play in line with the program objectives and criteria.
Projects funded through the 2022/23 grant program must be delivered by June 2024, and be freely available to the community upon completion.
Projects must be located on land that applicants own or are responsible for managing. If the applicant is not the land owner, submissions must include a letter of support from the land owner.
Address the assessment criteria
Project merit 50%
- Program alignment and project clarity - The project scope is clearly stated and supports the objectives of the program.
- Inclusion - The project will be designed and delivered to enable all community members to “get there, play and stay”. This could be through increased amenity, improved accessibility, improved safety, and provision of more diverse opportunities.
- Innovation - The project clearly demonstrates best practice methodologies and outcomes that offer learnings that can be shared across government and industry. The project does not revert to a ‘business as usual’ approach.
- Collaboration - The project drives collaboration and partnerships with community, businesses and institutions, taking a place-based approach. Plans for collaboration between individuals and/or institutions to develop the project are clearly articulated. Approach to engaging the community in the project is clearly articulated including ensuring engagement is inclusive.
- Environmental sustainability - The project demonstrates how the health and safety of the community and the local environment will be sustained and enhanced during construction and in operation of the facility.
Project deliverability 50%
- Financial viability - Project budget clearly outlines the most significant cost line-items required for the development of the project, along with a reasonable timeline for the expenses (Direct and in-kind costs are identified).
- Deliverability - Project methodology is clear and feasible within the parameters of the program.
- Timeliness of delivery - Applicant demonstrates commitment to roll out project quickly. Project schedule and project plan is clear and identifies key deliverable dates within program timeframes.
- Risk mitigation - Risk assessment included with strategies to mitigate project risks.
- Value for money - Project uses funding effectively to maximise the scale and impact of the project. Projects that include applicant contributions will be considered favourably.
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: Department of Planning and Environment consolidates the recommendations of independent assessors.
All applications will be reviewed and assessed by an independent assessment panel against the Places to Play program objectives and criteria (see criteria and weighting). The independent panel will make recommendations to the Department for endorsement.
Successful applications will be announced in February 2023.
Support and contact
The Department of Planning and Environment can provide information to potential applicants on how to interpret these guidelines, including the types of projects eligible for funding.
Please contact the team at open.space@planning.nsw.gov.au