The $25 million Reconnecting Regional NSW - Community Events Program will support regional communities to reconnect by helping eligible applicants deliver exciting community events. Applications are now closed.
Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: Eligible applicants will receive an allocation based on their population. Eligible cross-border LGAs will receive an additional weighted allocation due to the impacts of COVID-19 border closures.
- Application opened: 7 April 2022
- Application closed: 8 July 2022, 5:00 pm
Program objective
The Reconnecting Regional NSW – Community Events Program will promote the social and economic recovery of regional communities, by renewing social connections and providing a revenue-boost to local businesses, following the extended COVID-19 restrictions across regional NSW and impacts of border closures.
This program is funded and administered by Department of Regional NSW.
Eligibility
Who can apply
Eligible applicants must be local councils located in regional NSW, excluding Metropolitan Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, Blue Mountains and Wollondilly (see Appendix A). Eligible applicants are encouraged to work with local community and business groups to identify priority events. Eligible applicants are encouraged to consider project partnerships, however, only eligible applicants can submit applications.
Grants will be provided to eligible applicants to deliver eligible community events or festivals that will provide immediate positive economic and social benefits to regional NSW.
Events must:
- be open to all members of the public
- free to attend or a very small fee to cover any extra costs
- have a primary purpose of reconnecting communities and improving social cohesion of the local community.
Who can’t apply
Local councils must be located in regional NSW, excluding Metropolitan Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, Blue Mountains and Wollondilly. Joint Organisations of Council are not eligible to apply.
Types of projects funded under this grant
Each applicant can apply for any number of events within the one application.
Activities eligible for funding through the Reconnecting Regional NSW – Community
Events Program include existing or new:
- community markets and bazaars
- festivals and fairs
- sporting events
- food and leisure events
- recovery events
- community classes and workshops
- agricultural field days (run by community organisations)
- regional racing carnivals (e.g. horse or greyhound racing) run by community organisations
- touring events and theatre programs
- community public holiday celebrations (e.g. Australia Day or Anzac Day).
For existing events, applicants are encouraged to use this funding to make the events larger or more accessible.
What can’t you apply for
Ineligible events under the Reconnecting Regional NSW – Community Events Program include:
- events with the primary focus on fundraising and charity events
- running grant programs
- business events and conferences
- events where membership is required to attend (for example, club gatherings including RSLs, Rotary, pony and golf clubs)
- country and agriculture shows
- grassroots sporting games (for example, home/away games, local tournaments)
- events with religious or cultural ceremony or celebration as the principal focus (for example, Diwali, Easter, Eid or Christmas celebrations)
- events/festivals already funded by the NSW Government.
Most recent recipients
What your application needs to include
Prepare your application with this checklist
Before starting your application, please read the Reconnecting Regional NSW - Community Events Program Guidelines (PDF 21.5MB).
You can also view further tools and resources and an event starter guide.
Address the eligibility criteria
Information required in the application includes:
- basic organisation details including $20 million Public Liability Insurance certificate for the event organiser
- proposed event(s) and project costs
- response to assessment criteria
- an invoice for 80 percent of the amount outlined in the funding allocation letter (excluding GST council applications).
Address the assessment criteria
All applications will be required to meet the eligibility criteria and the following assessment criteria to receive funding, including:
- Positive social outcomes in local community Applications must demonstrate that the proposed activities will rebuild local community cohesion and deliver positive social outcomes.
- Local business support Applications must demonstrate how the proposed activities will support local business. Applicants are strongly encouraged to engage external event coordinators and local businesses to run and deliver the events. Applications will be assessed as a ‘Yes/No’ against the assessment criteria.
Program resources
The following resources are available to support eligible applicants with their submissions:
File
Reconnecting Regional NSW - Community Events Program Guidelines (PDF 21.5MB)File
Reconnecting Regional NSW - Community Events Program sample application form and funding deed (PDF 282.05KB)- Frequently asked questions
For a toolkit and practical information and resources on hosting public outdoor events, please view these tools and resources.
After the application is submitted
Applications will be reviewed by Department staff to ensure:
- the applicant is an eligible entity
- all required documentation is complete and submitted
- proposed projects align with the fund objectives and assessment criteria.
If successful eligible applicants will enter into a simple legally binding funding agreement.
Support and contact
For more information please contact the Department of Regional NSW.
Phone: 1300 679 673
Program evaluation
The Reconnecting Regional NSW – Community Events Program (CEP) successfully distributed $25 million to local councils in eligible regional NSW Local Government Areas (LGAs), including the unincorporated Far West and Lord Howe Island.
The Reconnecting Regional NSW Community Events Program (CEP) aimed to support economic recovery in regional NSW by stimulating activity in the events, hospitality, and accommodation sectors. It also aimed to reconnect communities by facilitating the delivery of events that promoted social cohesion in a post-lockdown environment.
This Process Evaluation assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of the design and implementation of CEP. It covers program development and design, and the initial stages of program implementation, including program administration, application processes, contracting, and monitoring. The program had a high level of interest, 98 applications were made (including 5 ineligible applicants).
The evaluation found that the program objectives were aligned with supporting recovery from COVID-19 impacts and were relevant to the needs of regional communities. Early outcomes demonstrated that existing regional NSW events were enhanced, and a variety of new events delivered that would not otherwise have occurred. The program created different forms of community connection, including between local community members, between councils and local businesses and community organisations, and with visitors to the region.
Evaluation findings will also inform future improvements to program planning, design and delivery in other regional grant programs.