Special Entertainment Precinct Kickstart Grant Program FAQs

The SEP Kickstart Grant Program is an open, non-competitive, demand-driven (first-in, first served) grant.

Eligible local councils will be able to access funding for resourcing the required technical expertise to establish SEPs in accordance with the SEP Guidelines.

The SEP Guidelines are Ministerial Guidelines prepared under the Local Government Act 1993. A council establishing a SEP is required to comply with these mandatory SEP Guidelines, available from the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner website.

To be eligible for the program, applicants must:

• be a local council in NSW; and
• have a council resolution to establish the SEP/s, which must identify a specific location and boundary for the SEP/s; and
• demonstrate that the night-time economy is identified as a strategic priority for the local government area.

To demonstrate that the SEP/s align with council's strategic policies, applicants must align with at least one of the following:

• an adopted Night-Time Economy strategy; or
• another strategic council document that references the night-time economy as a key objective, priority, pillar or action; or
• resolved to prepare a night-time economy strategy and have other demonstrated strategic context including a visitor economy strategy or plan or economic development strategy or plan.

A resolution to establish a SEP is required in Step 1.3 of the NSW SEP Guidelines, which are mandatory for councils to follow when establishing SEPs under section 202 of the Local Government Act 1993. A resolution demonstrates a whole of council commitment to begin working with a community and NSW government agencies to establish a SEP.

The grant amount is between $50,000 and $200,000 (excl. GST) per individual council (regardless of whether council identifies more than one SEP within the application).

Council must include the funding amount that they wish to apply for in their detailed application, alongside a project budget that details how the funding will be allocated.

Councils will be informed if their detailed application for the requested funding has been allocated.

Eligible costs include, but are not limited to:

• labour expenditure for temporary employment to establish the new SEP/s
• external or third-party costs such as:
  • acoustic specialists to prepare the sound management framework as part of the SEP Precinct Management Plan;
  • strategic planning consultants to prepare planning proposal reports, internal reporting and maps, draft precinct management plan;
  • community engagement consultants to develop consultation strategies and undertake engagement activities (e.g. letterbox drop); and
  • costs associated with marketing and communication of the SEP/s prior to the trial period being approved.

Yes – up to $100,000 of the total funding pool has been identified to be allocated, on a priority basis, to councils outside the Sydney Metropolitan Area. Councils in these geographic areas will also be eligible for funding through the larger pool.

However, if there are no successful regional LGA recipients by the closing date, or the reserved funding is not fully allocated to regional councils, then the remaining funding will be distributed to waitlisted metropolitan councils.

The Sydney Metropolitan Area is defined in this program using the NSW Department of Planning’s map of ‘Metropolitan Boundaries NSW’

Yes, all eligible NSW councils (including all regional councils) can apply for between $50,000 to $200,000 each.

A council may apply for the grant to support the establishment of multiple SEPs in their local government area, which can be submitted in one planning proposal. Only one grant will be issued per council, but the funding requested overall should be between $50,000 and $200,000.

Applications opened at 2pm on 21 November 2024 (AEDT).

The program closed at 3pm on 12 March 2025 (AEDT) and is no longer accepting Expression of Interest applications.

The SEP Kickstart Grant Program follows a two-stage application process comprising an Expression of Interest (EOI) and a detailed application. The two-stage application process has been designed in recognition of the resourcing required to prepare an application.

Submit an application for the SEP Kickstart Grant Program.
 

Applicants may only submit one complete application, including for multiple SEPs.

A complete application is made up of an initial Expression of Interest followed by a detailed application.

Councils whose applications have been deemed ineligible at the Expression of Interest stage may re-apply with updated information, provided the new Expression of Interest is received before the grant program closes at 3pm (Sydney time), 12 March 2025 or if funding is exhausted sooner and the grant closes.

Councils must include the following in their Expression of Interest application:

1. A copy of council resolution to establish the SEP/s, which must identify a specific location and boundary for the SEP/s; and
2. A copy of the relevant strategic documents, either of the following:
   • the adopted Night-Time Economy strategy; or
   • another strategic council document that references the night-time economy as a key objective, priority, pillar or action; or
   • the council resolution to prepare a night-time economy strategy and a copy of the other demonstrated strategic context including a visitor economy strategy or plan or economic development strategy or plan.

It is important that you fully review the Guidelines (PDF 3MB) before you prepare an EOI and detailed application to understand:

• the eligibility requirements
• what you need to include in the Expression of Interest; and
• what you need to include in the detailed application.

If successful, applicants will then have up to six weeks to submit the detailed application.

Councils must include the following in their detailed application (the second phase of the application):

• A consultation outcomes report or similar document that demonstrates that the SEP/s location and boundary has been informed by early consultation with the community and businesses to which it affects.
• A project plan or project scoping document that outlines your intended objectives and outcomes for the SEP/s
• A project timeline that outlines the expected progress of the SEP/s from the project commencement to the project completion. This may alternatively be included in the project plan or project scoping document.
• A project budget that demonstrates the proposed expenditure of the grant funds and outlines a breakdown of costs associated with delivery of the project, including quotes to demonstrate market rates.
• A description of the proposed project team roles, involved in the SEP and including at least 2 different council departments.

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing and can request feedback. If the application is unsuccessful at Expression of Interest stage, applicants may submit a new application prior to the program if it is still open for funding.

Questions about the SEP Kickstart Grant can be emailed to:

SEPs@24houreconomy.nsw.gov.au

Throughout the assessment process, the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner may request additional information from applicants.

Advice and information may also be sought from other NSW Government agencies or other parties to assist with the assessment of applications, including an independent probity advisor. Confidentiality will be maintained throughout the process.

You must demonstrate that the SEP/s location and boundary has been informed by early consultation with the community and business it affects.

This could include any previous consultation undertaken prior to establishing the boundary of the SEP/s.

The report must include details on engagement methods or activities, such as letterbox drops, surveys, website updates, or 1:1 meetings. It must outline the key findings and/or outcomes of discussions with local businesses and community. It could outline details on previous night-time economy working group meetings or feedback from key stakeholders or tenants relevant to the SEP/s.

A high-level summary of the feedback and sentiment from community and stakeholders must be outlined.

Successful applicants will be notified in writing within 5 weeks of receipt of their completed detailed application (which includes all required information) with an offer of funding. The offer of funding will include a funding agreement which must be reviewed, signed and returned to DCITHS within two weeks of its receipt. Payment of funding is conditional on the successful applicant entering into a funding agreement with DCITHS, and subject to the terms of the funding agreement.

This is a first-in first-served program and may close prior to 12 March 2025 if the total grant monies available have been fully exhausted. DCITHS will notify potential applicants of any updates by email. Potential applicants are recommended to email contact@24houreconomy.nsw.gov.au for more information.

No later than 6 months after receiving the grant payment (or as agreed per the funding agreement) applicants must submit a progress report to Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner. The progress report must comprise the draft documentation and request for Gateway Determination to DPHI, including relevant documents such as the precinct management plan (with the trading hour and sound criteria framework), development control plan amendment if applicable, the SEP/s boundary map, and planning proposal report.

In addition, the progress report must include information relating to expenditure carried out for the project (e.g. invoices, payment remittance).

Extensions to the due dates of the reporting may be granted at the discretion of the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport. Recipients should contact the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner to request an extension. Grant recipients must keep the relevant agency updated if their circumstances change.

Unless otherwise agreed, successful applicants will be subject to the following milestones:

• Milestone 1 - within 6 months of executing a funding agreement and no later than 31 December 2025
  • Submission of progress report, including lodgement documents to DPHI for the planning proposal to amend the LEP for the SEP/s and information relating to expenditure carried out for the project (e.g. invoices, payment remittance).
• Milestone 2 - at the conclusion of the SEP trial period and no later than 30 June 2027
  • Final reports and acquittals.

The funding period is defined as the 6-month period post execution of the funding agreement (Milestone 1) or by 31 December 2025 (whichever is sooner). It is anticipated that all grant funding is to be expended by Milestone 1, unless otherwise agreed.  

The budget timeline from the application will inform expenditure milestones in the funding agreement. Costs incurred before notification of the application outcomes are not eligible for funding under this program.

Unless otherwise agreed, the SEP trial must be completed by no later than 31 June 2027.

No, subject to conditions of the funding agreement, Council does not have to pay back monies spent on eligible costs should the SEP trial not proceed.