Surf Club Facility Program

The program supports the upgrade of local Surf Life Saving Clubs (Surf Clubs) facilities across NSW.

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Key information

Status: Closed
Grant amount: From $30,000 to $650,000
Application opened: 4 October 2022
Application closed: 1 November 2022, 1:00 pm

Program objective

The Program aims to assist eligible Surf Life Saving Clubs throughout NSW to develop facilities that will enable increased participation in Surf Life Saving for all people, increased facility usage, and improved safety.

The key objectives of the Program are:  

provide inclusive and accessible multi-sport facilities that support participation in sport and increase opportunities for women and girls, people with disability, First Nations peoples and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities
increase the usage and/or participant numbers in Surf Life Saving
increase the use of Surf Life Saving facilities by community groups and/or the public

improve safety at Surf Life Saving facilities
improve the standard of Surf Club facilities incorporating best practice design principles.

This program is funded and administered by Office of Sport.

Eligibility

Who can apply

Eligible applicants are:

Surf Life Saving Clubs in NSW; or
Surf Life Saving NSW Branches.

Branches are able to apply for surf club related works e.g. storage sheds for emergency equipment. However, they will only be considered if all eligible applications from Surf Life Saving Clubs in the round receive funding.  

Who can’t apply

Ineligible applicants are any organisation types not listed in the ‘Eligible Applicants’ section, and include (but are not limited to):

Organisations not affiliated with Surf Life Saving NSW
Individuals

An eligible organisation will be deemed not eligible for funding under this program if they are an organisation named:

by the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse on its list of institutions that have not joined or signified their intent not to join the Scheme; or
by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that has not yet joined the National Redress Scheme.

Types of projects funded under this grant

Construction of new Surf Life Saving Club facilities
Capital enhancement of existing Surf Life Saving Club facilities.

Priority will be given to Surf Club facilities identified as:

being in poor or unserviceable condition
addressing a demonstrated need for the community
high urgency to address facility building compliance requirements.

What can’t you apply for

Facilities that are not used primarily for surf lifesaving activities
Purchase or lease of land/facility
Projects that involve the development of private or commercial ventures
Costs associated with preparing and submitting the funding application
Costs associated with feasibility, design, or development stages including feasibility studies, business cases and masterplans
Items that do not meet relevant Australian Standards
Retrospective funding, where projects have commenced construction or are completed prior to the execution of a funding agreement
Related primarily to operational expenditure, including but not limited to insurance
General maintenance or minor repairs required following normal wear and tear (e.g., painting)
Repair of facilities where the damage can be covered by insurance
Administration costs with the exception of direct external / independent project management costs, limited to 10% of the grant amount requested
Purchase of portable equipment including office equipment, rescue and training equipment such as surf boards, stop watches, sails on boats, flagpoles etc that are not part of a facility fit out
Projects that have already been funded by the NSW Government unless significant new and additional scope is identified.

Example projects

New and upgraded provision of universally designed amenities that are beyond compliant with regard to the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and provide dignified inclusion in sport participation, for example disability access, unisex toilets or change rooms designed to be female-friendly, including parent and child change spaces
Environmental and operational sustainable initiatives that support water, energy and financial savings
Digital technology uplift projects, including installation of WIFI, increased automation and other innovative smart technologies
Projects that improve the storage, security and safety capability of surf clubs
Non-fixed items that are part of a larger capital improvement project scope e.g. portable storage racks for rescue boards. The cost of non-fixed items cannot exceed 25% of the grant amount requested
Contingency calculated at 10% of the total project cost. Up to 20% maximum for more complex projects.

Past recipients

Most recent recipients

What your application needs to include

Download a sample application form (PDF 995.04KB) to see all the sections that need to be addressed in the applications portal. You can also download the complete program Guide (PDF 3.55MB).

Prepare your application with this checklist

All applicants must upload the following essential documentation for all projects as part of the application:

Landowner’s consent to undertake the project or confirmation applicant is the landowner
Development approval, application, or evidence that project development is an exempt development if appropriate
Baseline demographic data on current facility use and club participation/membership
Evidence of the project’s co-contribution (if a contribution is being provided)
Quotes that clearly detail items/scope of works. Any quotes provided must be on company letterhead from the organisation that supplies the goods or services. For projects under $100,000 internal cost estimates supported by appropriate evidence are acceptable
For the supply of goods and services exceeding $150,000 an open tender will be required. If this tender documentation is not available at grant application, it will need to be submitted before any funding agreement is established
For projects located on public land, a landowner consent form or signed letter of consent from the appropriate authorised delegate must be provided. For example, for projects located on public school land, a letter of support for the specific project must be provided from School Infrastructure NSW as part of the application.
Evidence of applicant’s tenure and lease arrangements.
Letter of support from Surf Life Saving NSW
Evidence of Public Liability Insurance with a minimum $20 million cover.

Address the assessment process

The Surf Club Facility Program is administered by the Office of Sport in two stages:

Eligibility check
Merit assessment.

Throughout the assessment process the Office of Sport may request additional information from the applicant.

An independent probity advisor will oversee the grant process and attend all Grant Assessment Panel meetings.

A Grant Assessment Panel will assess all applications and make recommendations to the Minister for Sport.

Merit assessment

The Office of Sport will support the Grant Assessment Panel by conducting a preliminary assessment of all eligible applications against the Fund criteria and provide administrative support.

A Grant Assessment Panel with representatives from the NSW Office of Sport, and an independent member will consider each application and supporting evidence submitted, to score each project against the assessment criteria and determine the final merit assessment score. A representative from Surf Life Saving NSW will be present at the Grant Assessment Panel meeting as a subject matter expert.

During the assessment process, the Grant Assessment Panel may apply a minimum scoring requirement to one or more of the criteria. Where an application does not meet a minimum scoring requirement, the Grant Assessment Panel reserves the right to remove the application from further consideration.

If ineligible project scope and components are included in the application, the Grant Assessment Panel may adjust the requested grant amount accordingly.

The panel may seek information from other State Government agencies and other organisations such as ROC’s, sporting bodies etc to avoid duplication of funding for the project.

The Panel will make recommendations to the NSW Minister for Sport. The Minister for Sport will have final approval over the distribution of funds.

Merit assessment criteria

Criterion 1: Strategic Justification (30%)	Describe how the project will deliver a functional, flexible, accessible and safe facility Explain how the project will lead to increased participation in sport and increased facility capacity and usage (attach a Facility Usage Schedule) Explain how the project will lead to increased participation in Surf Life Saving particularly for women and girls, people with disability, First Nations peoples and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities Provide detail of community profile, demonstrated need, key user groups, project beneficiaries and project urgency Describe community and stakeholder consultation and provide evidence of community support for the project Describe how the project aligns to the Surf Life Saving NSW Strategic Plan, the Office of Sport Strategic Plan or local council plans where relevant
Criterion 2: Project Scope and inclusive design (20%)	Provide a clear scope of works proposed for the project and components that are to be delivered Provide supporting documentation such as facility design brief, concept, schematic or detailed design plans Describe how the facility design/project will specifically cater to women and girls, people with disability, First Nations peoples and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and other community users and how these changes were informed through consultation or evidence Identify Design Principles outlined in the program guidelines that have been incorporated into the project. Describe how each design principle will be delivered including choice of materials, technologies and practices that have been incorporated e.g., energy and water conservation, sustainable and climate resilient materials Outline any best practice approaches in the design, development and delivery of the project that address the Program’s objectives
Criterion 3: Value for money and project affordability (20%)	Provide a detailed budget including project capital costs and funding sources. The budget should clearly identify the project components that will be funded by the grant and the components to be funded by the applicant Provide evidence to support budgeted costs and revenues, e.g., itemised cost estimates, assumptions for revenue projections Provide evidence of committed co-contribution(s) funding. All applications requesting $500,000 or more are required to provide a minimum 50% financial co-contribution of the grant amount requested. Evidence may include a letter from Council or the Club confirming the project has allocated funding within the project delivery period. The Club should also upload bank or financial records showing the cash is available Provide evidence of the applicant’s capacity to fund and manage ongoing operations including routine and lifecycle maintenance costs
Criterion 4: Project deliverability and applicant capability (30%)	Provide evidence of landowner(s) consent for the project Provide evidence of Development Application approval (if required) or demonstrate that a Development Application is not required. Projects with approved Development Applications will be prioritised If no Development Application exists, confirm there are no serious planning, construction, zoning, environmental and/or Native Title impediments to delivering the project (e.g. Review of Environmental Factors) Provide a detailed project plan that illustrates key project tasks and milestones and forecast delivery timeline Provide evidence of the ability to commence construction within 6 months of funding notification through the provision of documentation such as schematic plans and current cost plans. All projects are expected to have been fully completed 2 years from notification List any assumptions, constraints, and dependencies in delivering the project Demonstrate the capacity to deliver the project through robust strategies for procurement, project management and risk management Demonstrate any partnership model (including asset management) that would be administered to deliver the project Demonstrate proven experience in delivering similar size projects. This should consider the applicant’s proposed project management resources and any specialist external resources to be engaged to deliver the project Applicant meets key obligations for other Office of Sport funded projects where there is/has been a funding agreement with the applicant

Start the application

Applying for a grant is a simple process using the SmartyGrants platform (below).
The Office of Sport recommends that applicants familiarise themselves with the online application form ahead of preparing the application and plan to submit ahead of the closing date to reduce the risk of missing the deadline.
Complete your application by filling in each of the sections.
Upload all required supporting documentation.
Submit your application before the closing date and time.
Projects must be submitted through the SmartyGrants website to be considered eligible.
Successful submissions will be issued with a SmartyGrants system generated acknowledgement email containing a PDF copy of the application which will confirm the time the application was submitted.

Apply now

After the application is submitted

Successful applications will be decided by: the Minister for Sport

The applications will be assessed and both successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified.

Key dates

Applications open: Tuesday, 4 October 2022
Applications close: 1pm, Tuesday 1 November 2022
Outcomes advised: February 2023 onwards
Funding agreements executed for successful projects: Within 2 months of notification
Construction must commence within 6 months of notification and be completed within 2 years of notification.

Support and contact

You can contact the Office of Sport for assistance with understanding the requirements or for technical help with submitting your application.

Phone: 13 13 02

Email: grantsunit@sport.nsw.gov.au

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