Surf Club Facility Program 26/27 - Category 1

To be eligible for funding you must be a:

• Surf Life Saving Club in NSW or
• Surf Life Saving NSW Branch in NSW. Applications from Branches will only be considered after all eligible applications from Surf Life Saving Clubs have been assessed and the funding has not been exhausted

Applications must be to fund the design or delivery of new or upgraded Surf Club facilities that are safe, adaptable, inclusive and sustainable. Each project must explain how it incorporates environmental sustainability features and/or climate resilience measures.

Applications should incorporate principles that will help achieve inclusive facilities such as Goals and principles of universal design and Designing for Dignity Guidelines. Inclusive Design helps to create sport facilities where everyone feels like they belong.

Category 1: Orders should be placed within 3 months of the notification of successful applicants and must be completed by March 2028.

The project must be completed by 31 March 2028.

Outcomes are the changes you expect to occur for the beneficiaries of your project. For this Program, intended outcomes that meet the key objectives of the fund include:

Quality of facility and increased participation

• Improve the safety and/or quality of the Surf Life Saving facility
• Improve the adaptability and/or inclusivity of the Surf Life Saving facility (for all people)
• Increase capacity of the Surf Life Saving facility to service members and the public
• Increase membership registrations and/or participation

Environmental sustainability & climate resilience

• Improve the environmental performance of surf clubs, consistent with industry best practice
• Enable surf clubs to identify and implement practical opportunities to reduce operational energy use
• Enable surf clubs to improve water efficiency
• Strengthen surf clubs’ resilience and preparedness for climate-related and severe weather events

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

• Individuals
• Organisations not affiliated with Surf Life Saving NSW
• Government departments and agencies, however, where the Council will be managing the project on behalf of the eligible applicant Surf Club, and are nominated as a partner in the application, the Office of Sport will issue a tri-partite funding agreement with the Council and successful applicant.

• Organisation named: (i) 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 (ii) in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that has not yet joined the National Redress Scheme.

Projects or components that do not meet the criteria outlined in the 'Eligible Projects' section are considered ineligible. These may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Purchase or lease of land/facility
• Facilities that are not used primarily for Surf Life Saving activities
• Retrospective funding, where projects have commenced or are completed prior to the execution of a funding agreement
• Projects that involve the development of private or commercial ventures unrelated to the Surf Life Saving Club facility
• Master planning across multiple facilities (includes Category 2)
• Costs to resource the preparation and submission of the grant application
• Related primarily to operational expenditure, including but not limited to insurance
• General maintenance or minor repairs required due to normal wear and tear, (e.g. pressure cleaning paths etc.)

• Related to administrative or operational expenditure which are normally the responsibility of businesses, state agencies or local councils
• Project administration costs except for independent project management costs (for Category 2 & 3), limited to 10% of the total project cost.
• Purchase of portable equipment including rescue and training equipment/vehicles such as surfboards, IRB’s, stop watches, flagpoles etc.
• Purchase of office equipment (including computers and printers) or other non-fixed items such as kitchen appliances, and loose furnishings unless they are included to fit out the same Categories 1 or 3 project.
• Projects that have already been funded by the NSW Government unless significant new and additional, yet to commence scope is identified.
• Repair of facilities where the damage can be covered by insurance
• For the maintenance or construction of local roads, car parks (public or private) or any other core service infrastructure works that are ordinarily the responsibility of council, other level of government or private enterprise

Any ineligible costs will be removed by assessors if included, at the absolute discretion of the Office of Sport.

Category 1 - Upgrade Projects (that can be completed with a single fixed price quote)

• Construction of new or upgraded unisex and inclusively designed amenities, change spaces and officials’ areas.
• Environmental sustainability initiatives that support energy and water efficiency, climate resilience, and long‑term financial sustainability. This may include both capital upgrades and low‑cost or operational improvements, such as switchboard upgrades, solar PV and/or batteries, rainwater tanks for non‑potable water reuse, efficient air conditioning and heat pump water heating, high‑efficiency glazing, insulation to walls and ceilings. Initiatives may also include smart controls and optimisation measures (timers, sensors, or sub‑metering), passive design improvements (shading, ventilation, draught sealing), and durable, corrosion‑resilient materials for coastal environments.
• Digital technology uplift projects, including installation of WIFI, CCTV, keyless entry, increased automation and other innovative smart technologies that contribute to safety and/or security.
• Projects that improve the storage, security and safety capability of surf clubs for example bushfire protection measures on the facility, new roller or access doors with security measures or improvements to beach access for rescue and patrol vehicles.