Holiday Break Program: Autumn / Winter 2026

All applicants are required to meet the following eligibility criteria:

1. be able to enter into a grant funding agreement with Department of Communities and Justice
2. have an Australian bank account
3. have an Australian Business Number (ABN) that matches the applicant’s name in the application form
4. have appropriate insurance; this must include but is not limited to a minimum of $10 million Public Liability Insurance
5. be an eligible legal entity located in NSW, and includes the following:

Local government organisations, boards or groups:

• NSW local councils operating under the Local Government Act 1993 (LG Act)
• Joint Organisations (s400O of the LG Act)
• Regional Organisations of Councils (which are voluntary groupings of councils).
• the Lord Howe Island Board
• the Unincorporated Far West group
• Section 355 Committees of Councils (must apply in the name of the relevant Council and must have permission to apply)

Indigenous and Aboriginal Organisations

• a Local Aboriginal Land Council
• an Indigenous Corporation (registered under Corporations (Aboriginal and /or Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006)

Other

• Not-for-profit organisations and community organisations registered with the Australian Charities and not-for-profits Commission (ACNC)
• Incorporated organisations registered with NSW Fair Trading under the Associations Incorporations Act 2006.

       6. acknowledge that funding will only be made available to the applicant on successful execution and Office approval of a Funding Agreement

All eligible projects are for the exclusive participation of young people aged 12-24 years.

Eligible projects must demonstrate value for money and include age appropriate social and recreational activities for the exclusive participation of young people aged 12-24 years.

Program objective 

1. Address geographical, financial and accessibility barriers that impact the ability of young people in NSW to enjoy recreational and social activities within their local communities.  
2. Provide funding to eligible applicants to host fully subsidised recreational and social activities.  
3. Deliver engaging, high-quality, activities during the NSW school holidays that demonstrate value for money.
4. Provide young people with a series of activities that encourage play, experimentation, reflection, and expression.  
5. Increase access to free and local activities designed to meet the needs and interests of young people aged 12-24. 

Purpose of activities under this objective 

1. To remove and/or address barriers (such as lack of transport or financial means) that prevent young people from accessing recreational and social activities. 
2. To encourage and build the capacity of eligible applicants to service the recreational and social needs of young people.  
3. To encourage and deliver innovative, age-appropriate (for young people aged 12 - 24 years) activities 
4. To enhance the creativity, imagination, self-confidence and self-efficacy as well as the physical, social, cognitive and emotional, strength and skills of young people. (For example, art and drama activities; rock climbing, sports and recreation activities or cooking workshops) 
5. To increase social and recreational activities for NSW young people. For example, to assist in the diversion and prevention of crime due to youth disengagement in school holiday periods.  

Eligible project costs may include but are not limited to:

• Refreshments for attendees
• Entry fees and tickets
• Transport for attendees
• Consumable supplies for the nominated activity (items necessary for project delivery such as printing, pens, pencils)
• Low-cost activity equipment (total cost must not exceed $500)
• Hire of event spaces, equipment, and facilities
• Administration costs (including advertising, marketing, promotion, activity insurances, reporting and completion of grant documentation) - no greater than 10% of the total requested grant amount
• Staff costs (including wages, travel, meals, support workers/ activity delivery provider wages, project coordination staff) for the planning and delivery of the program - no greater than 40% of the total requested grant amount
• Additional travel loading for suppliers travelling to remote and very remote NSW.

The Office for Youth, DCJ has discretion to part fund a project where itemised project costs have been assessed as ineligible.  

Unless specifically listed above, all other entities are not eligible:

• An individual or Sole trader
• Partnerships
• Federal and State Government agencies and bodies.
• NSW educational facilities (public schools, private schools, TAFE).
• For-profit organisations, including Aboriginal businesses.
• Trusts or Trustees (unless entity type is listed within eligible applicants as above)
• De-registered or Insolvent businesses
• Other Organisations (unless entity type is listed within eligible criteria as above)
• Unincorporated organisations or groups
• Organisations that do not have an ABN or are unable to obtain an ABN
• Organisations that have not met project requirements, including acquittal and reporting, for grant programs administered by the Office for Youth, or funding received from Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) in the previous two years.
• have overdue acquittals with the Office for Youth, DCJ
• Do not have appropriate insurance; this must include but is not limited to a minimum of $10 million Public Liability Insurance.

Where an application does not demonstrate that the applicant meets the above eligibility requirements, the application will be ineligible and may set it aside from further consideration.

The Office for Youth reserves the right to seek clarification or further information from applicants for the purpose of confirming eligibility against the above requirements, within the parameters of probity and fairness.

The Office for Youth reserves the right to not award a grant to an applicant where it represents greater than acceptable reputational risk to the NSW Government.

Grant funding must not be used for the following items or activities, which may include but are not limited to:

• Activities of a commercial or for-profit nature
• Repayment of existing debts or budget deficits
• Capital works, including building construction or renovations
• funding for ongoing staff or operational costs beyond the scope and timeframe of the funded activity
• Purchase of permanent equipment (e.g. tables, computers)
• General operating expenses including activity costs and organisational insurance costs (e.g. Public Liability Insurance) that are considered “business as usual” costs
• Activities that promote gambling (e.g. bingo) or alcohol consumption
• Programs coordinated by NSW Government departments or statutory authorities
• Duplicate funding for the same project by multiple organisations
• Non-essential equipment, merchandise, or supplies
• Donations or commissions to third parties
• Financing costs, including debt servicing or rental expenses
• Hire of equipment, venues, or facilities owned by the applicant or affiliated entities
• Staff training and professional development
• Purchase of assets or equipment exceeding $500 in total (e.g. gaming consoles, laptops, mobile phones)
• Administration costs exceeding 10%of the requested grant amount
• Staff costs exceeding 40%of the requested grant amount
• Activities that impose costs on participants (e.g. entry fees, club memberships, fundraising to cover participation costs)

The Office for Youth has discretion to part-fund a project where some itemised project costs have been assessed as ineligible.

A project is ineligible if it:

• is located outside of NSW except in cases where the activity is based in a border location and the Office has deemed it eligible. In such instances, activities may be conducted in a neighbouring state, provided this is clearly declared during the application process.
• targets club members or a pre-formed social/recreational group without genuine additional invitation or engagement of the wider community aged 12-24 years
• the funding is provided for activities that are considered part of an organisation’s standard operations or ‘business as usual’. Projects must be clearly defined, purpose-built, and specifically designed to meet the objectives of the Holiday Break program. Projects that do not demonstrate a distinct and targeted initiative will not be considered eligible.
• the proposed activity is not exclusively designed for the participation of young people aged 12–24 years and includes broader community involvement or participants outside the target age group.
• is for the delivery of essential or core government services that should be funded from another source such as local government, the NSW Government or the Commonwealth Government
• is seeking grant funding for operational costs such as utilities, cleaning equipment, telephone, and electricity costs
• is for a general works package without specific scope, costs, and location (e.g. upgrading lighting at community youth centre without identifying the work required, number of sites or the locations)
• is predominantly for marketing, branding, advertising or product promotion including tourism marketing
• provides direct commercial and/or exclusive private benefit to an individual or business
• is already being funded or is approved for funding by another NSW Government grant program
• seeks to solely subsidise memberships for existing services
• promotes the consumption of alcohol or drugs
• poses a reputational risk to the Office for Youth. The Office has sole discretion in determining if activities pose a reputational risk
• includes activities that are potentially high risk or dangerous, such as bull riding, sky diving, scuba diving and carnival rides. The Office has sole discretion in determining if activities are potentially high risk or dangerous
• is not considered age appropriate for young people aged 12 to 24 years
• does not demonstrate value for money, for example where the delivery costs are disproportionately high compared to the number of young people expected to benefit.
• does not include a budget with sufficient detail.

Examples of activities that may be eligible for such funding include, but are not limited to:

• cooking and life skills activities
• sports and recreational activities
• creative and cultural activities
• dance / disco events
• music, art and theatre workshops
• outdoor activities
• sporting and sight-seeing activities
• science, technology and gaming activities.

Co-contributions and collaborative project delivery are encouraged but not required.