Regional Growth Fund

What does 5 years of the Regional Growth Fund look like where you live, work, play, and do business?

Orana Burrendong Dam

Celebrating 5 years of the Regional Growth Fund

$3.3 billion in funding for regional communities

The NSW Government is helping regional communities attract investment, generate jobs, grow local economies and improve the everyday lifestyles of residents through once-in-a-lifetime funding under the Regional Growth Fund.

Now in its fifth year, the $3.3 billion Regional Growth Fund has helped deliver thousands of projects that improve local and regional services, activate economic growth, and respond to emerging regional needs. 

The Regional Growth Fund is continuing to support community projects that boost local businesses, improve the lifestyles in regional communities and help them build resilience.

The Regional Growth Fund investment is delivered through targeted grant programs, including the Stronger Country Communities Fund, Resources for Regions, Regional Tourism Activation Fund and the Regional Events Acceleration Fund.

Targeted grant programs 

The Regional Growth Fund is delivered through several targeted grant programs, which help improve local and regional services, promote economic development and social cohesion, grow resilience and enhance social wellbeing of people living and working in regional NSW. 

Find out what our Regional Growth Fund programs have achieved across regional NSW.

3 men in safety gear handling building materials on a construction site

Growing Regional Economies Fund

Delivering economic growth and productivity across regional NSW.

A close up on the back of a camera where a woman wearing a black shirt is talking into the lens.

Regional Media Fund

$3 million to improve the long-term sustainability of regional media organisations.

A man in a blue shirt wearing a hard hat and safety glasses uses machiner

Regional Job Creation Fund

Supporting businesses to establish or expand in regional NSW.
Armidale airside growing local economies project

Growing Local Economies

$500 million to strengthen the economy and create jobs in regional NSW.
woman on video call on computer

Connecting Country Communities

$50 million to improve voice and data connectivity for regional NSW.
Northern Rivers Performing Arts Centre Lismore

Regional Cultural Fund

$100 million to strengthen the arts, culture and heritage of Regional NSW.
Women playing netball

Regional Sports Infrastructure

$100 million for projects that enable sport and recreation participation.
Forbes sculpture trail - Indigenous family in sculpture

Regional Growth – Environment and Tourism

$300 million to build tourism infrastructure and create jobs.
Blue Haven aged care centre Kiama

Regional Communities Development Fund

$100 million for projects that deliver social, economic, environmental or cultural benefits.
Lake Talbot water park narrandera

Drought Stimulus Package

$170 million for projects that flow money through local economies.
Aerial shot of Batemans Bay in dawn light

Regional NSW – Business Case and Strategy Development Fund

Funding to develop business cases or strategies.

Children enjoying a game at the local Grenfell Soccer Club.

Stronger Country Communities Fund

Funding for projects that increase the wellbeing of regional NSW communities.

A young man and woman smiling, walking along the Mill Bay Boardwalk, Narooma NSW

Regional Tourism Activation Fund

Funding to develop new and enhanced tourism infrastructure.

A family riding on a bike trail in Parkes

Resources for Regions

Funding to support the ongoing future prosperity of mining communities.

Canowindra Balloon Challenge, Canowindra.

Regional Events Acceleration Fund

Funding to attract, grow and improve events.

Delivering real results in your region

The NSW Government has already delivered $2.5 billion for close to 3,500 projects through the Regional Growth Fund. Every local government area in regional NSW has received a share of the funding, creating ongoing benefits that can be seen in every region, every day.

See the Regional Growth Fund projects making a positive impact in your community below.

Local support for regional NSW communities

Department of Regional NSW staff are on the ground supporting the delivery of Regional Growth Fund programs in their local area. Our Regional Development teams work with residents, businesses, community groups, stakeholders and state and local government to provide support, information and assist potential applicants. 

The Regional Development teams also include Aboriginal Partnerships Coordinators in each region across NSW. They work with local Aboriginal communities and support them to access and utilise NSW Government programs, including funding opportunities.

There are seven Regional Development offices and over 120 Regional Development staff across regional NSW. These dedicated staff live and work in the regions and are passionate about seeing the benefits of these programs flow to every region, every day.

Please contact the Department of Regional NSW office in your area to find out more.

Central and Far West
regional.western@regional.nsw.gov.au

Hunter and Central Coast 
regional.huntercentralcoast@regional.nsw.gov.au

Illawarra Shoalhaven
regional.illawarrashoalhaven@regional.nsw.gov.au

New England North West
regional.nenw@regional.nsw.gov.au

North Coast
regional.northcoast@regional.nsw.gov.au

Riverina Murray
regional.riverinamurray@regional.nsw.gov.au

South East
regional.southeast@regional.nsw.gov.au

Strategic Review

The NSW Government undertook a strategic review of the Regional Growth Fund to consider how effective it has been in supporting investment across regional NSW. The key findings of this review are outlined in the Regional Growth Fund strategic review summary brochure (PDF 7.98MB).

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