Grants and Funding
Grant or funding opportunities may be available to support the development of your business, project or event. Please see below the tips section for current opportunities.
Before applying, make sure you read the program guidelines and entity and project eligibility carefully to ensure that your project meets the program criteria. Some grants are highly competitive with short application time frames.
Destination Central West NSW may be able to provide a Letter of Support for your project if it aligns with the Central West NSW Destination Management Plan.
Please note that Destination Central West NSW cannot determine if your organisation or project is eligible for funding. You must confirm your organisation and project eligibility under the relevant fund or program before requesting a letter of support.
Please complete this form to request a Letter of Support for your project.
Tips for grant applications
Funding through grant programs can provide significant benefits to businesses and destinations, helping to drive economic growth, create jobs, and improve the visitor experience.
When applying for grants, there are several considerations to keep in mind:
- Eligibility: Before applying for a grant, ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria for the grant program. Check the guidelines carefully to ensure that you are eligible to apply, and that your project fits within the scope of the grant program.
- Timing: Check the grant application deadline and plan to ensure that you have enough time to prepare a quality application.
- Research: Research the grant program thoroughly, including the application process, assessment criteria, and funding priorities. Understand the goals of the grant program and how your project aligns with those goals.
- Project design: Develop a well-planned project that is clearly defined, feasible, and aligned with the objectives of the grant program. Ensure that the project can be delivered within the proposed timeline and budget.
- Budget and financials: Prepare a realistic budget that reflects the costs of the project and the funding requested from the grant program. Ensure that you have the financial management capacity to deliver the project and manage the grant funds effectively.
- Evaluation and reporting: Consider how you will evaluate the success of the project and report back to the grant program. Ensure that you have the capacity to collect data and report on the outcomes of the project in a timely and accurate manner.
- Compliance and governance: Understand the compliance requirements and governance expectations associated with the grant program. Ensure that your organisation has the appropriate policies and procedures in place to manage the grant funds and comply with reporting and accountability requirements.
Overall, careful planning, research, and attention to detail are key when applying for grants. By addressing these considerations, you can improve your chances of submitting a successful grant application that meets the needs of the grant program and delivers positive outcomes for your organisation and stakeholders.
Current Funding Opportunities
The Open Streets Program (the Program) is a $4.5 million non-competitive grant program open to all councils across NSW. The Program aims to energise our streets with free activities and events.
The Open Streets Program aims to:
- Temporarily close streets to vehicles and open them for people, with projects over a day, or series of days, and provide safe spaces for community events and activities.
- Bring vibrancy to our streets by creating a sense of excitement and discovery with creative events and activations that are inviting and inclusive to the community.
- Support job creation in local businesses and the cultural sector.
- Support the development of longer-term place management outcomes, through projects that encourage private-public partnerships.
Funding of up to $150,000 is available to support the temporary closure of streets for placemaking activations for people. Events and activations are to be delivered by January 2025.
Applications are now open and will close once the total program funding has been allocated, or by the application close date of 30 April 2024, whichever is first.
Find out more here.
Financial support for volunteer-led museums in NSW.
The ‘Lights On, Doors Open’ stipend program has been established to relieve the pressures faced by volunteer-led museums and Aboriginal cultural spaces in NSW.
Funding of $2,000 is available to provide crucial financial support to cover essential expenses like rent, electricity bills and more. The program is not for organisations developing new ideas; rather, it is aimed at supporting organisations to cover small operational items difficult to cover through other grant programs.
The application process is designed to be hassle-free, ensuring a smooth experience for all applicants.
Funding will be allocated based on the order of eligible applications received until funds are exhausted.
Find out more here.
Destination Central West NSW acknowledges the many Aboriginal Nations and Aboriginal People of the Central West NSW region as the traditional carers and custodians of the land that we all now live and work on. We pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging. Destination Central West NSW values the diversity of this region and works in partnership with local Aboriginal communities to respectfully celebrate and share Aboriginal culture with visitors to the region and also with locals who live here.
