Matching grants program - City of Sydney

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Applications are now open

Round 2 of the 2021 program is now open.

- Applications open: 24 February 2021
- Applications close: 29 March 2021
- Project time frame: from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022
- Recommendations to Council: mid 2021
- Applications open: 19 July 2021
- Applications close: 23 August 2021
- Project time frame: from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022
- Recommendations to Council: late 2021

Grants team

Before applying please contact the City concierge team to arrange a call back to discuss your project.

: 02 9265 9333
: [email protected]

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About this program

This grant encourages communities to take action to improve, enhance, or celebrate their local neighbourhood or business precinct.

It’s designed to support grassroots and local projects that contribute to vibrant sustainable communities and economies by matching contributions towards a project.

- sustainability and environmental projects such as active transport, community gardens, green roofs and walls, urban ecology, green workshops, collaborative consumption, community events and research
- cultural projects such as public art, cultural workshops and community art projects
- social projects that involve people who are experiencing disadvantage
- local civic activities and events
- activities that activate or diversify the night-time economy such as pop-up entertainment and night-time performances in public spaces
- strategic projects identified in our strategies and action plans.
Initiatives and projects can contribute to one or more of these outcomes:
- increased community capacity and capability to address local needs and opportunities
- adoption by communities of sustainable behaviours and sustainable lifestyles
- strengthened opportunities for residents and others to build personal creativity and self-expression
- increased participation in community and civic life
- strengthened social connections and sense of belonging
- strengthened local business and community connections.
Applications are assessed against the funding priorities and expected program outcomes. The assessment panel will also consider:
- demonstrated evidence of the community need or opportunity that will be addressed through the project
- demonstrated direct benefit to the community
- alignment with our strategic directions, particularly the social sustainability policy
- commitment to build genuine community participation in the project
- contribution of the project to greater levels of knowledge, skills and confidence in the community to participate in city life
- contribution to strengthened connections within the city's villages
- capacity to match our contribution in cash or in-kind
- inclusion of a clear plan to develop and implement the project and manage transition at the end of the funding period
- other required supporting documentation.

Funding available

The matching grant program recognises any community contribution towards a project and can offer up to $10,000 in cash and value-in-kind such as street banner and venue hire fee waiver to match this contribution.

Recognised in-kind community contributions include:

donated supplies, materials, venues or services
volunteer time such as labour, meeting times and project management. The rate of volunteer time is calculated as $25 per hour. For professional or contracted services, the rate is $75 per hour.

Applicants can include the cost of necessary insurances in their application.

Eligibility

To be eligible for funding an applicant must operate within our area or be able to demonstrate benefits for our residents, businesses, workers or visitors.

These individuals and organisations can apply:
- not-for-profit organisations
- for-profit businesses
- sole traders
- individuals (must be auspiced by a not-for-profit or for-profit that is eligible to apply in their own right)
- unincorporated community groups
- owners corporations (strata and company owned).
If you work with an auspicing organisation, we encourage you to choose one that is relevant to the sector and that can support the development of the proposal.
Funding is not available for:
- projects that directly contravene the eligibility and ethics framework or existing policies
- capital works or capital expenditure that exceeds $5,000
- applications that seek support for supplementing, increasing or continuing ongoing service delivery or for funding the core business of the organisation
- projects that duplicate existing services
- ongoing project, event or program funding.