Quick response grants

This program accepts applications all year and supports small-scale initiatives for local residents and organisations.

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Grants team

We’d like to help you choose the right grant and provide tips for a successful application.

: 02 9265 9333
: [email protected]

Applications are open

This program is open all year for applications until the budget is exhausted.

All applications should be submitted at least 8 weeks before the event.

Activities should take place within 12 months of the application date.

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About this program

We provide support through the quick response grant under 2 categories.

Category 1: Event representation and emergency support

Funding available:

event representation in the sporting, academic cultural or environmental fields, up to $500 per year per individual or up to $2,000 per team.
essential emergency project support funding up to $2,000 per year.

- one-off support for individuals and teams experiencing financial hardship that are selected to participate in events in the sporting, academic, cultural or environmental fields
- essential emergency support for community, cultural or sustainability projects, strictly for situations that couldn’t be foreseen.
Initiatives and projects can contribute to one or more of these outcomes:
- increased engagement of individuals and teams in sporting, academic, cultural and environmental fields
- improved inclusion, liveability, connectedness and engagement in our diverse communities
- enhanced positive social, cultural, sustainability outcomes for local communities related to our strategic priorities.
Applications will be assessed against the funding priorities and expected program outcomes. The assessment panel will also consider these criteria where relevant:
- evidence of a coordinated approach to service delivery and the development of responses to emerging social issues
- contribution to strengthened formal and informal support networks; reduced isolation and increased community participation and opportunities especially for people with the greatest need
- allows state or national selection in the fields of the arts, sports, sustainability or academia at a significant event which is considered critical to career development
- be a team or individual from a disadvantaged background in pursuit of a unique sporting, cultural, sustainably or academic experience and produce considerable social capital for those involved
- unforeseen circumstance or urgent need that will have a detrimental effect on the individual or an organisation and its services if not dealt with immediately. This is strictly for situations that could not be foreseen and applicants need to show evidence of how this situation arose and their financial status.
To be eligible for event representation funding an applicant must operate within the City of Sydney local government area or be able to demonstrate benefits for the area’s residents, workers and/or visitors.

The applicant must be a not-for-profit organisation, unincorporated community group or individual.

Funding is not available for:
- projects that directly contravene the eligibility and ethics framework or existing city policies
- projects that duplicate existing services
- projects or programs that will rely on recurrent future funding from the City of Sydney
- projects that supplement, increase or continue ongoing service delivery or for funding the 'core' business of the organisation
- projects that occur on a regular basis, such as annually, and for which applicants could have planned and sought sponsorship from other sources
- professional development opportunities when an organisation associated with the activity has established professional development processes
- contributions to a project where the organising body has already received a grant or sponsorship from the City of Sydney
- projects that have received a quick response grant in the last 12 months.

Category 2: Strategic priorities

Funding available:

Support of up to $2,000 per year in matched funding.

Priorities are drawn from our creative policies and action plans and are updated annually. The priorities this year are:

Creative initiatives: small-scale creative initiatives in need of emergency funding or that are seeking funding to test experimental, unique or new creative ideas. This may involve innovative partnerships and collaborative/cross-disciplinary processes as the project may investigate broader cultural issues, for example exploring ecology, sustainability, or urban renewal.

Expert advice: unforeseen, time-critical costs of expert advice, certifiers or consultants to assist cultural venues and premises associated with cultural activity and live entertainment to meet their compliance obligations.

Types of activity supported:
- new small-scale creative initiatives that have a public outcome
- ideas requiring testing or piloting
- projects responding to time sensitive opportunities that meet our strategic priorities
- projects and activities which, due to their innovative or experimental outcomes, are unsuitable for other funding sources
- the costs of seeking expert advice or certifier/consultant reports to address urgent and time sensitive issues relating to building and planning or environmental health compliance for cultural venues/premises that exhibit art or offer live music or performance programming
- creative development opportunities
- small activation of public space, neighbourhoods, precincts.
Initiatives and projects can contribute to one or more of these outcomes:
- increased engagement of individuals and teams in sporting, academic, cultural and environmental fields
- improved inclusion, liveability, connectedness and engagement in our diverse communities
- enhanced positive social, cultural, sustainability outcomes for local communities related to our strategic priorities.
Applications will be assessed against the funding priorities and expected program outcomes. The assessment panel will also consider these criteria where relevant:
- evidence of innovation, experimentation or creative imagination and an explanation of why it is experimental/innovative in the context of the local arts sector
- evidence of necessary experience, technical skills and qualifications
- record of achievement relative to opportunity
- evidence of matched support (where required) including from community platforms such as Pozible, sponsorship or other sources
- provision of required supporting documentation
For creative initiatives, the following assessment criteria will also apply:
- evidence of innovation or creative imagination inherent in the project idea
- if the grant will help trial or test an idea that may be further developed in future
- information on the approach taken by the applicant to test the project idea
- intended outcomes and project plan
- mechanisms to gather data and evaluate the project
- evidence that the artist’s innovative or experimental work aligns with City of Sydney policies
- demonstrated connection to the City of Sydney local area
To be eligible for funding an applicant must operate within the local government area or be able to demonstrate benefits for the area’s residents, workers and/or visitors.

The applicant can be a not-for-profit or for-profit organisation, unincorporated community group, sole trader or individual.

For-profit applicants must match their request with cash. Value-in-kind will not be accepted.

Funding is not available for:
- projects that directly contravene the eligibility and ethics framework or existing city policies
- existing cultural and creative programs or projects that require additional funding and have already been provided with support from the City of Sydney
- projects that align with our matching grant, cultural and creative grants and sponsorship and business support grant (live music and performance) program criteria and that could have applied through these programs and their timeframes
- repeat editions of earlier projects or events including artists fees where the creative work has already been produced
- projects that could have planned and sought sponsorship from other sources
- projects without matched support (cash or in-kind)
- funding used primarily for professional development, travel or training
- projects or programs that rely on recurrent future funding from the City of Sydney
- projects that supplement, increase or continue ongoing service delivery or for funding the 'core' business of the organisation
- fees and charges associated with compliance or development applications payable to the City
- projects and/or artists that have no connection to the local government area.

How to apply

Before applying please contact the grants team to discuss your eligibility and suitability to the program, on 02 9265 9333 or email [email protected].