Apply for funding for circular economy projects

We fund projects that support keeping products and materials in use for longer. This includes sharing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing or repurposing items instead of throwing them away.

In progress

Applications now open
Applications close 4pm, Tuesday 1 September
This category is open once a year – applicants are notified of the outcome of their application in November
Funding available from 1 January 2027

Environmental grants information session: video recording

We held an online environmental grants information session on Thursday 23 July. It covered the new grants program, what’s changed, case studies and the opportunities on offer.

Watch it now

Discuss your project or idea

The grants team is here to help. 15-minute time slots available, 14 July to 31 August.

Book a phone call

Grants team

If you have any questions, we’re here to help.

: 02 9265 9333
: [email protected]

Help with grants in your language

Need help with information about our grants in other languages?

About this category

The circular materials grant category supports Sydney’s transition to a circular economy.

It funds services, systems and programs for sharing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and repurposing products or materials as many times as possible.

See examples of the types of projects that could be funded.

This funding is part of our environmental grants program. Find out more about the program’s funding priorities.

Funding available

Cash funding of up to $50,000 is available for each project. One-year or multi-year funding (up to 3 years) is available.

Support can include up to $10,000 for capital expenditure.

You can also request value-in-kind support, such as street banner pole hire and indoor venue hire as part of your grant application. Read our guide for what you’ll need to do to apply.

Eligibility

✔️The project must be in the City of Sydney local area

✔️Meet our general eligibility requirements

Who can apply

eligible not-for-profit organisation
incorporated association
co-operative
corporation
owners corporation
trustee of a trust.

Corporations including strata and building management companies and qualified service providers can apply on behalf of building owners and owners corporations.

Assessment criteria

Before you apply

- Confirm you’re eligible – each grants program has its own eligibility requirements, and you must also meet the City of Sydney’s general eligibility criteria
- Review our application tips and grants resources
- Gather supporting documents – such as quotes, letters from community members and partners, and any other materials that strengthen your application
- Prepare a project plan– including a timeline of activities
- Prepare a detailed, balanced budget
- Prepare risk management details – required if you’re applying for more than $25,000 in cash per year
- Arrange your documentation for any value-in-kind support – if applicable
- Applying for a grant takes time and preparation. Our step-by-step guide shows you what to do before you submit your application.
Accessible application options are available.

Applicants with disability, or from diverse cultural and language backgrounds, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants may apply in alternative formats, including verbal applications.

Accessible applications are assessed in the same way as all other applications.

Get in touch early and allow extra time for us to provide this support.

To find out more or to access this support, call us on 02 9265 9333 or email [email protected].

You can also contact us through the National Relay Service. You’ll need to provide our phone number: 02 9265 9333.
- be an individual or legal entity, or have an auspice willing to enter into a contract with the City of Sydney
- operate in the City of Sydney local area or demonstrate significant benefits to our communities
- meet the specific eligibility criteria for the grant program you’re applying for
- comply with the City of Sydney’s ethics framework
- have an active Australian Business Number (ABN) if you’re applying as a business
- have satisfactorily completed any previous City of Sydney grants projects
- be free of any debts owed to the City of Sydney.
For the economic, social and community, creative and environmental programs, you can apply for 3 projects in total.

If you work with an auspice, we encourage you to choose an organisation relevant to your sector so they can support the development of your proposal.

We welcome applications from social enterprises, community groups and individuals. To apply, you must be a legal entity.
We don’t provide grants to applicants or projects that:
- duplicate existing services or programs
- have already occurred
- breach the City of Sydney’s ethics framework or policies
- didn’t comply with their contractual obligations for previous grants
- didn’t complete a previous grants project satisfactorily
- appear to be associated with a previous recipient or grants project that didn’t comply with their contractual obligations or complete the grants project satisfactorily
- could be perceived as benefiting a political party.
Grants can’t include:
- general donations to charities, which are covered by our support for charities policy
-  funding for operational costs or overheads for the core business of an organisation
- funding for City of Sydney fees, including development applications, outdoor venue hire, health inspection fees, health approvals, street closures and other approvals or charges beyond what is specified in the grant programs
- design, printing and distribution services or cleansing and waste services already supplied by the City of Sydney.
City of Sydney employees:
- may not apply for, or benefit from, a grant directly
- should not write letters of support for grant applications.
For environmental grants, an owners corporation can still receive funding even if one of its lot owners works for the City of Sydney. This is allowed as long as the employee:
- does not own most of the lots (not a majority owner)
- has no involvement in preparing the grant application or in the grant assessment process.

A woman hands over a bicycle to a staff member in front of a "Revolve Recycling" van whilst another person stands in the van with a pink bike. — City of Sydney grant recipients Revolve ReCYCLING.
Image: Cassandra Hannagan / City of Sydney

Examples of projects

These are examples of the types of projects that could be funded:

Community repair networks that bring together residents and businesses to repair and reuse everyday items, share practical skills, reduce waste and costs, and encourage a long-term culture of repair and reuse.
Bike repair and redistribution programs run by local not-for-profit organisations that collect unwanted bicycles, repair and refurbish them, recycle usable parts, and donate or sell bikes at low cost to the community.
Retail fitout reuse initiatives that help shopping centre tenants reduce waste by reusing materials during shop refurbishments and fitouts, while tracking environmental and financial benefits.
An apartment building or precinct wants to create a ‘library of things’ where residents can borrow items like tools or equipment instead of buying them. The grant would support community engagement, buying key items and setting up storage and a booking system. This would save residents money and reduce unnecessary purchases.
Cardboard recycling equipment, such as compactors for shopping centres that generate large amounts of cardboard waste. These projects can improve recycling outcomes and reduce the frequency of waste collections.
Technology refurbishment and reuse programs that collect donated laptops and devices, refurbish them for resale and use the proceeds to provide devices to people and communities experiencing digital exclusion, while also reducing e-waste.

How to apply

Applications for our grants programs must be completed online.

Before you apply, we recommend you:

review our step-by-step guide for grants applicants
check out our grant application resources.

Applications close 4pm, Tuesday 1 September.

Apply now

Glossary

Capital expenditure

Funding specifically requested for purchase, maintaining or upgrading items the applicant owns and that will be used beyond the time of the project. This includes building maintenance, upgrading technology or buying new equipment. These expenses are different from regular costs like salaries or utilities because they build and improve the offerings to communities in a more permanent way.

Priority communities

Communities that may experience heightened inequality and barriers to social, economic, cultural, political and environmental resources, services and support, including:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
people on low incomes
people renting including social housing residents
people experiencing homelessness
people with disability
people with lived experience of a mental health and/or chronic condition
people over 65
young people and children under 5
new immigrants, non-citizens and refugees
people with English as a second language
people of diverse sexualities and genders
women and girls.

Value-in-kind

Value-in-kind refers to an arrangement where the City of Sydney gives up revenue, either in full or a percentage, on things for which a fee normally applies. This may include venue hire, banner pole hire or rent.

For more information, see our value-in-kind guide.