This program awards grants for community infrastructure projects that deliver positive social, environmental and recreational outcomes while also promoting community participation, inclusion and cohesion.

Key information

• Status: Open
• Grant amount: From $10,000 to $100,000
• Application opened: 28 January 2025
• Application closes: 21 February 2025, 5:00 pm

Program objective

CBP awards grants for community infrastructure projects that deliver positive social, environmental and recreational outcomes.

These guidelines set out the funding rules for the 2025 Community Building Partnership program for applicants, including eligibility and the process for assessing and allocating funding to the successful grant applicants.

• In 2025, the total value of the CBP program is $41.85 million.
• There is a maximum of $450,000 to allocate in each electorate.

This program is administered by Department of Communities and Justice.

Eligibility

Who can apply

To be considered eligible, the project must be submitted through the online system SmartyGrants.

To be eligible to apply for funding:

• Applicants must be one of the following:

-NSW association or non-distributing co-operatives registered with NSW Fair Trading

-Local Aboriginal Land Councils or Indigenous corporations registered with the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations

-NSW local councils and their Section 355 committees operating under the Local Government Act 1993. Local councils or their Section 355 committees are required to provide matched funding to the CBP grant amount awarded.

-Not-for-profit entities incorporated under an Act of Parliament

-Trusts that are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC)

-Public companies limited by guarantee.

• Applicants that received a grant through the CBP 2021 and CBP 2022 rounds must have acquitted their CBP 2021 and CBP 2022 projects by 21 February 2025, unless they have an active and approved extension in place to complete the project.
• Organisations listed on the ACNC Register must have a current and up-to-date record. Any organisation that has not met ongoing obligations to the ACNC will have funding withheld if the project is successful. Any outstanding issues must be resolved by the date Funding Agreements are due, or the grant offer may be withdrawn.
• An organisation eligible to apply for funding must apply under its own legal name and ABN (if applicable).

Types of projects funded under this grant

CBP will consider funding requests between $10,000 and $100,000 for projects in NSW involving:

• capital works including construction of new community infrastructure as well as refurbishment, repair and maintenance of existing community infrastructure. Capital works are: improvements to the land or building, or freestanding equipment that will be fixed or installed to the land or building.
• the purchase of freestanding equipment. Freestanding equipment is: equipment that does not require installation. This also includes vehicles and vessels that do not require registration e.g. tractors, utility task vehicles (UTV) or side-by-side ATVs, dragon boats, golf buggies, dinghies, powerboats or sailing boats less than 5.5 m long or with an engine less than 4.0 kw.
• the purchase of vehicle(s). Vehicles are: cars, buses, trucks, trailers, motorised rescue vehicles including boats and any modifications to existing vehicles.

When the project can start and end

The project must be completed by 3 August 2026.

Who can’t apply

The following are examples of applicants that may be ineligible for CBP funding. This is not an exhaustive list of ineligible applicants. It is designed to give applicants an idea of the type of applicants that may be ineligible to apply for CBP funding.

• Propriety companies and companies limited by shares
• Individuals or groups of individuals
• Unincorporated organisations
• For-profit commercial organisations
• Organisations with unacquitted CBP 2021 or CBP 2022 projects by 21 February 2025, unless they have an active and approved extension in place to complete the project
• NSW Government or Australian Government agencies and their entities (including NSW Government schools, local health districts and public hospitals). These organisations should consider whether there is an incorporated not-for-profit body, such as a P&C Association, hospital auxiliary or incorporated entity that uses Crown Land facilities that may be eligible to apply for funding.
• An eligible organisation applying on behalf of another eligible organisation

Types of projects not funded under this grant

The following are examples of projects that may be ineligible for CBP funding. This is not an exhaustive list of eligible projects. It is designed to give applicants an idea of the type of projects that may be ineligible to apply for CBP funding.

• Projects that have commenced works prior to the grant round closing date (21 February 2025)
• Projects located outside of NSW
• Projects that seek funding to:
• run workshops, training or facilitation
• stage events or exhibit displays
• undertake filming or recording
• cover operating costs or recurrent expenses such as staff costs, insurance, leases, bills, clothing, consumables and disposables
• deliver programs or services
• undertake studies or investigations
• purchase land or buildings (fixed assets).
• Projects that involve the development of private or commercial ventures, including upgrades/works in licensed areas of registered clubs such as liquor and/or gaming areas
• Projects receiving funding from other grant programs for the same scope of works
• Projects that should be funded as a core responsibility from another source, such as a local government, the NSW Government or Australian Government
• Project works or costs that have been or will be covered by insurance claims – e.g. repairs following weather events
• Applications submitted after the application closing date
• Joint application or application submitted on behalf of an auspice organisation
• Projects seeking funding exclusively for costs associated with planning, or a development approval application
• Applications without evidence of development approval, where required
• Applications that request $30,001 or above without quotation
• Applications without a detailed and itemised project budget for full requested amount
• Applicants that apply for an Automated External Defibrillators (AED) package above $3,000
• Applications requesting funding to purchase vehicle(s) that will not be registered under the applicant's name e.g. P&C Associations applying for a bus that would be registered under the Department of Education