Stronger Country Communities Fund Round 4 Now Open

The NSW Government has announced Round 4 of the Stronger Country Communities Fund is now open to Regional Councils and Joint Organisations, Non-Government Organisations, Community Organisations (registered as incorporated associations) and Local Aboriginal Land Councils, that are located in one of the 93 regional NSW Local Government Areas, Lord Howe Island or the Unincorporated Far West.

$100 million is available in Round 4 of the Fund with up to $50 million going towards projects that deliver and enhance women’s sporting facilities, including change rooms. The remaining $50 million will meet the strong demand for other high-quality community and sports-related infrastructure projects.

If you applied for the recent Community Building Partnership Program, seriously consider submitting that project to this grant too… NOTE: This application requires a lot more detail than the CBP.

See our “advance notice“ for a message from Steph Cooke MP, the Member for Cootamundra, encouraging local sporting clubs to use Stronger Country Communities Fund Round Four to meet the strong demand for further high quality community and sports-related infrastructure projects, especially for projects that help to promote female participation in a wide range of sports. Also, remember to keep Steph informed of your project plans.

Eligible Projects

The minimum funding that can be requested under Round 4 of the Stronger Country Communities Fund for programs or infrastructure is $50,000.

Projects under the Female Participation in Sport stream must directly improve and support participation and performance opportunities in female sports at all levels through enhanced infrastructure and programs.
Female sporting related projects must meet one of the areas below:

encouraging engagement: The removal of barriers to female participation in sport through the delivery of new or enhanced sporting infrastructure and programs
fostering a sense of safety: Improving safety at sporting facilities by ensuring that female change rooms, amenities and recreational programs are appropriately designed
improving accessibility: Upgrading sporting facilities to ensure accessibility and inclusion as well as equitable access for female participants
boosting capability: Development of programs and facilities which encourage regular female participation in sport and fosters inclusive environments.

Examples of eligible female sporting programs include:

New or redesigned programs aimed at increasing female participation and engagement with sport, recreational or adventure activities
Sporting club “come & try” days and demonstrations to encourage new membership
Improving safety by scheduling programs at appropriate times at sporting and recreation facilities to encourage female participation
Accommodating female participants of all abilities and ages through new or redesigned programs incorporating Accessibility and Inclusion principles
Sporting and recreational clubs/ organisations providing training and mentoring for female coaches, umpires and leaders

Examples of eligible female sporting infrastructure projects include:

Development of facilities, such as change rooms and bathrooms which can accommodate female athletes, athletes and participants of all abilities
Development of childcare facilities to support female inclusion
Improved lighting at sporting facilities and static infrastructure such as playing fields, walking/ cycling paths and change rooms
Improved “line of sight” inside change rooms and toilet facilities
Construction of new or refurbishment of existing sporting facilities which are fully accessible and inclusive
Upgrades to meeting rooms to accommodate multiple uses, such as AGMs, training and education programs

Community Amenity projects must be local projects that enhance the lives and wellbeing of regional communities. General community amenity projects must be for either:

construction of new or upgrades to existing local community or sporting infrastructure
capital works related to street beautification and other public places that promote the health, happiness and wellbeing of the community
delivering programs that benefit the local community and provide public benefit
infrastructure to assist the delivery of general community programs
infrastructure or community projects or programs which improve and promote accessibility and inclusion.

Examples of eligible community programs include:

Community events
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community cultural education programs for Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants
Multicultural festivals
Intergenerational activities – sharing knowledge through activity-based experience
Environmental education and working bees
Short-term disability and/or carer support programs
Workshops to identify accessibility and inclusion needs in the community
Cultural and/or disability awareness training sessions
Community programs which seek to remove barriers to participation through promoting accessibility and inclusion
Community wellbeing programs

While examples of eligible Community Amenity and Community Service Infrastructure include:

Community centres and halls
Libraries
Community amenities and barbecue/picnic areas
Recreation facilities
Club houses, change rooms, canteens
Murals or community art instalments
Memorials or statues
Emergency services infrastructure (e.g. aerodrome water refilling)
Surf Life Saving Club infrastructure
Aquatic facilities and pools
Amenities for participants and spectators
Playgrounds, parks, shared paths and fixed fitness stations
Seating, planting boxes, landscaping and paving
Street lighting to improve safety
Street/footpath reconfigurations
Shade cloth, awnings and pergolas
Public toilets
Infrastructure for health and community services facilities (e.g. domestic violence centres for women)
Homeless shelters
Men’s sheds
Children’s special needs premises
Community aged care facilities
Infrastructure upgrade to local community radio station facilities
Infrastructure to support and improve accessibility to community facilities
Town and tourism signage
Main street beautification projects

Projects previously funded in Junee Shire under SCCF

Over the last three rounds of the Stronger Country Communities Fund, sixteen different projects across Junee Shire have received funding totalling over $3 million, including;

Tips when applying

As mentioned above, be sure that Steph Cooke MP, the Member for Cootamundra, is kept informed of your project plans.
Read the Stronger Country Communities Fund Round Four Program Guidelines AND the Frequently Asked Questions BEFORE commencing your application.
ps: keep an eye on the FAQs — they are frequently updated (a major update occurred on May 13 and 14)
Download BOTH the SCCF Project Plan Template AND the SCCF Project Budget Template. Then make sure you use the CORRECT Sheet in BOTH Templates for your Project — ORANGE for Community Program Projects and BLUE for Infrastructure Projects.
Also, in addition to checking out the list of projects previously in Junee Shire, be sure to look at the many successfully funded projects in other regional local government areas for ideas that your organisation could potentially apply for funding under Round 4.
If you require Land Owner’s consent for your project, you MUST use the supplied SCCF Landowner Consent form.
Remember that $50 million is allocated exclusively towards projects that deliver and enhance women’s sporting facilities, including change rooms.

If you require an independent set of eyes to look over you application, please do not hesitate to contact Nicholas to make a suitable time to review your application… DO NOT LEAVE THIS TO THE LAST WEEK — the earlier you reserve a time, the more chance you have ensuring Nicholas is available to assist you.