Central Coast Council Community Development Grants Program, 2026/27

The Community Development Grant Program Supports community organisations to implement specific projects, programs or activities that provide community outcomes and enhance the quality of life of residents of the Central Coast as well as strengthening their ability to deliver projects and services that respond to the needs of the community.

• Open 1 June and closes 30 June annually.
• The Community Development Grant Program is time limited and will cover activities that are able to be completed within an eighteen (18) month timeframe from the date of funding.
• Applicants can apply for up to $20,000 per financial year, per activity.

The Community Development Grant Program is an open once annually to support projects, programs and activities delivered by community organisations.

4.1 Program Outcomes: 

Each application is required to address a minimum of one of the following community outcomes:

• Increase in community identity and connections, including increased understanding of community issues and needs.
• Increase in number of people feeling a strong sense of connection within their local community, including social inclusion.
• Increase knowledge and appreciation of our local history, environment, culture, and diversity.
• Improve our quality of life.
• Build community expertise, capacity, networks and skills.
• Enhance a sense of local identity.

4.2 Activities and Projects Supported 

• Projects that create, diversify, or enhance participation in the community; or that provide benefits to address an identified community need.
• Projects that aim to increase social inclusion.
• NON-INFRASTRUCTURE projects that enhance and improve accessibility options for the community.
• Projects that increase community identity and connection, enabling the community to come together and address community safety and/or identify emerging community needs and social issues.
• Projects that increase the skills and knowledge of a community organisation to better understand and serve the community thought responding to community issues and needs.
• Projects that address environmental issues and concerns or contribute to environmental education and awareness.
• Creative community projects involving arts practitioners collaborating with communities.
• Projects that include the contracting of professionals including facilitators, producers, and project managers to deliver the project outcome and/or develop a community organisation’s skills.
• Cost of Public Liability insurance linked directly to the project.
• Projects that include the hire or purchase of non-fixed equipment and materials that provide a demonstrated community benefit beyond the life of the grant (requested for purchase of equipment needs to demonstrate how the equipment relates to the overall objective/outcome of the event/project/activity)
• Hire of Council facilities and services. 

4.3 Eligibility

4.3.1 Applicants must be:

• A legally constituted not-for-profit organisation.
• A legal entity with not-for-profit status.
• A registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for Profit Commission (ACNC).
• An unincorporated community group auspiced by a legally constituted not-for-profit organisation.

4.3.2 A modest auspice fee will be considered for legally constituted not-for-profit organisation who auspice an applicant.
4.3.3 Applicants must operate within the Central Coast area and/or be able to demonstrate that the project will benefit residents of the Central Coast Community.

4.3.4 All applicants must meet the grant program eligibility criteria and address one or more of the program outcomes.

4.3.5 Only one application per project, per financial year, may be successful in obtaining funding across any of Council’s grant funding programs.

4.3.6 Central Coast based community run emergency service entities that are part of Government Departments and agencies such as RFS, SES and VRA.

4.3.7 Applicant must provide all required documentation as detailed in section six (6) of these Guidelines.

4.3.8 An organisation with no debt to Council, or an organisation who has entered into scheduled payment arrangements with Council, which are being met.

4.4 Ineligibility

4.4.1 Late or incomplete applications.

4.4.2 Proposals from other Councils, Government Departments, agencies with the exception of Central Coast based community run emergency service entities.

4.4.3 Proposals from employees or Councillors of Central Coast Council (both in a paid or voluntary capacity).

4.4.4 Expenditure for equipment not related to the specific project proposed.

4.4.5 Events, projects, or activities with a religious, political, or sectarian purpose, where the purpose may exclude or offend members of the broader community.

4.4.6 Applications seeking funds for projects of a commercial nature that is for profit or that raise funds for philanthropic purposes for other organisations. 

4.4.7 Applications seeking funds for retrospective projects and activities commencing, or project items purchased, prior to two (2) months from the end of the grant closing date. (For example, an applications submitted by deadline of 30 June must commence no sooner than 1 September to be eligible).

4.4.8 Proposals that duplicate a project, service or activity already existing within the Local Government Area.

4.4.9 A project, event, service, or activity which in the opinion of the assessment panel would be better funded by State or Federal Government, or by corporate sponsorship or a philanthropic trust.

4.4.10 Proposals that are funding the core business of the organisation.

4.4.11 Applications for purchases or expenses related to privately owned items.

4.4.12 Applications that do not have asset owner consent, if applicable.

4.4.13 Applications seeking funds for projects which may have an adverse impact on neighbouring residents or businesses.

4.4.14 Applications seeking funds for existing salaried or waged positions not related specially to the proposed project.

4.4.15 Applications seeking funds for benefits such as travel, meal or accommodation costs including cost to undertake activity outside or to the Local Government Area.

4.4.16 Applications seeking funds for goods or services to ‘on-sell’.

4.4.17 Applications seeking funds for prize money and gift vouchers.

4.4.18 Funds for fees to attend a conference, congress, or seminar.

4.4.19 General fundraising events or appeals.

4.4.20 Existing projects or programs that require additional funding.

4.4.21 Applicants in a position to self-fund the project.  

4.4.22 A project, event, service, or activity which primarily benefits a single, individual, or business.

4.4.23 Works to building or property.

4.4.24 Purchase of land or buildings.

4.4.25 Applications for commercial lease subsidy.

4.4.26 Research or studies (e.g.- feasibility economic and heritage).

4.4.27 Digital (e.g. website, app and web-based subscriptions) platform development and maintenance.

4.4.28 Applicants who have an unresolved debt to Council.

4.4.29 Applicants with an overdue acquittal or who have failed to appropriately acquit a previous Council Grant.

4.4.30 Where alternative funding options exist for any of the above exclusions, applicants will be advised accordingly.

5.1 Assessment Criteria

Each application will be assessed based on following:

Project plan

• The project has been properly researched and well planned.
• The project is feasible and will deliver a broader community benefit or outcome.
• The project involves participation and/or audience from local community.
• The project demonstrates tangible benefit to local the community, environment, or economy.
• The project will generate sustained social, economic, or environmental benefits to the community.
• The project addresses an identified gap and/or high priority area in the community.
• The organisation clearly demonstrated the capacity to deliver the project.
• The organisation demonstrates community consultation, support and promotes participation.

Budget

• The applicant is contributing to the cost of the project, including in-kind support.
• The applicant has provided a comprehensive project budget and supporting financial information.
• The applicant has supplied required quotes and pricing research for the requested items in the application budget.

Sustainability

• The applicant demonstrates, where practical any ongoing or recurrent costs of the project can be met by the community group once grant funding has been expended.

5.2 Assessment Process 

• Applications are only accepted online through Central Coast Council’s website and the appropriate online application form. Assistance is provided by Council’s Grants team to any group or individual if requested to ensure access and support with the online system.
• All applications will be assessed by the Community Grants and Sponsorship Review Panel and recommendations presented to Council for endorsement.
• Central Coast Council reserves the right to request further information on considering any application as well as the right to reject any application that does not meet the criteria.
• Council reserves the right to award an amount less than within the application, if it is assessed that the amount requested is not justified by the information provided or the full amount is not available at the time of request.
• Applications may be assigned to another grants program as part of the assessment process if the original funding program selected by the applicant is not deemed the most appropriate for the initiative. 
• As funding is limited, not every application that meets the assessment criteria will be successful.
• All decisions of Central Coast Council are final, and no negotiations will be entered into.

• Council will notify all applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application; unsuccessful applicants are encouraged to seek feedback from Council’s Grants team on their application.
• Successful applicants must review and are required to sign a Funding Agreement outlining the requirements of their grant. This Funding Agreement must be signed with any funding conditions met, prior to funding being provided.
• Council may withhold funding if stipulated grant conditions as per the Funding Agreement are not met.
• Applicants are required to complete all projects as per Council resolution set out in the Funding Agreement. Please note that Council funding may only be used as agreed with Council and may not be diverted to other budget line items, projects, or purposes. A request to divert funds must be submitted via a SmartyGrants variation request form.
• Applicants are required to provide to Council a final project report (grant acquittal). The report is due within twelve (12) weeks of the end of the project, as per application, or date of payment, whichever is the latest. The report must detail the outcomes and expenditure of funds granted and must include evidence of expenditure as detailed in the acquittal template.
• Applicants who do not complete and return a final project report (grant acquittal) by dates agreed will be ineligible for any future funding.
• Applicants are required to supply the following mandatory documentation in the application:
  • A copy of most recent auditing financial statements (or a statement of income and expenditure signed by your finance manager if your organisation is not subject to audit requirements). 
  • Your organisations most recent Annual Report- minimum of Form A12, if this is your annual reporting obligation to NSW Fair Trading.
  • A copy of your organisations Certificate of Incorporation or evidence of being legally constituted not-for-profit organisation, or authority to fundraise from NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing if you haven’t supplied an ABN or organisations constitution.
  • A copy of your organisations Public Liability insurance certificate or a written quotation for public liability insurance cover for $20 million.
  • Applicants are required to provide quotes for each budget item. Items valued at $1,000 or more for capital works and/or equipment are required to provide two (2) quotes.
  • Evidence of other funding secured or applied for (if relevant).
• Council staff and funding assessors are required to declare any potential pecuniary or non- pecuniary conflict in the application, to ensure an accountable and transparent assessment process is maintained

• Act - means the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW) 
• Council - means Central Coast Council
• CEO - means the Chief Executive Officer of Council
• Grant - means a payment made by Central Coast Council to assist in meeting the local government area’s strategic goals and objectives, encourages capacity building and provides a benefit to the local community.
• In-kind - means the provision of receipts of goods and services to support or enhance an initiative to the value of the goods or services at a reduced rate or free of charge. 
• Non-pecuniary interest - are private or personal interests the person has that do not amount to a pecuniary interest as defined in the Act. These commonly arise out of family, or personal relationships, or involvement in sporting, social or other cultural groups and associations and may include an interest of a financial nature.
• Pecuniary interest - means a person has a pecuniary interest in a matter if the pecuniary interest is the
  interest of:
  • the person, or
  • the person’s spouse or de facto partner or a relative of the person, or a partner or employer of the person, or
  • a company or other body of which the person, or a nominee, partner, or employer of the person, is a member.
• Organisation - means any group, incorporated or unincorporated operating for a defined purpose or function. 
• Subsidy - means support provided in-kind in the form of the provision of receipt of goods and services to the community or enhance an initiative to the value of the goods or service at a reduced rate or free of charge. 
• Applicant - an individual, organisation or business that submits a request for funding.

E-mail: grants@centralcoast.nsw.gov.au

P: 02 4325 8861