NSW Government Community Building Partnership 2023 round open now

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NSW Government Community Building Partnership 2023

The NSW Government is investing in infrastructure projects that improve social, environmental and recreation outcomes, providing the community with participation and inclusion opportunities. With $27.9 million on offer, and a maximum of $300,000 per electorate, the NSW Government looks to improve opportunities for all NSW residents, both in metropolitan and regional areas.

The Community Building Partnership (CBP) program differs to what has been previously offered – click here to view the changes.

What’s new in the CBP 2023 round:

  • Projects over $30,000 must have quotes to verify project spending, this is also preferred for all projects under $30,000 but not necessary. Quotes must be of relevant time and location.
  • You must provide a detailed and itemised project budget for the full requested amount
  • Variations or changes to the project will only be approved in limited circumstances. Please ensure that your project can be delivered in scope and on time.

To be eligible for this program, you must fit one of the following criteria:

  • 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 and 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.

The application must be submitted through SmartGrants, and under the organisations legal name and ABN (if applicable)

Examples of eligible organisations include:

  • Community group incorporated as a NSW Association – e.g. sporting body, multicultural group, community shed
  • Community group registered as a NSW Co-operative – e.g. country club, childcare co-op, golf club
  • Parents and Citizens Association (P&C Association) incorporated with the Federation of P&C Associations of NSW under the Parents & Citizens Association Act of 1976 No 50
  • Aboriginal organisation registered by the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) – e.g. preschool, health and welfare corporation
  • Public companies limited by guarantee

Organisations cannot apply on behalf of other organisations; these applications will be denied. Individuals and groups of individuals also are ineligible, as well as any for-profit organisations.

CBP will consider funding requests between $5,000 and $150,000 for projects in NSW. Please note that all relevant documentation for each application must be included, and any further documentation is recommended to expedite the application process. The following are some examples of projects that funding can be applied for:

  • Construction of new community infrastructure, or refurbishment, repair, and maintenance of existing infrastructure, this includes resurfacing sports courts, installation of shade structures, restoring buildings, accessibility equipment and public announcement systems
  • Purchase of vehicles or modification to existing vehicles
  • Projects that can be completed prior to 31 August 2025
  • Projects must only have one project location per application
  • If applications are to be made for both infrastructure and vehicles, these must be done separately with appropriate documentation.

Some of the following are examples of projects that can not be considered for the CBP:

  • Projects outside of NSW
  • Projects commencing prior to October 27, 2023
  • Projects that look to buy land, run workshops, cover operating costs.
  • Projects that already utilise other grant programs
  • Projects over $30,001 without appropriate documentation
  • Any application submitted after the deadline (27th October 2023).
  • Any application without a detailed and itemised budget

Whilst there is a lot to consider whether this program is suitable to your organisation, the information above should give a basic outline as to whether there are any upcoming projects for your organisation which could benefit from this scheme.

Applications are open now, and close on the October 27 2023 at 5pm AEST. Click here for more info.

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Football NSW releases $600,000 towards Grassroots Grants to meet Participation Pressure

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The Victorian State Government has announced new grants and funding for 11 new community infrastructure projects for local football clubs, totalling $3.8 million.
Image Credit: Shutterstock

Sixty-five football clubs across New South Wales have secured a combined total of nearly $600,000 in funding through the NSW Office of Sport’s Local Sports Grant Program. It follows as a result of Football NSW’s scale of demand for community sport support and the growing pressure on clubs struggling to keep pace with surging participation.

The grants, covering 69 individual projects across the Football NSW footprint, will fund facility upgrades, equipment purchases, participation programs and accessibility improvements: the unglamorous but essential infrastructure that determines whether community clubs can function at the level their members require.

The Local Sports Grant Program made up to $4.65 million available statewide in 2025, with $50,000 allocated to each electoral district and individual grants capped at $20,000. Football’s share of nearly $600,000 reflects the sport’s status as the largest participation code in NSW, and the degree to which that status has not always been matched by corresponding investment in the facilities and resources required to sustain it.

Volunteers carrying an unsustainable load

The announcement arrives against a backdrop of mounting pressure on the volunteer workforce that keeps community football operational. Across NSW, thousands of volunteers dedicate significant unpaid time each week to administration, ground preparation, canteen operation and the logistical demands of running competitive junior and senior programs. As participation numbers climb, driven in part by the sustained visibility of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup and the legacy of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, those demands have intensified without a corresponding increase in the resources available to meet them.

“As the largest participation sport in NSW it is pleasing to see almost $600,000 will be reinvested back into supporting our players, coaches, referees and volunteers to improve the football experience across our community clubs,” said Helen Armson, Football NSW’s Group Head of Strategic Partnerships and Corporate Affairs.

The equity dimension

The distribution of the grants across 65 clubs and 69 projects also speaks to the geographic breadth of football’s footprint in NSW, and to the uneven distribution of resources that has historically characterised community sport in this country. Clubs in outer metropolitan and regional areas tend to operate with smaller budgets, older facilities and thinner volunteer bases than their inner-city counterparts. Grant programs structured around electoral allocation, rather than club size or existing resource base, provide a degree of equity that market-driven funding cannot.

The kinds of projects funded under this program disproportionately benefit clubs serving communities where the barriers to participation are highest. A club that cannot offer adequate facilities or equipment is a club that turns players away, often without intending to.

Football NSW has used the announcement to call on the NSW Government to maintain and extend its investment in the sport. “We urge the government to continue to invest in football,” Armson said, in the midst for a nation-wide push for a $343 million decade-long infrastructure fund to address the facilities gap across the state.

The nearly $600,000 secured through this round is meaningful. Against the scale of what is needed, it is also a measure of how far the investment still has to go.

AFC Women’s Asian Cup: How do we sustain growth and success?

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Image credit: Football Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe)

This year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 was not just another tournament. It was a momentum shift for women’s football in Australia. Match quality, crowd numbers and national pride have never been higher – but how do we ensure this success continues after the final whistle?

Financial input and output

Ahead of the tournament, the Australian Government demonstrated their support and commitment through a $15 million investment.

With such significant financial backing behind the Matildas’ pursuit of victory on home soil, the tournament seemed poised to be hugely successful – and it didn’t disappoint.

Projections point towards an overall revenue of over $250 million, with over 24,000 international visitors and 1000 jobs created. It proves that when money is invested into the women’s game, the rewards on and off the pitch are undeniable.

Federal Minister for Sport, Anika Wells, was present at the official announcement of the Australian Government’s funding boost.

“The Tillies and the 2023 Women’s World Cup redefined Australian sport and now the Albanese Government is backing the Matildas again with a $15 million investment for the Women’s Asian Cup,” said Wells.

“Women’s sport is not nice to have or a phase, it is brilliant, nation-stopping, and here to stay.”

With huge revenue numbers and contributions to local economies, this year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup has demonstrated the financial power and potential of the Matildas, and ultimately of women’s football across Australia.

Attendance numbers skyrocket

Beyond finances, however, the standout factor throughout the tournament was the record-breaking crowd sizes.

60,279 fans packed into Stadium Australia in Sydney to witness an entertaining 3-3 draw between the Matildas and South Korea, a huge number which was later smashed by Saturday’s final attendance of 74,397.

However, support wasn’t exclusive to the Matildas. At Japan’s semi-final demolition of South Korea, a 17,367 crowd set a record for the highest attendance at a Women’s Asian Cup match between two visiting teams.

Although skeptics will highlight that many games failed to sell out, the crowds attracted during this year’s tournament highlight two decades of immense growth. In 2006, the final brought in little more than 5000 people.

In fact, with 250,000 attendees over three weeks, and ticket sales increasing five-fold from the previous record, the proof of a nationwide buzz is there for all to see.

But creating a buzz is not enough. We must act on it, and sustain it, if we want to see true, long-term development.

 

Avoiding past mistakes

Following the excitement of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, women’s football in Australia looked set to launch into a new era of development and expansion.

Although female participation increased in New South Wales by 31% between 2022 and 2025, attendance numbers at ALW matches fell by 26% between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. The ‘buzz’ – without genuine commitment or backing to sustain it – wore off far too quickly.

This year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup was a second chance for Australia’s football industry to correct its past mistakes, and ensure that state federations, governments and teams align in their commitment to growing the ALW and women’s football as a whole.

Furthermore, given the on-pitch prowess and off-pitch success over the past few weeks, the Asian Cup could play a major role going forward. It may yet be the catalyst, the long-awaited springboard that can propel women’s football to new heights in years to come, both on the international stage and within Australia.

 

How do we prolong the buzz?

So, while the success of the Asian Cup can encourage important discussions, the key is to inspire stakeholders and decision makers into taking real action.

On Saturday, Football Australia expressed their commitment to progressing the women’s game in NSW after the tournament ends. Joined by Football NSW and Northern NSW Football, they called upon the NSW government to address facility imbalances over the next decade.

“The growth of women’s football in New South Wales is not a short-term trend – it represents a fundamental shift in participation and expectation across our communities. To sustain this momentum, we must invest in infrastructure that is inclusive, accessible and fit for purpose, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to play, develop and thrive in the game,” said Football NSW CEO, John Tsatsimas.

“We call on the government to invest in the largest participation sport in NSW to bridge the growing facilities gap in NSW which will deliver economic and social long-term benefits through connected communities.”

To this end, a proposed NSW AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 Legacy Fund – worth $343 million over a ten-year period – would address several issues at grassroots level. These include:

  • Delivering upgraded community facilities to accommodate growing participation numbers among women and girls
  • Improving accessibility, safety and playing capacity across metro, regional and remote communities
  • Supporting multi-use and multi-sport facilities
  • Strengthening pathways for women and girls across all age groups
  • Continuing the legacy of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026

Should this fund be implemented in NSW over the next ten years, fans and players within the women’s game will be at the heart of a major, long-overdue realignment.

Final thoughts

Despite the bitter disappointment of losing in the final on home soil, there is nevertheless an important reminder to take away: we can’t control results on the field, but we can control intent, attitude and commitment off it.

The AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 was a huge success for women’s football in Australia. Matches were of extremely high quality, crowd numbers smashed tournament records, and the nation was united in their support for one of Australia’s most popular sporting outfits.

There may not be silverware to show for it, but the past few weeks have provided something far greater: recognition, respect and a platform to continue growing long after the final whistle. The demand is undeniable, participation and interest is soaring, and the voice of the women’s game can no longer be ignored.

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