Start Strong Capital Works guidance released, along with crisis funds

The New South Wales Department of Education has released further information about the Start Strong Capital Works Program, which improves access to preschool education by creating additional preschool places in areas of need and demand across the state. 

 

Eligible not-for-profit organisations can apply for grant funding to build, renovate or extend their facilities to deliver preschool education to preschool-aged children in a centre-based setting, respond to a crisis situation, or to purchase a vehicle for a mobile preschool.

 

The Start Strong Capital Works Grants Program is one of many funded programs that the department is implementing to ensure that all children in NSW can participate in 600 hours of quality preschool education in the year before school, no matter where they live or what their circumstances are.

 

Program overview

 

The Start Strong Capital Works Grants Program has been revised to improve the suitability and accessibility of the program for the community preschool sector. This includes four distinct grant categories with continuous, extended or multiple rounds, making it easier for community preschool providers to access the right funding option when it is needed.

 

Eligible not-for-profit organisations can apply for funding through the following Funds:

 

• Major Capital Fund: supports the creation of additional preschool places through new builds, extensions or renovations of centre-based preschools that offer preschool education to preschool-aged children in areas of need and demand.
• Crisis Fund: aims to respond to a crisis with capital works to ensure service continuity for providers impacted by exceptional and unforeseen circumstances, supports access to preschool education in remote and very remote areas of NSW and increases the number of Aboriginal preschool services across the state.
• Minor Capital Fund: provides grants of up to $100,000 (ex GST) to support smaller-scale renovations or refurbishments to increase preschools places, as well as the recalculation of unencumbered space that will lead to an increase in places without capital works.
• Mobile Fund: supports mobile preschool services to replace existing vehicles and/or to purchase additional vehicles to cater for increased demand.

 

How to apply 

 

The Start Strong Capital Works Grants Program is open to eligible not-for-profit organisations, including community preschools, not-for-profit long day care providers, existing mobile preschool service providers, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, including Multifunctional Aboriginal Community Services (MACS) and local councils.

 

The Crisis Fund is open for applications until 30 June 2023. 

 

The Major Capital Fund has 3 rounds: 

 

Round 1: open from 4 October 2022 (for community preschools only)

Round 2: open from 6 February 2023 (expanded eligibility for community preschools and long day care services offering a preschool program)

Round 3: open from 3 April 2023 (expanded eligibility for community preschools and long day care services offering a preschool program)

 

The Minor Capital Fund has 2 rounds; 

 

Round 1: open from late October 2022 (for community preschools only)

Round 2: open from April 2023 (expanded eligibility for community preschools and long day care services offering a preschool program)

The Mobile Fund will be open, for mobile preschools only, from February 2023. 

 

A range of resources are available to support applicants in preparing a grant application, including:

 

• Frequently asked questions
• Fund guidelines
• Fund application guidelines
• Glossary
• Webinars – information about these are on the Support for Preparing an Application page.

 

Additional support is available for targeted groups to scope their capital works project and prepare a grant application. These applicants may be eligible for one-on-one assistance from building-industry specialists and financial assistance for eligible expenses required for the purposes of gathering key documentation for their submission. Further information and the eligibility criteria for this support package is available in the Application Support Guidelines.

 

For more information about the Start Strong Capital Works Grants Program, please contact:

 

Early Childhood Education Directorate

1800 619 113 (toll free)

[email protected]