Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program FAQs

The Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program is aimed at improving availability and access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in community sporting and recreational facilities, for use in emergencies involving cardiac arrest.

An AED is a device that is used in conjunction with Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and delivers a controlled shock to an individual experiencing cardiac arrest, increasing their chances of survival.

The NSW Government is providing up to $500,000 in grants to eligible sporting clubs and facility owners through the Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program in 2023/24, with grants up to $3,000 available.

To ensure sporting organisations in the most disadvantaged areas of the State have access to these grants, eligibility criteria for this year’s program have changed. This will improve the availability of AEDs for organisations that need them most.

Applications open on 1 December 2023, and will close when funding allocation is exhausted, or by 1pm on 23 February 2024, whichever is earlier.

Applications will be assessed in the order they are received. Applications will be assessed until the funding allocation has been exhausted or the closing date and time occurs. Due to the high demand on this program, it is expected that the funding will be exhausted prior to the closing date. The Office of Sport reserves the right to amend any of these dates at its absolute discretion.

The Office of Sport will conduct regular assessments and make recommendations for funding during the application period until the funding allocation is exhausted or the closing date and time occurs.

Applications not submitted by 1pm on the closing date will not be considered. Applications submitted prior to the closing date, but after the funding allocation has been exhausted, will not be considered.

Applicants are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible.

The NSW Government has allocated up to $500,000 in 2023/24 for this Program.

• The grant amount will fund the cost of an approved Automated External Defibrillator (AED) package up to $3,000.
• There is no mandatory financial contribution. However, where the cost of the selected package exceeds $3,000 the organisation must fund the additional cost.
• Applicants can request a grant for one AED package and are limited to one application per financial year.

Applicants who have received funding under previous rounds of the Local Sport Defibrillator Program are eligible to apply but will only be funded if the program allocation has not been fully expended by the closing date.

The grant will cover the cost of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) package up to a maximum of $3,000. Any additional expenditure is the responsibility of the applicant.

No. Medical aids including defibrillators are GST free. The package prices quoted are GST exclusive and this is the amount that will be awarded as a grant if you are successful.

The final number will depend on the quantum of funds requested. The maximum grant is $3,000, but not all applicants will be seeking that amount. The total budget for the 2023/24 Local Sport Defibrillator Program is $500,000.

No. An assessment will be conducted as to the eligibility of the applicant in each case. Applications will be assessed in the order in which they are received.

There may be multiple applicants competing for the funding available.

Eligible applicants that share facilities with other user groups are encouraged to collaborate on planning for medical emergencies including sharing resources and locating defibrillators to maximise community access. One organisation needs to be the applicant organisation but list the other organisations who will have access to the device at the named facility. The details of the responsibilities under the arrangement should be negotiated between the organisations concerned.

Applicants will need to select an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) provider and an AED package from the approved list.

Applicants should determine which of the approved AED Providers and AED Packages will best meet their needs. All sections of the application need to be completed. If you fail to complete a mandatory field, you will be prompted to do so. Incomplete applications will be deemed ineligible.

Applying for the grant is a simple process using the SmartyGrants platform.

The application can be found here.   

Before you apply, please read the guidelines and related materials to make sure you understand all the relevant requirements.

The Office of Sport will conduct regular assessments and make recommendations for funding during the Program timeline, until 23 February 2024 or when the funding allocation is exhausted. The Office of Sport will strive to notify you within two months of your submission.

Your application will be unsuccessful if you are ineligible to apply or if the funds from the current round have been exhausted at the time your application is assessed. If your application does not meet the eligibility criteria you will be notified that your application was ineligible.

Successful applicants will need to enter into a contract with their chosen service provider to purchase the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) package. A copy of the contract must be provided to the Office of Sport at acquittal.

Grants must be claimed within 2 weeks of being notified your grant application was successful and completed and acquitted by 31 October 2024.

No. The purpose of the Expression of Interest form was to receive direct notification when the 2023/24 round opened. Applicants who submitted an Expression of Interest have been informed of the launch for the 2023/24 Round, including advice regarding the new eligibility criteria. Should they seek to apply for a grant, they will be subject to the same criteria as all other applicants.

To be considered eligible under the program, applicants must identify the location the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) will be kept. This location must be in one of the postcode areas listed in Appendix C of the Guidelines, as ranked by the Australian Bureau of Statistics according to their Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA).

Eligible applicants are:

• Incorporated, not-for-profit clubs, associations or organisations in NSW that are sport or recreation related.
• State or national sport or recreation organisations on behalf of member clubs located in NSW.
• Licensed sporting or recreation clubs, providing that the AED package directly benefits sport and recreation members or participants.
• Sport clubs associated with a school, church or university, providing they are an incorporated not for profit club in their own right.
• Councils and sport and recreation facility owners, provided they apply on behalf of sport or recreation clubs.
• Service clubs such as Rotary, Country Women’s Association and Lions, applying on behalf of sport or recreation clubs.

Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) is a recognised and accepted source of social information that ranks areas according to their relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage using Census data.

The Minister for Sport has determined that the 2023/24 Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program will be targeted to organisations located in disadvantaged communities.

Applicants who have received funding under previous rounds of the Local Sport Defibrillator Program are eligible to apply but will only be funded if the program allocation has not been fully expended by the closing date.

For the purposes of these guidelines, ‘recreation’ is defined as ‘any pursuit or activity engaged in for enjoyment, relaxation or leisure.

No. In order to receive grant payments, successful applicants will require an ABN or provide a Statement of Supplier form. If your application is successful, further information will be provided to you.

Your club/association treasurer should have a certificate of incorporation, or you can search for your incorporated status with:

• NSW Incorporated Associations Register
• ASIC Register
• Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations 
• Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission

The Office of Sport procurement process ensures that AEDs being purchased with grant funding meet certain minimum standards.

Applicants must purchase an approved AED package from an approved Service Providers.

A list of all approved packages and their pricing is here.

Applicants must rely on their own enquiries as to the suitability of the approved AED Service Provider or package for their needs. Each approved Service Provider has developed their own package. Applicants must make their own enquiries as to any additional inclusions beyond the minimum package requirements.

At a minimum, the provision of an AED package will include:

• An AED
• AED familiarisation instruction
• A minimum of six years of essential defibrillator maintenance. Note that battery warranties may have a shorter duration.

No. The maximum grant allocation is $3,000 per Automated External Defibrillator (AED) package. Any additional expenditure is the responsibility of the applicant.

Yes, but they must be from Approved Service Providers listed in the Guidelines.

Applicants should make their own enquiries, talk to service providers, and determine the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) products and services that best meet their needs.

The approved AED Service Providers, AED products and services displayed on the Office of Sport website have successfully met the minimum requirements through the NSW Government pre-qualification process and are required to maintain these requirements under the panel contract with the Office of Sport.

No. The grant may only be used to purchase the approved AED products and services from the list of approved AED Service Providers available in the Program Guidelines.

No. The grant may only be used to purchase the approved AED products and services from the list of approved AED Service Providers available in the Program Guidelines.

Within six months of accepting the funding terms and conditions, successful applicants must purchase and install an AED. They must participate in AED familiarisation instruction within 28 days of delivery.

The successful applicant is the owner of the device and is required to be responsible for and maintain the AED for a minimum of six years.

No. Successful applicants may be asked to participate in a NSW Government sector data sharing scheme aimed at establishing a register of the location, accessibility, and condition of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), accessible through the Service NSW app. This is to assist communities, planners, and researchers in identifying AED resources State-wide.

Any use of data would be consistent with legislative provisions for data sharing and privacy.

The service providers identified in the Program Guidelines were pre-qualified in 2022 from an official procurement process. All applicants were approved. There is no plan to re-open the pre-qualification process.

The online system will not accept applications submitted after the program has closed. Final applications will close at 1pm on 23 February 2024 unless funding allocation is exhausted beforehand.

If you are having problems submitting your application, you should contact 13 13 02 or email grantsunit@sport.nsw.gov.au well in advance of the closing date and in time to seek assistance.

Office of Sport staff are available to provide advice to applicants on the applications process including understanding the guidelines.

Staff are not able to provide advice on the choice of Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

Late applications can only be made where an applicant has started an application in SmartyGrants prior to the closing date/time. If for any reason you are not able to lodge your application on time, you must contact the Office of Sport at the earliest possible time after the closing date/time.

The final determination on whether a late application will be accepted will be made by the Office of Sport supported by a probity advisor.

Note that the program may close prior to the closing date if the program funding allocation is exhausted. No further applications will be received in the 2023/24 program if the funding allocation is exhausted prior to the closing date. Where the funding allocation has been exhausted, the Office of Sport will update the website with this information.

We encourage applicants to research the features and availability of all AED packages on offer.

Should the service provider selected in your application now longer have stock, another supplier can be chosen from the approved list, or an alternative package chosen. However, the approved grant amount will not be increased if the alternative package price is a higher value. If you wish to change the supplier or package you nominated in the application form, you will need to complete a variation request in SmartyGrants.

The suppliers are obligated to charge you the price quoted and enter into a customer contract with you as a condition of this grant and the procurement process they were approved under. Please contact the Office of Sport by email at defibs@sport.nsw.gov.au should you require assistance with a supplier concern.