NSW Football Legacy Fund

About the Fund 

The NSW Football Legacy Fund (‘the Fund’) is an initiative of the NSW Government, Football NSW (FNSW) and Northern NSW Football (NNSWF) as a result of NSW hosting FIFA Women’s World Cup matches in Sydney in July 2023. The Fund is administered by the Office of Sport in the lead up to and post the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. 

The Fund aims to improve football facilities and support infrastructure, increase participation opportunities, and improve female player pathways. These improvements will create a tournament legacy ensuring all of NSW is positively impacted from hosting the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The Fund will support football at all levels through the construction or upgrade of community facilities, participation initiatives, leadership and development programs as well as tourism and international engagement.

The NSW Football Legacy Fund has two separate funding streams, Infrastructure and Participation, and each stream has its own guidelines that define the eligibility, assessment criteria and key dates.

• Infrastructure - A total of $2,671,000 (Ex GST) is available in Round 2 for infrastructure projects. The Fund can be used for upgrading existing or constructing new football facilities that demonstrate inclusive and accessible design, maximise community participation and demonstrate provision of accessible program content.
• Participation - A total of $560,000 (Ex GST) is available in Round 2 for participation projects. The Fund can be used to support increased football participation and leadership programs. Priority will be given to projects that demonstrate how the project will contribute to greater gender equity in football or the applicant organisation.

The NSW Football Legacy Fund will be delivered by the Office of Sport in collaboration with Football Australia, Football NSW and Northern NSW Football.

Important dates

• Applications open
  • Infrastructure stream –  Closed  - Thursday 8 June 2023 
  • Participation stream – Closed  -  Thursday 8 June 2023 
• Applications close
  • Infrastructure stream – Closed - Friday 11 August 2023 at 1pm
  • Participation stream – Closed  - Friday 7 July 2023 at 1pm 
• Outcomes advised – From October 2023
• Projects commence - From November 2023
• Projects must be completed within:
  • Infrastructure stream - two years from notification
  • Participation stream - one year from notification

Key Objectives

Infrastructure stream

The key objectives of the Infrastructure stream of the Fund are to:

• Improve the quality and/or number of Football facilities in NSW
• Increase the utilisation of football facilities
• Support the equitable provision of, and access to, football facilities to grow participation for women and girls
• Improve the football experience for players, referees, coaches, administrators, and spectators

These objectives align with Football Australia’s (FA) Legacy ’23 strategy, contributing to FA’s aim of 50% female participation by 2027.

Participation stream

Funding availability

Infrastructure stream

A total of $2,671,000 (Ex GST) is available in Round 2 for infrastructure projects. If possible, funding availability will be split for projects delivered in regions managed by Football NSW (75%) and Northern NSW Football (25%). The final distribution of funds will depend on a number of factors including the subscription level and quality of applications.

The grant amount requested by an applicant must be a minimum of $25,000 and cannot exceed $150,000. All applications are required to provide a minimum 50% co-contribution of the total project (capital works) cost (e.g. if an applicant’s grant amount requested is $25,000, they should demonstrate at least a $25,000 co-contribution). Therefore, the minimum total project cost for the infrastructure stream is $50,000.

Co-contribution must be financial, and you cannot use another NSW Government grant as part of your contribution to this project. For example:

1.   A lighting upgrade has a total project cost of $200,000. You may request grant funding of up to $100,000 and must demonstrate the remaining $100,000 has been secured from another organisation or source that is not a NSW Government agency.
2.   A new amenities block has a total cost of $500,000. You may request $150,000 (the maximum allowed), you would need to demonstrate the remaining $350,000 has been secured.  

Applicants may submit up to three (3) applications in total for round 2 of the Fund. The applicant can advise of their project priority ranking in the application form. All projects will be assessed individually in line with the Guidelines.

Participation stream

A total of $560,000 (Ex GST) is available in Round 2 for participation projects. If possible, funding availability will be split for projects delivered in regions managed by Football NSW (75%) and Northern NSW Football (25%). The final distribution of funds will depend on a number of factors including the subscription level and quality of applications.

The grant amount requested by an applicant must be a minimum of $2,500 and cannot exceed $15,000. There is no limit to the number of applications you can submit and applicants should submit separate applications where you have different programs rather than combining them into one application.  The maximum combined funding allocation that a single organisation can be awarded in this round is $30,000.

All applications are required to provide a minimum 25% co-contribution of the total project cost.

Co-contribution can be financial or in kind (such as field hire costs, volunteer coaching hours etc), however you cannot use another NSW Government grant as part of your contribution to this project.

For example: Your female development program total cost is $10,000. You can apply for $7,500 in grant funding and you must contribute the remaining $2,500 to the project.

Eligible applicants

Infrastructure stream

Eligible applicants are:

• Incorporated, not for profit clubs, associations, zones or other deliverers in NSW that are affiliated, recognised and/or sanctioned by Football NSW and/or Northern NSW Football  
• Incorporated, not for profit organisations that provide football programs or services. (These organisations require a letter of support from Football NSW or Northern NSW Football) or
• Local Government Authorities or a Committee acting in accordance with an instrument of delegation from a Local Government Authority – these committees require evidence of this delegation/endorsement of Council to apply on their behalf.

Participation stream

Eligible applicants are:

• Incorporated, not for profit clubs, associations, zones or other deliverers that are affiliated, recognised and/or sanctioned by Football NSW and/or Northern NSW Football.
• Incorporated, not for profit organisations that provide football programs or services. (These organisations require a letter of support from Football NSW or Northern NSW Football).

Ineligible applicants

Infrastructure stream

Participation stream

Eligible projects

Infrastructure stream

The Fund can be used for upgrading existing or constructing new football facilities that demonstrate inclusive and accessible design, maximise community participation and demonstrate provision of accessible program content.

Examples of eligible project types and project components include:

• New or upgraded synthetic or turf pitches, including improvements to pitch drainage, full resurfacing and irrigation.
• Amenity buildings such as kiosks, club rooms, gender neutral change rooms, grandstands, seating, lighting, shade/shelter, or storage spaces that are universally designed.

Staged components of a larger facility development are eligible, providing the stage being applied for meets the fund eligibility criteria.

Acknowledging that many venues in NSW are used for multiple sports, facility development projects supported through the Fund must demonstrate the primary benefit is to football participants and stakeholders.

Projects must be on be on land within NSW. Applicants should submit a landowner consent form for the project on the land on which the facility is to be developed. For projects located on public land, a landowner consent form or signed letter of consent from the appropriate authorised delegate must be provided.

Participation stream

Ineligible projects

Infrastructure stream

The NSW Football Legacy Fund - Infrastructure will not fund the following projects or project components:

• Facilities that are not used for football activities.
• On private land unless there is clear public benefit to the community’s interest in football and have documented consent from the landowner.
• Purchase or lease of land/facility.
• Costs associated with feasibility, design, or development stages including feasibility studies, business cases and masterplans.
• Costs associated with preparing and submitting the application for funding under this program.
• Items that do not meet relevant Australian standards.
• General maintenance or repair of normal wear and tear of facilities, e.g. painting, running costs and minor repairs to existing facilities including minor/partial resurfacing or repairing sections of an existing synthetic pitch.
• Repair of facilities where the damage can be covered by insurance.
• General administration or operating expenses such as rent or wages for administrative and/or executive staff.
• Related to buying or upgrading non-fixed equipment (e.g. lawn mowers, portable scoreboards, goalposts or grandstands, footballs, cones, computers, office goods, clothing and footwear).
• Retrospective funding, where projects have commenced construction or are completed prior to submission of your application.
• Projects that have already been funded by the NSW Government.
• For the building or upgrade of licensed areas and gaming areas.
• Project administration costs, such as project management, administration staffing.
• Ancillary infrastructure e.g. car park, access road.
• Any project costs incurred prior to the submission of your application (i.e. investigation, design and approval costs).  

Note: Costs incurred after your application has been submitted but before the grant has been determined and a funding agreement executed are at your own risk.  There is no guarantee your request for funding will be approved.

Participation stream

Supporting documents

• Program Guidelines - Infrastructure stream
• Program Guidelines - Participation stream
• Funding Agreement Template - Infrastructure stream
• Funding Agreement Template - Participation stream 
• Landowner Consent Form
• Statement of Support Form

 

Information Session - Infrastructure Stream

Information Session - Participation Stream

Contact Us 

Contact us

Past Recipients

NSW Football Legacy Fund 2023-24 (Round 2) grant recipients
NSW Football Legacy Fund 2022-23 grant recipients