External Grant Opportunities

To be eligible to apply for the Regional Event Fund Event Development stream, applicants must:

• be the event owner (i.e. own the rights to the event and hold the relevant approvals for the event)
• be financially solvent
• have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
• be a sole trader, company, incorporated association, or trust entity
• have at least $20 million public liability insurance or be able to secure before entering into a Funding Agreement

To be eligible for the Event Development stream, your event must:

• take place between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025
• have previously received and completed Triennial funding through the Flagship Event stream
• be held in one of the following seven Destination Network regions listed below:
  • Destination Central West
  • Destination Country & Outback NSW
  • Destination North Coast incl. Lord Howe Island
  • Destination Riverina Murray
  • Destination Southern NSW
  • Destination Sydney Surrounds North
  • Destination Sydney Surrounds South

Please note: the Local Government Areas of Penrith, Hawkesbury, Blue Mountains and Wollondilly are no longer included in the above Destination Networks. View the Destination Networks boundary map.

The Event Development stream provides funding to support initiatives that will have a direct impact on increasing overnight visitation to the event. A clear strategic rationale will be required for all initiatives. Activities that may be eligible for funding include:

• Promotional activities with a measurable overnight visitation outcome (e.g. promotions with a unique call to action)
• Cooperative marketing activities with the tourism industry (e.g. the development and promotion of packages to the event that include accommodation or access to other tourist attractions)
• Costs associated with implementing robust visitor research methodologies
• Infrastructure costs associated with encouraging extended stays (e.g. additional hire costs to extend the event an extra day)
• Costs associated with the delivery of an improved visitor experience (e.g. grandstands, information services, facilities)
• Costs associated with developing broader accommodation options or the delivery of temporary accommodation (e.g. shuttle buses to neighbouring towns, implementation of home hosting programs, creation of temporary camping grounds)
• Consultancy fees for marketing, PR, digital or event management specialists provided there are clear and measurable outcomes that demonstrate an improvement on existing activities.

Event Development funding is not intended to replace previous or other event funding. Grants funds must be expended on the initiatives described in the application. 

The following applicants are ineligible:

• Australian, State or Territory Government agencies or entities, including New South Wales
• Destination Networks
• Political parties

The following event types are not eligible for funding from the Event Development stream:

• events held in Local Government areas not included in a Destination Network region listed in the Eligible Events criteria
• regular (weekly/monthly) community events such as markets and bazaars, local sports meets (home/away games, regional tournaments), club gatherings (RSL, Rotary, Chambers of Commerce), classes, workshops etc.
• one-off events that are not planned to continue after a single year (e.g. anniversary celebrations, concerts, exhibitions, theatre seasons, sporting championships etc.)
• religious events i.e. events that have a religious ceremony as the principal focus such as Easter or Christmas celebrations. Events held over weekends such as Easter may be considered if the religious element is not the focus (e.g. a food or music festival)
• community public holiday celebrations such as Anzac Day, Australia Day, King’s Birthday if the holiday is the primary focus. Events held over public holidays will be considered if the holiday is not the focus (e.g. a food or music festival)
• event series such as sporting events, music festivals or exhibitions held in multiple locations across NSW and/or Australia
• touring events such as concert tours, circuses and fun fairs
• promotional events (i.e. where marketing a specific product and/or cause is the principal objective)
• events held in Greater Sydney including Penrith, Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and Wollondilly
• events whose overnight visitation impact is not immediate i.e.: that promote visitation to a destination at a later date
• business events (e.g. trade shows and exhibitions, conferences, industry meetings). 
• consumer events that include a business event as an extension event will not be excluded from the Regional Event Fund provided the consumer event is the primary applicant
• events owned and/or operated by an agency or entity of the Federal Government, or a State or Territory Government including New South Wales

Event Development stream funds must not be used for:

• existing marketing and promotional activities
• existing infrastructure and operational costs
• existing staff costs or expenses, including travel costs
• event launches
• live broadcast or webcast production costs
• prize money, gifts or contributions to charitable groups. (Where some event proceeds go to charity, evidence will be required to show adequate funds are retained for the ongoing operation of the event), or
• performer / artist fees and travel expenses
• costs incurred in the preparation of a grant application or related documentation.

• A single event may not receive grant funding from more than one stream of the Regional Event Fund program (Incubator, Flagship or Event Development) in the same year
• An event awarded a grant through previous Regional Event Fund rounds that has been deferred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or extreme weather are not eligible to apply for additional funding for the same event from the Regional Event Fund in 2024/25.