Level the Playing Field Program

The primary objectives of the Program are to:

• Ensure women and girls have equitable access to sport and recreation facilities.
• Foster positive sport and recreation participation experiences for women and girls.
• Increase utilisation of sport and recreation facilities by women and girls.

In addition, the Program also seeks to:

• Increase utilisation of sport and recreation facilities for people with disability, First Nations peoples, LGBTQIA+ people and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
• Incorporate environmental sustainability and climate resiliency into design, construction, and operation.

Eligible applicants are:

• Local government authorities in New South Wales
• Regional Joint Organisations of councils, the Lord Howe Island Board and the Unincorporated Far West groups
• NSW Office of Sport recognised NSW State Sporting Organisations (including National Sporting Organisations where the state body is part of a unitary governance model).
• Incorporated, community-based, not-for-profit sporting organisations (clubs and associations whose primary purpose is to organise sporting activities/deliver sport programs).
• Organisations providing sport and recreation programs that benefit the community, such as PCYCs, YMCA and YWCA.
• Private enterprises (companies established under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), incorporated associations established under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 (NSW) or incorporated limited partnerships established under the Partnership Act 1892 (NSW)).

Ineligible applicants include (but are not limited to):

• Individuals
• Schools, TAFEs, and Universities
• Parents and Citizens (P&C’s) Associations
• Progress Associations
• NSW Government agencies
• NSW Institute of Sport, Australian Sports Commission (incorporating the Australian Institute of Sport)
• NSW Regional Academies of Sport
• Australian Universities with NSW campuses
• Other community based or religious groups that do not have a primary purpose of sport and/or recreation.

See the guidelines for full details of organisations eligible for LPFP support.

Applications should be limited to:

• Construction of new or upgrade of existing fields, courts or playing areas that deliver and can demonstrate increased training and competition and actual utilisation for women and girls.
• Construction of new or upgraded universal designed change rooms and/or shower, toilets and parent and child change areas or creche facilities.
• Construction of new or upgraded lighting to fields, courts or playing areas that deliver and can demonstrate increased training and competition opportunities and actual utilisation and/or improve safety for women and girls.

The Program will not fund the following projects or project components:

• Costs associated with preparing and submitting the application or feasibility, design, or development stages including feasibility studies, business cases and masterplans
• Projects that do not meet relevant Australian Standards
• Projects on private land unless there is clear and substantial benefit to the community’s interest in sport and active recreation and have documented consent from the landowner
• Facilities where little or no public access is available
• Projects related to buying or upgrading non-fixed equipment (e.g., computers, office goods, sports equipment)
• For the purchase or lease of land/facility
• Related to administrative or operational expenditure which are normally the responsibility of businesses, state agencies or local councils
• Administration costs with the exception of direct external / independent project management costs, limited to 10% of the grant amount requested
• Retrospective funding, where projects have commenced construction or are completed prior to the execution of a funding agreement, or which could proceed without any NSW Government financial assistance
• Projects that have already been funded by the NSW Government unless significant new project scope is identified
• Arts, music, craft, and recreation facilities that provide experiences that do not meet the definition of sport and active recreation
• General maintenance or replacement costs through normal wear and tear (e.g., painting, running costs and minor repairs to existing facilities)
• Repair of facilities where the damage can be covered by insurance
• Upgrading or redeveloping public toilet facilities, except as part of a larger project that meets the objectives of the Program
• For the maintenance or construction of car parks.

See the guidelines for full details of projects eligible for LPFP support.

All applications will be assessed against the following criteria:

1. Strategic justification (40%)

• Commitment to a Statement of Intent that gender equality will be considered and prioritised in all current and future planning, policy, service delivery and practice as they relate to community sports infrastructure
• An approved Equitable Access and Usage Policy and associated Action Plan
• Current participation plan which identifies programs and initiatives for increasing participation of women and girls
• An overview of past initiatives you have successfully delivered to increase participation of women and girls in sport and recreation
• Current participation levels for the whole organisation (including for men and boys and women and girls)
• Describe how the project creates or enhances a safe, accessible facility that fosters welcoming community spaces and environments for women and girls
• Explain how the project will lead to increased participation in sport or active recreation, and increased facility utilisation for women and girls and other user groups
• Describe how the project aligns with your organisation’s gender equity and/or participation plans and will support existing and proposed initiatives and policies to sustain equity for participation of women and girls
• Explain how the project will support existing gender equity plans of local government, if relevant
• Provide details of community profile, demonstrated need, key user groups, primary project beneficiaries and the project urgency specifically for women and girls
• Describe community and stakeholder consultation, management, and project support (provide relevant attachments and support letters)

2. Project scope and inclusive design (15%)

• Describe a clear scope of works proposed for the project and components that are to be delivered
• Provide supporting documentation such as facility design brief, concept, schematic or detailed design plans
• Describe how elements of the facility design and physical environment will specifically cater to women and girls who use the facility
• Describe how the facility design and physical environment will specifically cater to, people with disability, First Nations peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities and LGBTQIA+ people
• Identify Design Principles outlined in the program guidelines that have been incorporated into the project
• Describe the choice of materials, technologies and practices that have been incorporated e.g., energy and water conservation, sustainable and climate resilient materials
• Outline any other best practice approaches in the design, development and delivery of the project that address the Program’s objectives
• Explain any placed-based planning

3. Value for money and project affordability (20%)

• Provide a detailed budget including project capital costs and funding sources.
• Provide evidence to support budgeted costs e.g., itemised cost estimates, quotes and/or assumptions for revenue projections.
• Provide evidence of committed financial co-contribution(s), where provided.
• Provide evidence of the applicant’s capacity to fund and manage ongoing operations

4. Project deliverability and applicant capability (15%)

• Provide evidence of landowner(s) consent for the project. Projects must be on land within NSW
• Provide evidence of tenure and lease arrangements
• Provide evidence of Development Application approval (if required) or demonstrate that a Development Application is not required. Projects with approved Development Applications will be prioritised
• Provide a detailed project plan that illustrates key project tasks and milestones and forecast delivery timeline
• List any assumptions, constraints, and dependencies in delivering the project
• Demonstrate capacity to deliver the project through the provision of documentation
• Demonstrate proven experience in delivering similar size projects and outline proposed project management resources and any specialist external resources to be engaged to deliver the project
• Applicant meets key obligations for other Office of Sport funded projects where there is/has been a funding agreement with the applicant

5. Population Growth (10%)

• Applicants will be given a score between 0 and 10 calculated as the average of the:
  1. projected population (in 2033)
  2. population growth rate overall
  3. population growth rate among 15-24 year olds

for the location of the facility using Australian Bureau of Statistics census data at suburb level (NSW Statistical Area 3 (SA3))

See the guidelines for full details of the assessment criteria.

You should read and understand the guidelines.

You need to ensure you are eligible for the funding. Applicants that do not meet all the eligibility criteria outlined above will not be considered.

The Program will prioritise facilities that:

• demonstrate inclusive and accessible design
• maximise women and girls’ sports participation
• demonstrate provision of equitable program content and scheduling for women and girls.

Failure to provide any of this supporting documentation will negatively impact the merit assessment score your application receives. All Applications should provide:

• Approval from landowner for project to proceed (where the applicant is the landowner, evidence to demonstrate this). This must be on the Office of Sport template – see “Available supporting documents” from the source website.
• Evidence confirming all financial co-contribution sources (where applicable).
• Supporting evidence for any financial hardship application (where applicable).
• Development approval, application, or exemption.
• Current participation levels (overall, for men and boys and women and girls) for your whole organisation.
• Current participation plan which identifies programs and initiatives for increasing participation of women and girls as well as past initiatives you have successfully delivered.
• Provide an approved Equitable Access and Usage Policy and associated Action Plan; alternatively provide a draft equitable access and usage policy, with a commitment to have the policy approved by 30 June 2024 and implemented within the following 12 months.
• Quotes that clearly detail items/scope of works. Any quotes provided must be on company letterhead from the organisation that supplies the goods or services.
• For larger construction projects a cost estimate prepared by a Quantity Surveyor is preferred.
• Evidence of Public Liability Insurance

See the guidelines for full details of information requirements.

Applications are submitted online using the SmartyGrants platform.

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