growing local economies
GROWING LOCAL ECONOMIES Fund guidelines
WE’RE HERE TO HELP Have questions about this fund? Get in touch with the Office of Regional Development. Email: [email protected] Phone: 1300 679 673
MESSAGE FROM THE DEPUTY PREMIER At the centre of this year’s Budget was the $1.3 billion Regional Growth Fund to turbo charge economies in regional NSW. The fund will deliver targeted investment in projects that will boost business activity, communications technology, sports infrastructure, cultural facilities and local amenities to ultimately deliver jobs to regional areas. The Regional Growth Fund is made up of six separate funds, each dedicated to a specific area of need. The Growing Local Economies fund is the biggest of the six funds, with $500 million to invest in the infrastructure that will enable businesses in regional NSW to expand and thrive. This fund builds on the NSW Government’s 2016 Regional Development Framework by identifying the areas of economic advantage, or the potential strong suits of each of the towns that make up regional NSW. We are taking a new approach to identifying where funding needs to go. It isn’t based on lines on a map but rather on the economic ties between towns that help form Local Economies. These Local Economies often consist of a number of smaller towns surrounding a larger town and may cross local government boundaries.
In short, this approach is about identifying the strengths or potential strengths of each town, and playing to those strengths. Rather than having different regions competing for funding on an uneven playing field, the NSW Government will work with each Local Economy on its own development plan in order to find and develop the investment-ready projects that build on the region’s strengths and help drive economic growth and job creation. In order to deliver real changes for families, businesses, farmers, and young people, our investment decisions need to be locally focused. This is an incredible opportunity for regional industries and communities. I look forward to receiving innovative proposals from across regional NSW.
The Hon John Barilaro Deputy Premier Minister for Regional NSW Minister for Skills Minister for Small Business
The NSW Government views these Local Economies as unique places that present different opportunities for investment. It’s a new way of approaching regional funding, and it’s the right one.
1
www.nsw.gov.au/growinglocaleconomies
1
GUIDELINES 2
In these guidelines, you will find the fund objectives, eligibility criteria and application process. Please refer to the fact sheet for the assessment criteria and check the frequently asked questions. Contact the Office of Regional Development if you have questions or require guidance.
Growing Local Economies Established under the NSW Government’s Restart NSW fund to improve economic growth and productivity in NSW, and part of the $1.3 billion Regional Growth Fund, Growing Local Economies is designed to unlock growth in regional NSW and the state by delivering infrastructure that supports projects of economic significance. This could include road works, natural gas mains and pipelines, water supply, sewerage connections and telecommunications (including data networks). The fund will deliver long–term growth benefits to local communities and economies.
Eligible applicants Growing Local Economies will make funding available for projects in regional NSW outside Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong.
2
www.nsw.gov.au/growinglocaleconomies
Project applications are invited from:
• local government • Aboriginal Land Councils and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups
• infrastructure providers such as telecommunication firms
• incorporated associations including business, industry and community organisations
• cooperatives • educational institutions • non–government organisations. Applications involving public–private partnerships or leveraging other funding streams (such as Commonwealth, NSW or local government funding) are encouraged.
Projects should aim to activate regional economies
3
Growing Local Economies is designed to unlock economic growth in regional NSW and the state, by delivering the common use enabling infrastructure that supports projects of regional economic significance and is expected to deliver long term growth benefits. Applications for Growing Local Economies funding must show how projects will improve economic outcomes for communities. Wherever possible, projects should support local procurement, job creation and skills development.
www.nsw.gov.au/growinglocaleconomies
3
ELIGIBILITY 4
Eligible projects
Ineligible projects
To be eligible for Growing Local Economies, projects must:
Growing Local Economies will not fund projects that:
• have the capacity to deliver jobs and
• are not in eligible locations • are on private land and/or have exclusive
economic growth
• help regional communities capitalise on their strengths or broaden and reposition their industry base
• demonstrate benefits beyond one organisation
• align with state and regional priorities • have a Benefit to Cost Ratio higher than 1.0 as assessed by the NSW Government. Applicants will be required to provide a full financial business case to provide the inputs for the Cost Benefit Analysis. Applicants who have secured cocontributions from other sources through partnership agreements will be considered favourably. The smallest projects are expected to be worth approximately $1 million. Smaller related projects can be packaged or bundled together. Alternatively, projects that are suitable for other NSW Government programs may be referred to those programs.
4
www.nsw.gov.au/growinglocaleconomies
private benefits
• relate primarily to operational expenditure, including but not limited to regular repairs and maintenance
• relate to engaging or paying permanent employees
• relate to buying or upgrading non–fixed equipment, or relate to administrative or running costs that are normally the responsibility of businesses, state or territory agencies or local councils
• would proceed without any NSW Government financial assistance
• relate to marketing, advertising or product promotion
• require ongoing funding from the NSW Government or Commonwealth Government. While co-funded projects are encouraged, “double dipping” is not. Projects that have previously received NSW Government funding would need to clearly justify further NSW Government support and will be considered on the merit of the total benefits and costs.
HOW TO APPLY Two-step process The Growing Local Economies fund is administered by the Office of Regional Development. Applying for the Growing Local Economies fund is a two-step process.
STEP ONE Contact the Office of Regional Development Call 1300 679 673 or email [email protected] to supply high-level technical and administrative information about your proposed project. The Office of Regional Development will review the proposed project against the fund objectives and eligibility criteria. If your proposed project is eligible, the Office of Regional Development will invite you to submit a short application for assessment.
STEP TWO Submit a business case Based on the outcomes generated during the first assessment process, selected organisations will be requested to formally submit a business case for consideration. Relevant parties will be required to provide significantly more detail regarding their project, including information on their ability to carry out the project in the appropriate time frame and the competitiveness of the proposal against factors such as value for money, sustainability and the level of contingency/risk. Please refer to the fact sheet for the assessment criteria. As the fund is part of Restart NSW, projects will need to meet the requirements of the Restart NSW Fund Act including being for the purpose of improving economic growth and productivity in the state.
The NSW Government can provide guidance on business case development. The Office of Regional Development may supply business cases to other organisations for eligibility assessment and proposal appraisal. The Office of Regional Development will consult relevant stakeholders (such as other NSW and federal government agencies, local councils, Members of Parliament, Regional Development Australia, independent experts and external parties). Summary information about each proposed project will be published on NSW Government websites, unless the applicant objects.
If you are successful Organisations must not make financial commitments for funded activities until agreements have been executed. The funds must be spent on items or costs directly related to the project as specified in the application and funding agreement. Payments will be made according to agreed project milestones. Organisations will be required to pay back unspent funds or those funds which have not been spent in accordance with the funding agreement. Requests for variations or changes to the project may be considered in limited circumstances. Changes or variations may be rejected or accepted subject to certain conditions. The information provided in the funding application will be used to create:
• a funding and reporting schedule based on key milestones
• key performance indicators. Information about projects may be used for material prepared by the NSW Government.
Proposed projects will only receive funding if they can demonstrate a Cost Benefit Ratio above 1.0.
5
www.nsw.gov.au/growinglocaleconomies
5
MORE INFORMATION www.nsw.gov.au/growinglocaleconomies
Contact us Email: [email protected] Phone: 1300 679 673 ©State of NSW 2017 Disclaimer While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that the facts contained within this document are correct at time of printing, the state of NSW, its agents and employees, disclaim any and all liability to any person in respect of anything or the consequences of anything done or omitted to be done in reliance or upon the whole or any part of this document. Copyright notice In keeping with the NSW Government’s commitment to encourage the availability of information, you are welcome to reproduce the material that appears in this Growing Local Economies document for personal, in–house or non–commercial use without formal permission or charge. All other rights reserved. If you wish to reproduce, alter, store or transmit material appearing in this Growing Local Economies document for any other purpose, request for formal permission should be directed to the Department of Premier and Cabinet, 52 Martin Place, Sydney. You are required to acknowledge that the material is provided by this Growing Local Economies document or the owner of the copyright.
CS0266 0817
WE’RE HERE TO HELP Have questions about this fund? Get in touch with the Office of Regional Development. Email: [email protected] Phone: 1300 679 673
MESSAGE FROM THE DEPUTY PREMIER At the centre of this year’s Budget was the $1.3 billion Regional Growth Fund to turbo charge economies in regional NSW. The fund will deliver targeted investment in projects that will boost business activity, communications technology, sports infrastructure, cultural facilities and local amenities to ultimately deliver jobs to regional areas. The Regional Growth Fund is made up of six separate funds, each dedicated to a specific area of need. The Growing Local Economies fund is the biggest of the six funds, with $500 million to invest in the infrastructure that will enable businesses in regional NSW to expand and thrive. This fund builds on the NSW Government’s 2016 Regional Development Framework by identifying the areas of economic advantage, or the potential strong suits of each of the towns that make up regional NSW. We are taking a new approach to identifying where funding needs to go. It isn’t based on lines on a map but rather on the economic ties between towns that help form Local Economies. These Local Economies often consist of a number of smaller towns surrounding a larger town and may cross local government boundaries.
In short, this approach is about identifying the strengths or potential strengths of each town, and playing to those strengths. Rather than having different regions competing for funding on an uneven playing field, the NSW Government will work with each Local Economy on its own development plan in order to find and develop the investment-ready projects that build on the region’s strengths and help drive economic growth and job creation. In order to deliver real changes for families, businesses, farmers, and young people, our investment decisions need to be locally focused. This is an incredible opportunity for regional industries and communities. I look forward to receiving innovative proposals from across regional NSW.
The Hon John Barilaro Deputy Premier Minister for Regional NSW Minister for Skills Minister for Small Business
The NSW Government views these Local Economies as unique places that present different opportunities for investment. It’s a new way of approaching regional funding, and it’s the right one.
1
www.nsw.gov.au/growinglocaleconomies
1
GUIDELINES 2
In these guidelines, you will find the fund objectives, eligibility criteria and application process. Please refer to the fact sheet for the assessment criteria and check the frequently asked questions. Contact the Office of Regional Development if you have questions or require guidance.
Growing Local Economies Established under the NSW Government’s Restart NSW fund to improve economic growth and productivity in NSW, and part of the $1.3 billion Regional Growth Fund, Growing Local Economies is designed to unlock growth in regional NSW and the state by delivering infrastructure that supports projects of economic significance. This could include road works, natural gas mains and pipelines, water supply, sewerage connections and telecommunications (including data networks). The fund will deliver long–term growth benefits to local communities and economies.
Eligible applicants Growing Local Economies will make funding available for projects in regional NSW outside Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong.
2
www.nsw.gov.au/growinglocaleconomies
Project applications are invited from:
• local government • Aboriginal Land Councils and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups
• infrastructure providers such as telecommunication firms
• incorporated associations including business, industry and community organisations
• cooperatives • educational institutions • non–government organisations. Applications involving public–private partnerships or leveraging other funding streams (such as Commonwealth, NSW or local government funding) are encouraged.
Projects should aim to activate regional economies
3
Growing Local Economies is designed to unlock economic growth in regional NSW and the state, by delivering the common use enabling infrastructure that supports projects of regional economic significance and is expected to deliver long term growth benefits. Applications for Growing Local Economies funding must show how projects will improve economic outcomes for communities. Wherever possible, projects should support local procurement, job creation and skills development.
www.nsw.gov.au/growinglocaleconomies
3
ELIGIBILITY 4
Eligible projects
Ineligible projects
To be eligible for Growing Local Economies, projects must:
Growing Local Economies will not fund projects that:
• have the capacity to deliver jobs and
• are not in eligible locations • are on private land and/or have exclusive
economic growth
• help regional communities capitalise on their strengths or broaden and reposition their industry base
• demonstrate benefits beyond one organisation
• align with state and regional priorities • have a Benefit to Cost Ratio higher than 1.0 as assessed by the NSW Government. Applicants will be required to provide a full financial business case to provide the inputs for the Cost Benefit Analysis. Applicants who have secured cocontributions from other sources through partnership agreements will be considered favourably. The smallest projects are expected to be worth approximately $1 million. Smaller related projects can be packaged or bundled together. Alternatively, projects that are suitable for other NSW Government programs may be referred to those programs.
4
www.nsw.gov.au/growinglocaleconomies
private benefits
• relate primarily to operational expenditure, including but not limited to regular repairs and maintenance
• relate to engaging or paying permanent employees
• relate to buying or upgrading non–fixed equipment, or relate to administrative or running costs that are normally the responsibility of businesses, state or territory agencies or local councils
• would proceed without any NSW Government financial assistance
• relate to marketing, advertising or product promotion
• require ongoing funding from the NSW Government or Commonwealth Government. While co-funded projects are encouraged, “double dipping” is not. Projects that have previously received NSW Government funding would need to clearly justify further NSW Government support and will be considered on the merit of the total benefits and costs.
HOW TO APPLY Two-step process The Growing Local Economies fund is administered by the Office of Regional Development. Applying for the Growing Local Economies fund is a two-step process.
STEP ONE Contact the Office of Regional Development Call 1300 679 673 or email [email protected] to supply high-level technical and administrative information about your proposed project. The Office of Regional Development will review the proposed project against the fund objectives and eligibility criteria. If your proposed project is eligible, the Office of Regional Development will invite you to submit a short application for assessment.
STEP TWO Submit a business case Based on the outcomes generated during the first assessment process, selected organisations will be requested to formally submit a business case for consideration. Relevant parties will be required to provide significantly more detail regarding their project, including information on their ability to carry out the project in the appropriate time frame and the competitiveness of the proposal against factors such as value for money, sustainability and the level of contingency/risk. Please refer to the fact sheet for the assessment criteria. As the fund is part of Restart NSW, projects will need to meet the requirements of the Restart NSW Fund Act including being for the purpose of improving economic growth and productivity in the state.
The NSW Government can provide guidance on business case development. The Office of Regional Development may supply business cases to other organisations for eligibility assessment and proposal appraisal. The Office of Regional Development will consult relevant stakeholders (such as other NSW and federal government agencies, local councils, Members of Parliament, Regional Development Australia, independent experts and external parties). Summary information about each proposed project will be published on NSW Government websites, unless the applicant objects.
If you are successful Organisations must not make financial commitments for funded activities until agreements have been executed. The funds must be spent on items or costs directly related to the project as specified in the application and funding agreement. Payments will be made according to agreed project milestones. Organisations will be required to pay back unspent funds or those funds which have not been spent in accordance with the funding agreement. Requests for variations or changes to the project may be considered in limited circumstances. Changes or variations may be rejected or accepted subject to certain conditions. The information provided in the funding application will be used to create:
• a funding and reporting schedule based on key milestones
• key performance indicators. Information about projects may be used for material prepared by the NSW Government.
Proposed projects will only receive funding if they can demonstrate a Cost Benefit Ratio above 1.0.
5
www.nsw.gov.au/growinglocaleconomies
5
MORE INFORMATION www.nsw.gov.au/growinglocaleconomies
Contact us Email: [email protected] Phone: 1300 679 673 ©State of NSW 2017 Disclaimer While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that the facts contained within this document are correct at time of printing, the state of NSW, its agents and employees, disclaim any and all liability to any person in respect of anything or the consequences of anything done or omitted to be done in reliance or upon the whole or any part of this document. Copyright notice In keeping with the NSW Government’s commitment to encourage the availability of information, you are welcome to reproduce the material that appears in this Growing Local Economies document for personal, in–house or non–commercial use without formal permission or charge. All other rights reserved. If you wish to reproduce, alter, store or transmit material appearing in this Growing Local Economies document for any other purpose, request for formal permission should be directed to the Department of Premier and Cabinet, 52 Martin Place, Sydney. You are required to acknowledge that the material is provided by this Growing Local Economies document or the owner of the copyright.
CS0266 0817
