1. Background

The NSW Government is working to ensure that every child, regardless of their family’s postcode, income, or circumstances, has access to high-quality preschool education so that they can be set up for a life of learning.

The Building Early Learning Places Program (the program), delivered by the NSW Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund Board (The Fund Board) through the NSW Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund (The Fund), aims to increase accessibility and affordability of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) by granting funding to not-for-profit community preschools and long day care services intending to deliver places for 0 to 6 year old children for priority groups as identified in the program guidelines.

The Fund Board is making available a range of supports to assist organisations that may be eligible under the program, to prepare an application for a grant under the program. The support may include individual assistance as outlined in this Procedure (Project Development and Planning Support Procedure). The nominated supplier to deliver the support is Shakeup Architecture for all referred applicants, and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) will be able to access additional assistance provided by the department’s sector strengthening partner, the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children).

Expressions of Interest to receive these supports will be assessed by the Fund Board from November 2024 when applications open until the nominated closing date on February 2025, or until funds allocated by the Fund Board are exhausted. For ACCOs, the single Expression of Interest will allow them to opt-in for support from both Shakeup Architecture and SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children.

2. Project Development and Planning Support

2.1 Who can access individual support

To access a one-on-one support service, a provider must:

• meet all the eligibility requirements and objectives of the program
• agree to the Fund Board’s Terms of Use
• demonstrate intent and high-level ability to start the capital works project within 12 months of receiving an outcome letter under that program. To demonstrate this, providers may outline whether they have secured land, funding to meet required co-contribution, support from the landlord or other stakeholders, have had pre-DA meetings with the Council, a site survey or other planning processes.

Prior to submitting an Expression of Interest for individual support, please carefully review the program guidelines to identify whether you and your proposed project would meet the eligibility criteria and objectives of the program (sections 2 and 4 of the program guidelines) and to understand the assessment criteria that will guide funding recommendations (section 5 of the program guidelines).

Applicants can apply to deliver ECEC places in priority groups as identified in the program guidelines. The first priority group is for not-for-profit community preschools and long day care services that intend to deliver ECEC places in undersupplied areas. These undersupplied areas have been identified as having greatest immediate need for ECEC places. Where an undersupplied area is identified as having a significant need for places for 0 to 2 year old children, and not a significant need for 3 to 6 year old children, only applications from long day care services will be accepted, with projects expected to propose strong proportions of places for 0-2-year-olds.

The second priority group is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Eligible Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) intending to deliver ECEC places for 0 to 6 year olds children in community preschool or long day care settings, anywhere in NSW, will be able to apply for the program.

Projects not intending to deliver ECEC places for priority groups under a relevant service type are not eligible to apply for the program.

2.2 Who cannot access the individual support

A provider who does not:

• meet the eligibility criteria under the program guidelines
• accept and agree to the Fund Board’s Terms of Use
• demonstrate intent and high-level ability to start the capital works project within 12 months of receiving an outcome letter under that program.

2.3 Capped hours of support

The Fund Board has engaged Shakeup Architecture to provide individual support for eligible providers intending to apply for a grant under the program.

Under the individual support, eligible providers will be referred to Shakeup Architecture. The supplier will, subject to the Project Development and Planning Support Procedure, provide hands-on support to develop, scope, and plan capital works projects with reasonable project estimates and broker the necessary documentation required for providers to put forward a high-quality submission that is aligned to the program guidelines.

The Fund Board will fund up to 20 hours of individual support for eligible providers. Eligible providers that also are Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (under the criteria set out in section 4.1 of the program guidelines) will be able to access up to 25 hours of individual support. ACCOs may also be able to access additional assistance from the department from SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children under the department’s sector strengthening partner arrangements.

2.3.1. Scope of support

Shakeup Architecture will work with referred providers on the below key elements of the application process under the program:

• Develop, scope, and plan a capital works project that aligns with the objectives of the program.
• Obtain reliable builders’ quotations and Quantity Surveyor reports from local building companies, and assistance in structuring a comprehensive, reasonable budget that considers all expenses, escalations, and contingency.
• Scope or refine a building design that appears compliant with all relevant requirements in the National Quality Framework, including but not limited to the required indoor and outdoor unencumbered space for the target number of ECEC places per day to be delivered. This number must be accurately forecasted.
• Obtain reliable professional plans and calculations prepared by a licensed building practitioner that reflect the above design and clearly detail the unencumbered space.
• Determine realistic project timeframes and prepare a project plan.
• Identify project risks and mitigation strategies.
• Resolve any outstanding matters related to the application (e.g. DA applications).
• Consider opportunities for the provision of inclusive and culturally safe environments as part of the capital works project that will deliver additional ECEC places, and where possible embed these in the design.

For ACCOs that opt in to also access support from SNAICC– National Voice for Our Children, different focus areas will be targeted, such as the provision of assistance with complex land arrangements, support on a range of project elements through the cultural safety lens and workforce planning, among others.

Support will be tailored to each referred provider’s needs and circumstances. Any elements mentioned above that are relevant to the provider’s circumstances may be addressed within the capped hours of support.

2.3.2. Funding for eligible costs incurred

In addition to the individual support delivered by Shakeup Architecture, referred providers may be able to access up to $10,000 including disbursements (ex GST) in funding, capped at the Fund Board’s discretion, to assist with some of the costs incurred in the preparation of an application for a grant under the program.

Eligible expenses will be instrumental in preparing a capital works application under the program. The referred provider chooses the suppliers. Eligible costs may include:

• costs for professional plans and unencumbered space calculations prepared by a licensed building practitioner
• costs for obtaining quotes or quantity surveyor reports
• other relevant expenses required to prepare a comprehensive capital works application as determined by Shakeup Architecture and the referred providers (but still capped at the Fund Board’s discretion).

Shakeup Architecture will broker the services of the professionals or services related to these expenses, will ensure they hold adequate accreditation or registration where relevant, manage the acquittal with the Fund Board on behalf of the referred ECEC provider, and ensure the services provided are to a reasonable standard to the best of their abilities. Shakeup Architecture will pay for the eligible expenses, up to the capped amount, and seek reimbursement from the Fund Board. Invoices and receipts for these expenses will be presented to the Fund Board by Shakeup Architecture as part of the acquittal process.

2.4 How to access the support

Interested providers are invited to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) on SmartyGrants for an Assessment Panel to consider on behalf of the Fund Board. Providers will be notified in writing if their EOI has been successful, in which case a referral to Shakeup Architecture will be made for support to commence.

Providers interested in accessing the individual Project Development and Planning Support should follow these simple steps:

1. Review the Terms of Use
   Applicants should read the Fund Board's Terms of Use. By submitting an EOI, providers are accepting and agreeing to the Terms of Use.
2. Submit an EOI
   The EOI form must be submitted via SmartyGrants. Applicant that contact the support delivery partners directly will be redirected to complete an EOI.
   EOIs will be received and assessed until the nominated closing date. Please note that to reap the benefits of the individual support, you are encouraged to submit your EOI as soon as possible to allow for sufficient time to work with Shakeup Architecture (and SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children where applicable) before the closing date. Late applications will not be accepted.
   For ACCOs, this single EOI will allow them to opt in for support from both Shakeup Architecture and SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children.
   Providers must register to use the SmartyGrants application system. Registration is a free and straightforward process. For assistance with the online application system, please contact the SmartyGrants Support Desk by phone on (03) 9320 6888 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
3. Receive a notification on the outcome of your EOI
   The Assessment Panel will consider your eligibility and the availability of funds to determine the outcome of your EOI. All providers who meet the requirements to access the support service will be offered the service (subject to budget availability). The Fund Board or its delegated officers will notify you of the outcome of your EOI within 5-10 business days.

If your EOI is successful, a referral to Shakeup Architecture (and SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children for ACCOs) will be made for you to access the individual support service. Any work undertaken with Shakeup Architecture or SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children prior to notification of the EOI outcome, outside the capped hours of support offered by the Fund Board or outside the scope of the support outlined in the Project Development and Planning Support Procedure and the contract with the sector strengthening partner, will be at your own expense.

For referred providers, the support under the Project Development and Planning Support will end when:

• their formal application to the program is submitted, or the program is no longer taking applications, or support hours are exhausted, whichever happens first
• the provider notifies the Fund Board they wish to end their engagement with Shakeup Architecture and/or SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children earlier
• Shakeup Architecture or SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children recommend to the Fund Board that the support end, including where the delivery partners identify misalignment between a proposed project and the program objectives and requirements in the course of providing their services, contingent on the Board or its delegated officers agreeing with this recommendation.

After one of the above events, there will be no further support or funding available for providers under the Project Development and Planning Support.

After one of the above events, providers must obtain from Shakeup Architecture a report outlining the work undertaken and copies of all the documents produced under their engagement. SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children will submit information on the work undertaken to Shakeup Architecture for inclusion in the single report. Providers who apply for the program must attach a copy of the report and supporting documentation to their formal application to the program.

3. Acknowledgement

Providers acknowledge that all applications for grants under the program will be assessed on their merits under the program guidelines, including applications by providers who receive the Project Development and Planning Support under this procedure.

To be clear, receiving individual support (or the funding for eligible costs incurred under section 2.4.2) under the Project Development and Planning Support does not confirm a provider’s eligibility for a grant under the program, nor does it mean they will be successful should they apply for that grant. Applications for a grant under the program are assessed in accordance with the separate program guidelines (namely, by a distinct Assessment Panel different to the one assessing EOIs, with a separate decision by the Fund Board.).

Applicants for the program must refer to the program guidelines, and to the extent there is any inconsistency between the Project Development and Planning Support Procedure and the program guidelines, the latter prevail.

4. Contact details

The Fund Board is committed to ensuring a positive customer experience.

If you have questions about the program or Project Development and Planning Support, call the NSW Department of Education’s Early Childhood Outcomes line on 1800 619 113 and ask for the Capital Works Funding team between 9 am and 5 pm Monday to Friday, or email capital.works@det.nsw.edu.au.

Applicants who have feedback, suggestions, or complaints about the EOI form or related assessment process may also contact us through the above channels. Alternatively, you may submit feedback by completing the NSW Department of Education’s Complaint, or suggestion form.