The Start Strong Capital Works Grants Program improves access to preschool by creating additional preschool places in areas of need and demand across the state.

Eligible not-for-profit organisations can apply for grant funding to build, renovate or extend their facilities to deliver preschool education to preschool-aged children in a centre-based setting, respond to a crisis situation, or to purchase a vehicle for a mobile preschool.

The Start Strong Capital Works Grants Program is one of many funded programs that the department is implementing to ensure that all children in NSW can participate in 600 hours of quality preschool education in the year before school, no matter where they live or what their circumstances are.

Research shows that children who participate in a quality early childhood education program for at least 600 hours in the year before school are more likely to start school equipped with the social, cognitive and emotional skills they need to engage in learning.

Program overview

The Start Strong Capital Works Grants Program has been revised to improve the suitability and accessibility of the program for the community preschool sector. This includes four distinct grant categories with continuous, extended or multiple rounds, making it easier for community preschool providers to access the right funding option when it is needed.

Eligible not-for-profit organisations can apply for funding through the following Funds:

• Major Capital Fund: supports the creation of additional preschool places through new builds, extensions or renovations of centre-based preschools that offer preschool education to preschool-aged children in areas of need and demand.
• Crisis Fund: aims to respond to a crisis with capital works to ensure service continuity for providers impacted by exceptional and unforeseen circumstances, supports access to preschool education in remote and very remote areas of NSW and increases the number of Aboriginal preschool services across the state.
• Minor Capital Fund: provides grants of up to $100,000 (ex GST) to support smaller-scale renovations or refurbishments to increase preschools places, as well as the recalculation of unencumbered space that will lead to an increase in places without capital works.
• Mobile Fund: supports mobile preschool services to replace existing vehicles and/or to purchase additional vehicles to cater for increased demand.

The 2022/23 program guidelines and FAQs are available on the Historical guidelines - Start Strong Capital Works Program webpage.

Contact details

For more information about the Start Strong Capital Works Grants Program, please contact:

1800 619 113 (toll free)
capital.works@det.nsw.edu.au