Program overview

The Early Childhood Education and Care Flood Recovery Grants Program (the program) aims to assist early childhood education and care services (including family day care and outside school hours care) impacted by recent flooding to purchase resources and activities which improve physical or educational learning environments.

This program supports the rebuilding of physical and educational learning environments to assist the services to return to normal operations and to allow for the continuity of participation and learning for children.

Funding can be used for repairs to and replacement of damaged equipment or infrastructure, the completion of minor capital works, investment in infrastructure items, purchase of resources and staffing and administration costs.

The program allows community preschools (centre based and mobile), long day care services, Multifunctional Aboriginal Children’s Service, Aboriginal Child and Family Centres, family day care, occasional care and outside school hours care services located in identified Local Government Areas to apply for grants of up to $30,000 (Ex GST) per service.

Applications will be assessed against the eligibility criteria, application requirements and spending rules.

Applications are now open to Midnight 30 May 2022.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for funding through the program, a service must meet the following criteria:

• be a community preschool, mobile preschool, not for profit long day care, for profit long day care, Multifunctional Aboriginal Children’s Service, Aboriginal Child and Family Centres, family day care, occasional care or out of school hours care service located in the following Local Government Areas:
  
  • Ballina Shire Council
  • Byron Shire Council
  • Clarence Valley Council
  • Kyogle Council
  • Lismore City Council
  • Richmond Valley Council
  • Tweed Shire Council
• be an approved early childhood education and care service (including family day care and outside school hours care) under the Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations or the Supplementary Provisions Act
• accept and comply with the Terms and Conditions of the Early Childhood Education Grants Program
• you can apply for this grant if it is for a different resource, repair or item than what you have been funded under;
  • any other Australian Government or NSW grant program, including the NSW Government storm and flood disaster recovery small business grant, and the Australian Government’s The Community Child Care Fund;
  • insurance claims
  • unless the resource, repair or item are not entirely covered by other grants or insurance and additional grant funding is required to complete the remaining repair or purchase of resource.

Services are only eligible to apply for the program funding once per service approval. For mobile preschools, you may only apply under the Service Approval of your parent service, not the mobile venues.

NSW Department of Education operated services are not eligible for this program. These services are funded directly by the NSW Department of Education.

Application process

Applications for the program are submitted through SmartyGrants.

Applications for this program are now open to Midnight 30 May 2022.

Applications can be submitted for eligible services in Local Government Areas for grants funding up to $30,000 (Ex GST).

Applications should include:

• the spending category of the requested repair, resource or item
• photographic evidence of damage (if available at the time of application)
• tax invoices (if available)
• one quote for repairs or renovations (including an ABN and the total cost with GST clearly indicated) if available at the time of application.

If you do not have any available supporting evidence, please ensure you keep a tax invoice for the future audit process.

Assessment critiera

The Department will assess applications and determine funding based on service eligibility, spending rules, and evidence provided.

Spending rules

Eligible services can apply for up to $30,000 (Ex GST) per service.

Grants for eligible services can be used to purchase resources and activities to aid in restoring quality and safe learning environments for children.

Community preschool, mobile preschool, not for profit long day care, for profit long day care, Multifunctional Aboriginal Children’s Service, Aboriginal Child and Family Centres, occasional care or out of school hours care services can apply for funding under the following categories:

• minor capital works – renovations and repairs to existing buildings or premises
• infrastructure items – large items that form part of the physical environment of the service such as mud kitchens, outdoor sports equipment, large furniture items
• replacement of resources – including, but not limited to, books, IT equipment, toys and clothing
• staff and administration costs – to support the rebuilding and repair of the physical and educational learning environments; support cleaning and other activities to allow a service to resume a quality service.

Family day care services can apply for funding under the following categories:

• infrastructure items – large items that form part of the physical environment of the service such as mud kitchens, outdoor sports equipment, large furniture items
• replacement of resources – including, but not limited to, books, IT equipment, toys and clothing
• staff and administration costs – to support the rebuilding and repair of the physical and educational learning environments; support cleaning and other activities to allow a service to resume a quality service.

Funding can be used on resources or activities that have already been purchased or completed. Please ensure you attach a tax invoice of the resource or activity in the application form.

Funding cannot be used for:

• the same resource, repair or item covered under:
  • the NSW Government storm and flood disaster recovery small business grant
  • the Australian Government’s The Community Child Care Fund;
  • any other Australian Government or NSW Government grant program
  • insurance claims
  • unless the funds are not entirely covered and additional grant funding is required to complete the repair or purchase of resource.
• minor capital works to NSW Department of Education school site premises.

Approved funding must be spent by 30 June 2023. Applicants may be asked to return any unspent funding after this date.

Grant funding must be used to purchase the approved resources and activities only. The Department must be notified if exceptional circumstances mean that this cannot be achieved.

The decision to grant a variation to approved resources or activities will be made by the Department on a case by case basis. Approvals will be confirmed by the Department in writing.

Payments

Program grants will be paid to successful applicants as a one-off payment via SmartyGrants.

Grant payments are expected to be made from July 2022.

Any services that are not currently in the Department’s payment system may result in a delay in payment being processed.

Grant payments will only be progressed for applicants that have accepted the Terms and Conditions of the Early Childhood Education Grants Program.

The amount of funding provided will be based on the Department's assessment against the eligibility criteria and spending rules.

Reporting requirements

A formal acquittal process must be undertaken within one year of the end of the spending period (e.g. within one year of 30 June 2023). The acquittal may include completing a statement of expenditure and applicants may be audited to confirm the accuracy of data provided in this statement. Any unspent funds after 30 June 2023 may need to be returned to the Department.

Contacts

For more information about the Early Childhood Education and Care Flood Recovery Grant support package, please contact the Department's Early Childhood Education Directorate by:

• Phone: 1800 619 113
• Email: ecec.funding@det.nsw.edu.au