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Grants and funded programs

Program guidelines

The Start Strong Pathways programs first commenced in 2018 and is delivered by the department. This new 2024 Pathways program provides financial assistance through a closed, non-competitive grant to not-for-profit services to support the early learning needs of young children (aged 0-3 years old), offering families a pathway into more formal early childhood education. These services help expand children’s social horizons beyond family and home-based interactions.

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1. Overview of 2024 Start Strong Pathways

The new 2024 Pathways program will commence from 1 July 2024 and end on 31 December 2025.

This grant will be managed and assessed by the department, with the:

  • Minister for Education and Early Learning, as the initial approver of the program and the selection process
  • Deputy Secretary, Early Childhood Outcomes, as the decision-maker for grants that exceed $1,000,000 (incl. GST)
  • Executive Director, Early Childhood Outcomes Commissioning, as the decision-maker for grants that are between $500,000 – 1,000,000 (incl. GST)
  • Director, Early Childhood Outcomes, Commissioned Programs for grants up to $500,000 (incl. GST)
  • Manager, Programs for Children, as the assessor, responsible for ensuring grants are administered in accordance with approved criteria.

These program guidelines form part of the funding agreement that service providers under the 2024 Pathways program (Providers) are required to sign. See section 5.2 for details on the documents comprising the funding agreement.

This document may be amended or replaced by the department from time to time. Providers are required to comply with the current version of the program guidelines, available on this page.

Service providers should read all the details in these program guidelines before applying.

1.1 Purpose and objectives

Purpose

The 2024 Pathways program has a specific focus on encouraging participation of children aged 0-3 years old to engage with and transition into early childhood education and care settings.

The program enables a variety of place-based initiatives to provide early educational supports for children prior to preschool enrolment, and helps promote the importance of early childhood education and care to families.

Objectives

Providers are required to deliver activities that align with at least one of the three core objectives of the program:

  • support engagement of children too young to receive a preschool education, who are aged 0-3 years, in an early years education program that provides culturally and developmentally appropriate activities (e.g. playgroups, occasional care, early learning centres, toy libraries)
  • support access to a preschool setting with an approved early childhood education and care service under the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 (National Law) and Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 (National Regulations) for children who are ready to transition to these preschool settings, who are 4 years of age
  • promote the importance of early childhood education to parents and communities through the provision of information for early childhood education, including culturally inclusive resources.

These activities should prioritise engagement of the following equity cohorts:

  • children with disability or additional needs
  • Aboriginal children
  • children from low-income families
  • children from a culturally or linguistically diverse background
  • children who are at risk of significant harm (from a child protection perspective)
  • children from socially isolated families
    (together, Equity Cohorts).

1.2 Grant value

The total value of the program is $22.9 million (ex. GST).

The value of individual grants, including a single supplementary payment to support cost pressures, is between $6,000 - $1.59 million (ex. GST).

Applicants may apply for the same level of funding they received under previous Start Strong Pathways programs and a single supplementary payment. The single supplementary payment is an additional 5.5 percent of total base funding for the period 1 July 2024 to 31 December 2025. The single supplementary payment amount will be communicated through the funding letter and will be made in either July 2024 or September 2024 through the Early Childhood Contract Management System (ECCMS).

Please refer to the Pathways funding letter for further information. The funding letter will specify the amount of funding approved.

2. Selection criteria

Pathways funding will be offered to existing service providers under earlier Start Strong Pathways programs following a new closed, non-competitive application process through the SmartyGrants online application system (SmartyGrants).

Application requirements include:

  • submitting an overview of an applicant's existing activities and locations where these are delivered
  • alignment of activities with the 2024 Pathways program’s objectives
  • commitment to support priority Equity Cohorts that apply to the provider’s Pathways services
  • evidence of strategies for engaging Equity Cohorts
  • evidence of planned support for Equity Cohorts
  • evidence of the employment of a qualified early childhood education teacher or other person with a relevant tertiary qualification (which may include a letter of employment and a certificate of graduation from a higher education provider)
  • ongoing commitment to delivering the new 2024 Pathways program through the provider’s previously approved services under earlier Start Strong Pathways programs.

2.1 Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for the 2024 Pathways program, service providers must meet all of the following criteria:

Service providers will need to provide evidence as part of their application, including regarding:

  • current delivery of activities for a representative week from 1 January 2024 onwards
  • planned or existing strategies to encourage engagement of Equity Cohorts with the service provider
  • planned or existing supports for Equity Cohorts
  • the employment of a qualified early childhood education teacher or other person with a relevant tertiary qualification (which may include a letter of employment and a certificate of graduation)
  • consistency of activities conducted under previous Start Strong Pathways program/s and alignment with objectives of the new 2024 Pathways program.

Service providers are only eligible to apply for the same level of funding they received under previous Start Strong Pathways programs (base funding) and the additional supplementary payment, which equals 5.5 percent of the base funding.

3. Application process

3.1 Application for funding

To receive funding under the new 2024 Pathways program from 1 July 2024 to 31 December 2025, eligible providers must:

Assessment involves a one stage process.

Documents required as part of the application include:

Please note that ongoing funding is also contingent on a provider’s:

  • continued compliance with the department’s 2024 Terms and Conditions
  • completion of annual performance accountabilities and financial accountabilities, as provided and directed by the department.

Applicants must not provide false or misleading information. An application containing false or misleading statements may be rejected.

Providers are also expected to accept and comply with the department’s new ECCMS terms and conditions for the period 1 January 2025 – 31 December 2025, as provided by the department. Failure to do so may result in the department being unable to make payments through ECCMS, ceasing to provide funding after 31 December 2024 and terminating the funding agreement.

3.2 Support available

For information about 2024 Pathways, please contact the department’s Early Childhood Outcomes by:

Interactive support for grant applicants is limited to verbal guidance over the phone, or an email reply, explaining the information in these grant guidelines.

4. Assessment process

4.1 Assessment of grant applications

Applications will be assessed individually against the eligibility criteria outlined in these program guidelines. Following the closing dates of each round, all submissions will be checked for eligibility and completeness. The department may contact applicants to clarify information, particularly on the eligibility criteria.

The Manager, Programs for Children (assessor) will assist to make recommendations to the appropriate financial delegate (decision-maker), to determine successful and unsuccessful applications. The following delegates have been identified:

  1. Deputy Secretary, Early Childhood Outcomes, for grants that exceed $1,000,000 (incl. GST)
  2. Executive Director, Early Childhood Outcomes Commissioning, for grants that are between $500,000 – 1,000,000 (incl. GST)
  3. Director, Early Childhood Outcomes, Commissioned Programs for grants up to $500,000 (incl. GST).

The decision-maker is not taking advice from a probity adviser.

Besides approving the selection process (that is, a closed, non-competitive method), the Minister for Early Learning and Education will have no further input in assessing individual applications. The department will not engage with the Minister for Early Learning and Education in the assessment of individual applications.

4.2 Notification of application outcome

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application through the same email address entered into the SmartyGrants application form.

There is no designated appeal mechanism for decisions.

4.3 Publication of grants information

The Grants Administration Guide (Guide) requires that certain information is published in relation to grants awarded no later than 45 calendar days after the grant agreement takes effect (see section 6.5 of the Guide and Appendix A to the Guide). This information is also open access information under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) (GIPA Act), which must be made publicly available unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure of the information.

In accordance with these requirements, relevant information about the grants awarded will be made available on the NSW Government Grants and Funding Finder as soon as possible after the grant funding is approved or declined.

All records in relation to this decision will be managed in accordance with the requirements of the State Records Act 1998 (NSW).

5. Successful grant applications

5.1 Program spending rules

Successful providers must comply with the 2024 Terms and Conditions, and any reasonable directions of the department. Providers are expected to accept and comply with the department’s new ECCMS terms and conditions for the period 1 January 2025 – 31 December 2025, as provided by the department. Failure to do so may result in the department being unable to make payments through ECCMS, ceasing to provide funding after 31 December 2024 and terminating the funding agreement.

Providers must either continue to deliver the original scope of activities approved by the department under the 2018 or 2020 Pathways programs, or deliver varied activities following written approval provided by the department.

Requests to vary activities should be made in writing to ecec.funding@det.nsw.edu.au. To confirm, variations must be agreed to by the department in writing, prior to changes to activities being made.

A minimum of 70 per cent of total funding received under the new 2024 Pathways program must be spent on enabling the delivery of Pathways activities, including any of the following activities:

  • purchasing educational resources to support children attending the Pathways service
  • employment of a certificate III or diploma qualified early childhood educator, early childhood education teacher, or other suitably qualified person to run the Pathways activities
  • venue costs (including rent or other operating costs).

If there are remaining funds, these (but only up to 30 per cent of total funding received) may be used on other administrative costs for the approved Pathways services.

Providers are required to certify that funds have been spent in accordance with the applicable ECCMS terms and conditions.

Providers need to expend funds received during the following calendar year as detailed below:

  • for funds received in the 2024 calendar year, prior to 31 December 2024
  • for funds received in the 2025 calendar year, prior to 31 December 2025

unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the department.

5.2 Grant agreement

Successful applicants are required to enter into a funding agreement with the department on behalf of the NSW Government. The funding agreement requires that Providers acknowledge the financial support from the NSW Government.

The funding agreement between the department and successful Providers in respect of the 2024 Pathways program will comprise of:

  • these program guidelines (as amended from time to time)
  • the 2024 Terms and Conditions (which Providers must have already agreed to)
  • the separate 2024 Pathways funding letter (which refers to the completed 2024 Pathways application form).

Providers are expected to accept and comply with the department’s new ECCMS terms and conditions for the period 1 January 2025 – 31 December 2025, as provided by the department.

Failure to comply with or complete the above document may result in funding being placed on hold, the Provider being ineligible to receive any Pathways funding after 31 December 2024 and the department terminating the funding agreement.

5.3 Grant payment

In addition to the six equal instalments of base funding, a single supplementary payment to support ongoing cost pressures [AW1] will be available to providers. The single supplementary payment amount is an additional 5.5 percent of total base funding for the period 1 July 2024 to 31 December 2025. The amount will be communicated through the funding letter and payments will be made in either July 2024 or September 2024 through the ECCMS.

Please see details of payments below:

  1. either in July or September 2024 - single supplementary payment
  2. July 2024 program payment - for period July to September 2024
  3. October 2024 program payment - for period October to December 2024
  4. January 2025 program payment - for period January to March 2025
  5. April 2025 program payment - for period April to June 2025
  6. July 2025 program payment - for period July to September 2025
  7. October 2025 program payment - for period October to December 2025.

These payments will be made through ECCMS.

5.4 Unspent funds

Providers are required to expend all annual Pathways funding in accordance with the spending rules in section 5.1 during the calendar year in which the funds are received. The department understands that some providers may have a surplus at the end of their reporting period which needs to be returned to the department according to the applicable ECCMS terms and conditions, or the funding agreement.

There may be occasions when the Provider wishes to present a case to retain surplus (unspent funds). The department will consider requests submitted by Providers on a case-by-case basis, and may be approved if the request aligns with the objectives of the 2024 Pathways program.

5.5 Indicative reporting and acquittal requirements

Providers funded under the 2024 Pathways program will be required to complete the following reports, as requested by the department:

  • performance accountabilities, including:
    • strategies employed to engage Equity Cohorts
    • supports provided to Equity Cohorts
    • evidence collected from families engaging in the program
    • alignment with the objectives of the program
    • amount of time engaged in the Pathways programs
    • reporting on children who participate and transition to preschool programs including the number of children from Equity Cohorts participating in the program
  • annual financial accountability statement.

These accountability reports will be used to ensure services are receiving the appropriate level of funding and are compliant with 2024 Pathways program requirements. Providers may be audited to confirm the accuracy of data provided in performance and financial accountability statements and reports.

Grant recipients must keep the department updated if their circumstances change and this may affect delivery of the funded activities.

5.6 Evaluation

Providers may be audited as part of the department’s annual audit process. An evaluation shall be conducted based off evidence provided through performance accountabilities, financial accountabilities and information requests from the department.

Audit and evaluation activities will consider total amount of funding received and strategies and plans for engagement against the purpose and objectives in section 1.1 of these program guidelines, and the following information:

  • the total participation of the Equity Cohorts in Providers’ 2024 Pathways services
  • the total participation of children in Provider’s 2024 Pathways services
  • performance of 2024 Pathways services against the core objectives, with a specific focus on Equity Cohorts, as measured by any of the following:
    • number of children that are 0-3 years old engaging in early childhood educational activities through the Pathways program, for example through attending playgroups, occasional cares etc
    • number of children from Equity Cohorts supported through the Pathways program to transition into preschool settings, demonstrated by positive feedback from families and number of children who transition into preschool settings, for example supporting the enrolment process of children in preschool, supporting families to find provision of local preschool education etc
    • number of families with children that are 0-3 years old engaging in Pathways promotional activities, for example attendance at information sessions and receiving educational material (both verbal and physical, eg. pamphlets) etc.

The evaluation will consider this information against:

  • the appropriateness of activities, including continued relevance to government (increasing the proportion of children enrolled in preschool) and community priorities
  • efficiency
  • effectiveness in delivering outcomes (see above)
  • distribution of outcomes and benefits, and impacts on Equity Cohorts
  • net social benefit and value for money.

6. Additional information and resources

6.1 Complaint handling

Please contact Early Childhood Outcomes, Commissioned Programs regarding any concerns, through the ecec.funding@det.nsw.edu.au inbox.

6.2 Access to information

GIPA Act provides for the proactive release of government information by agencies and gives members of the public an enforceable right to access government information held by an agency (which includes Ministerial offices). Access to government information is only to be restricted if there is an overriding public interest against disclosure.

The NSW Legislative Council has the power to order the production of State papers by the Executive Government. Standing Order 52 provides that the House may order documents to be tabled by the Government in the House. The Cabinet Office coordinates the preparation of the papers – that is, the return to order. The return to order may contain privileged and public documents. Privileged documents are available only to members of the Legislative Council.

Note that documents submitted as part of a grant application may be subject to an application under the GIPA Act or an order for papers under Standing Order 52.

For further information, please contact the department by emailing ecec.funding@det.nsw.edu.au.

6.3 Ethical conduct

Service providers who have applied for funding should notify the department in writing, in the event that they become aware of any potential conflict of interest in connection with the application and potential funding (for example, if the service provider has a personal relationship with the decision-maker).

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