The $175 million Growing Regional Economies Fund is part of the NSW Government’s $3.3 billion Regional Growth Fund and is designed to deliver economic growth and productivity across regional NSW.
The Growing Regional Economies Fund will support projects that have a strong alignment with the Regional Economic Development Strategies (REDS) and increase infrastructure investment and economic activity within regional NSW’s Functional Economic Regions (FERs). It will facilitate the delivery of the NSW Government’s 20-year Economic Vision for Regional NSWby co-funding transformational projects that enable economic growth and prosperity in regional communities.
The Growing Regional Economies Fund builds on the success of the NSW Government’s Growing Local Economies (GLE) fund, under Restart NSW, which provided more than $463 million towards 66 projects.
The Growing Regional Economies Fund also provides an opportunity for projects supported through the NSW Government’s Business Case and Strategy Development Fund to seek further funding towards the realisation of infrastructure projects.
Program objective
The Growing Regional Economies Fund aims to accelerate economic development and prosperity in regional NSW, increase the appeal of investing in regional NSW, support investment in major transformational projects that increase employment opportunities in regional areas and ensure that regional communities have the infrastructure and services required for sustainable growth.
The Fund also has a focus on enabling infrastructure that will support investment in regional housing projects to meet demand generated by growth in employment and economic activity.
This program is administered by Department of Regional NSW.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants are:
local councils
Lord Howe Island Board (in its capacity as a service provider for an eligible location not covered by a local government entity)
RDA Far West (in its capacity as a service provider for an eligible location not covered by a local government entity)
joint organisations of councils, or regional organisations of councils
Australian universities
Local Aboriginal Land Councils.
Applicants must provide evidence that they are an incorporated entity by providing either an Australian Business Number (ABN) or an Australian Company Number (ACN). Eligible organisations that are unincorporated must provide evidence that they are registered with NSW Fair Trading under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 or another Act.
Projects must be in one or more of the 93 regional Local Government Areas, in the Unincorporated Far West region, or on Lord Howe Island.
Read the list of Eligible Local Government Areas.
Example projects
Enabling infrastructure such as roads, bridges and other services to develop housing and investment precincts that can be linked to economic growth and employment
Education, research and development facilities to drive innovation in engine or emerging industries
Airport upgrades and expansions
Enabling infrastructure that will support increased investment and employment opportunities.