Applications opened this week for a $12 million recovery package for the repair of sporting fields and facilities in the eight worst affected local government areas (LGAs) damaged by the unprecedented February - March 2022 flood events.

View media release $30 million Flood Recovery Fund to rebuild community infrastructure | NSW Government

In May 2022 the NSW Government announced the $55 million Sport Infrastructure Recovery Fund to support the repair and reconstruction of flood damaged sport facilities. The Sport Infrastructure Recovery Fund is part of the $207 million 2022 Community Local Infrastructure Recovery Package.

The Sport Infrastructure Recovery Fund will be delivered in stages:

• The Sport Priority Needs Program ($12 million), opened today, is the first stage of funding under the Sport Infrastructure Recovery Fund. It is a key recovery measure of highly impacted Local Government Areas (LGAs)
• The Essential Community Sport Assets Program is the second stage of funding under the Sport Infrastructure Recovery Fund, with further information to be made available late September 2022.

Up to $12 million is available as part of the Sports Priority Needs Program, through grants ranging from $15,000 to $500,000, for eligible community sport infrastructure projects via the Office of Sport.  

The Sport Priority Needs Program is a key recovery measure of the Sport Infrastructure Recovery Fund to help communities in eight highly impacted LGAs respond to immediate opportunities to assess, repair, reconstruct and build flood resilience into sport facilities. The Program will help enable communities to recover as fast as possible by returning to sport activities including training and competition. 

Councils in the eligible LGAs will be invited to submit an application for community sporting infrastructure repairs and reconstruction projects on behalf of sporting organisations in their LGA. Up to $1.5 million has been allocated to each LGA for project grant requests of $15,000-$500,000. 

The purpose of the Sport Priority Needs Program is to prioritise funding to support LGAs whose sport and recreation facilities are considered most impacted. The Program supports projects which:   

• Undertake detailed damage and technical assessments, feasibility studies, planning, detailed designs and options for investments to mitigate risks for impacted essential community sport facilities.  
• Repair, reconstruct and improve sport facilities to ensure safe and accessible facilities are immediately available for return to training and competition.  
• Promote and incorporate environmental sustainability and climate resiliency into design, construction and operation. 

The eight councils eligible for the Program, as they are declared disaster areas as per AGRN 1012 and have been assessed as highly impacted are:

• Ballina Shire Council
• Byron Shire Council
• Clarence Valley Council
• Hawkesbury City Council
• Kyogle Council
• Lismore City Council
• Richmond Valley Council
• Tweed Shire Council.

Sporting entities in the eligible LGAs should bring their projects to the attention of eligible Councils.

If you are not part of one of the eight eligible councils listed above unfortunately you are unable to apply for the Sports Priority Needs Program however further information on the Essential Community Sport Assets Program (the second stage of funding under the Sport Infrastructure Recovery Fund) will be provided late September 2022. 

If you are yet to do so, please register your interest for further information on the Sport Infrastructure Recovery Fund. 

Should you require further information or have any questions please contact the team at infrastructuregrants@sport.nsw.gov.au