Matching grants
This program mainly works with community groups that partner with us to support events, services and projects in local neighbourhoods.
Grants team
Before applying please contact the team to arrange a call back to discuss your project.
Applications now open
The matching grant program aims to deliver local, community-based projects and:
- engage the community
- develop skills
- build capacity
- share funding arrangements.
The program mainly works with community groups that partner with the City to support events, services and projects in their local neighbourhoods.
The matching grant program is also open to for-profits who can demonstrate that the project will activate their local precinct (laneways and previously unused spaces) and partner with one or more local business or community groups to deliver the project.
Applicants are required to demonstrate how they will address the needs of a specific community project, which may include:
- cultural projects
- community building ideas
- cycling-related projects
- community gardens
- public art projects
- multicultural programs
- neighbourhood events and activities
- greening of common areas.
The program supports projects that involve genuine community participation. By 'matching' what the community contributes, the City is building a sense of community and strengthening partnerships as people work together on the project.
Please see the grants and sponsorship guidelines for expected program outcomes, assessment criteria and eligibility.
To see what projects have been awarded City grants and sponsorships in the past, please search for grants in our statutory returns annual reports.
Funding available
The matching grant program recognises any community contribution towards a project and can offer up to $10,000 support to match this contribution.
Contributions from the community or the City can be made in cash or value-in-kind. Recognised in-kind community contributions include:
- in-kind contributions such as donated supplies, materials, venues or services
- volunteer time such as labour, meeting times and project management. The rate of volunteer time is calculated as $25 per hour. For professional or contracted services the rate is $75 per hour.
CBD activation matching grants
The CBD activation matching grant provides the opportunity for CBD based businesses and creative and cultural practitioners to work together for mutual benefit, to assist the economic and social recovery of the city.
For the purposes of this grant, the CBD is defined as the central Sydney CBD and Haymarket areas.
This grant encourages businesses located in the CBD to activate their venues (or an appropriate public open space located near their venues), to inspire visitors to safely return and revitalise the economy.
The grant is designed to support collaborations between artists, performers, creative enterprises and businesses to create activations located within shops or venues, on the footpath outside the store (subject to Council approval) or at a public space located close to the business (subject to Council approval).
Funding can be used to:
- engage artists, musicians, creatives, producers or performers to develop and/or deliver the program
- marketing and promotion of the activation to create awareness and encourage visitation. This include production of marketing collateral and signage (where permissible), social media, website production and advertising.
Key dates
Grant round 1
- Applications open: 5 February 2020
- Applications close: 9 March 2020
- Project timeframe: 1 August 2020–31 July 2021
- Recommendations to Council: 29 June 2020
Grant round 2
- Applications open: 29 July 2020
- Applications close: 31 August 2020
- Project timeframe: 1 January 2021–31 December 2021
- Recommendations to Council: 16 November 2020
Grant round 3
- Applications open: 21 October 2020
- Applications close: 16 November 2020
- Project timeframe: 1 May 2021–30 April 2022
- Recommendations to Council: early 2021
Recommendations to Council is the time when applications are discussed and councillors decide to support or reject the recommendations presented to them.
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