Start Strong Capital Works Grants Program - Major Capital Fund - 2022-23

The Major Capital Fund supports the creation of additional preschool places through new builds, extensions and renovations of centre-based community preschools and long day care services running a preschool program in areas of need and demand across NSW.

The Major Capital Fund must contribute to the following objectives:

• maximise the number of preschool places available for pre-school aged children to attend at least 600 hours per year or 15 hours per week of quality preschool education.
• ensure the continued operation of the service to deliver preschool places throughout the ten-year compliance period.
• support ongoing management of the service in line with applicable regulatory requirements.
• where possible, leverage funds from sources external to the department, including private finance, charitable donations and grants from state and federal government agencies.

There will be three rounds of funding in 22/23:

• Round 1: open from 4 October to 14 November 2022 (for community preschools).
• Round 2: open from 6 February to 19 March 2023 (expanded eligibility for community preschools and long day care services offering a preschool program).
• Round 3: open from 3 April to 14 May 2023 (expanded eligibility for community preschools and long day care services offering a preschool program).

To be eligible for funding applicants must:

• be registered or incorporated in Australia; and
• be a not-for-profit organisation or association, or a local government entity; and
• operate, or intend to operate, an education and care service in NSW that delivers preschool education as an Approved Provider with a valid Service Approval.