Good News! The Australian Government has announced the preliminary information about the new Thriving Suburbs Program, to enable organisations to begin preparation in advance of the release date.
This is an exciting opportunity for organisations with major capital projects that will offer significant community benefits! We’ve summarised the basics for you below, and have included the links for you to find out more.
If you’re one of the many clients with major infrastructure projects ready to go, now is the time to start preparing for this opportunity. Further information on the program, including the application process and forms, will be provided when the program opens.
NOTE – Eligible projects must be located in the Greater Capital City Statistical Areas (GCCSAs) as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics – check your area eligibility here first.
Thriving Suburbs essential information:
- $200 million funding pool for capital works for community and economic infrastructure in urban, suburban and peri-urban communities across Australia
- National, open and competitive program with funding awarded on a merit basis
- Two-stage application process: Stage one – Expressions of Interest and Stage 2 – full application
- Forecast opening date in 2024 (TBA)
- Funding between $500,000 and $15 million for priority community and economic infrastructure projects
- Mandatory co-funding is required – typically 50% (Group 3), 10%-30% for specific priority groups (Groups 1 & 2). Contributions to your project must be cash. In-kind contributions are not allowable as eligible. Other funding can come from state, territory and local government funds but not Commonwealth funds.
- Open to eligible local governments (Councils) and incorporated not-for-profit incorporated organisations
- Joint (consortia) applications are accepted under the program guidelines.
The objectives of the program are:
- constructing or upgrading community infrastructure, for example, sporting or cultural facilities
- contributing to achieving productivity and liveability outcomes
- projects that are strategically aligned with government priorities.
The intended outcomes of the program are:
- delivery of community infrastructure which contributes to local and state place-based priorities
- provision of infrastructure which benefits the community by improving equity and supports diverse social inclusion
- to grow local economies and enhance amenity and liveability particularly in suburban and peri-urban areas (new and outer suburbs)
- to contribute to the achievement of broader Government priorities such as net zero emissions, gender equality and/or First Nations priorities
- delivery of funding across a broad geographic spread of urban, suburban and peri-urban areas in Australia
- delivering a diversity of project types and a balance of large and small projects
- support and encourage projects from lesser-resourced applicants and low-rate-based councils.
Eligible activities must directly relate to the project and must include at least one of the following:
- constructing new community infrastructure
- expanding or upgrading existing infrastructure for wider community benefit.
Examples of these activities include but are not limited to:
- community hubs and centres (such as youth centres or men’s sheds)
- art galleries, libraries, museums, cultural or multipurpose facilities
- aquatic and/or sports centres
- revitalisation of town centres
- projects that contribute to building connected and sustainable communities both in new periurban, suburban and urban renewal areas to increase liveability and strengthen social inclusion.
- All activities must be strategically aligned to local or state place-based priorities and benefit the wider community.
Expression of Interest Stage:
- EOI Assessment criterion 1 – To what extent is your project ready to proceed and how does it align to the program objectives (weighted)?
- EOI Assessment criterion 2 – How does your project align with local or state place-based priorities for the area?
- EOI Assessment criterion 3 – How does your project align with government priorities?
Mandatory Attachments – EOI Stage:
- evidence to support a request for co-funding group, such as a letter of intent (if applicable)
- evidence you either own the land/infrastructure being built/upgraded upon, or you have the landowner’s permission to use the land/infrastructure
- evidence of a cash contribution from any source (for example state government), the source must provide you with formal documentation confirming the cash contribution so you can attach it to your application
- project budget
- project plan
- evidence of alignment to local or state place-based priorities (as further detailed in secton 6.3)
- evidence the project is ready to commence including approved development applications,
- project designs and timelines, noting the project needs to be ‘shovel ready’ at the time of entering into a funding agreement.
- trust deed (where applicable).
Here are the Forecast Guidelines and Fact Sheet. For more information follow this link.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: The Forecast Funding Opportunity is subject to revision, withdrawal or cancellation at any time. Information on forecasted opportunities is provided for planning purposes only and is not a binding commitment by the Commonwealth.
We are happy to begin discussions to position your project for this round.
**Please note, due to the competitiveness of this program, we will be limiting the number of applications we can support within similar geographic locations, so that our clients are not in direct conflict with each other. If you believe you have a project that would be suitable, please get in touch with us EARLY to flag your interest.