Funding and Sponsorship from Council Policies

If you have already applied and been successful for a donation or event funding, your current funding will remain valid. However, future applications for the same event may be affected by the new policy changes.

Council will take a proactive approach to supporting organisations affected by funding changes. This includes directly contacting previous applicants, offering tailored assistance to help them navigate the new framework, and delivering workshops and online resources to build capacity. A broader communications campaign will also be launched to raise awareness of the changes and ensure information is accessible to all community groups.

Under the new Events and Festivals funding changes, Council will introduce a limit of three consecutive years of funding for the same event, starting from 1 January 2026. This change encourages organisers to build more sustainable models and reduce reliance on ongoing Council support. Events and festivals are encouraged to explore alternative revenue streams such as sponsorships, ticket sales, merchandise, vendor fees, crowdfunding, and partnerships with local businesses or community organisations.

Organisers should also consider applying for grants from state and federal governments, philanthropic foundations, and industry bodies. These updates aim to ensure a fairer distribution of Council resources and promote long-term viability for community events.

Council recognises that some community events may not be viable without financial support. In these cases, particularly for small-scale, free community gatherings, Council intends to continue providing modest assistance where appropriate. The primary focus of the funding changes is to shift from ongoing financial support toward providing professional guidance and capacity-building for event organisers. This approach aims to help groups improve the quality and sustainability of their events, while also freeing up resources to support new initiatives and emerging opportunities.

No. To ensure fair distribution and reduce duplication, organisations cannot receive funding from multiple Council programs for the same project. This is across all Council funding programs and will be included within each funding programs criteria and guidelines.

Across all rounds, funding will not be available to:

• Religious ceremonies
• Political parties or events
• Council-owned projects
• Committees of Council
• Organisations already supported through formal Council partnerships unless successful for event sponsorship (e.g., Lease Equity Program)
• Payment of debt or insurance premiums.

Eligibility varies by program, but generally includes:

• Community groups
• Not-for-profit organisations
• Social enterprises and small businesses (for some grants)
• Individuals and teams (via the Youth Excellence Sponsorship (YES!) Program)
• Event organisers

Community groups that regularly seek Council funding for fundraising activities, operational support, or recurring events will be most affected by the proposed changes. These organisations may have come to expect consistent financial support year after year, but under the revised approach, they will no longer receive cash support for events, donations, or community grants on a regular basis. Council staff will work closely with these groups to help them understand the changes and explore ways to improve their events and funding applications.

Additionally, organisations benefiting from the Lease Equity Program—such as men’s sheds, community centres, sporting clubs (including surf clubs), and cultural or educational groups—will continue to receive support through subsidised lease arrangements. However, they too may be impacted by the shift away from regular cash funding, and will need to adapt to new funding priorities and processes.

The changes to the policy will allow other groups and new applicants a fair chance to receive funding, rather than having the same events dominate the funding round year after year.

Support and encourage organisations to develop sustainable funding models and seek diverse income streams after initial support.

These policy and subsequent procedure changes promotes the development of new events and ideas by limiting long-term funding for recurring events.

There are no changes proposed to the Environmental Research Grant, Local Heritage Places Grant, Youth Week Grants, Lead Mitigation Grants, or the Mine Grout Fund, these programs will continue to operate under the existing procedure.

Some applicants receive funding from multiple Council programs for the same project or service, which can reduce fairness and stretch limited resources. Fixed funding rounds may delay support for emerging issues or urgent opportunities, while outdated program guidelines often fail to reflect current community priorities or best practices. The complexity of having many programs with different rules can make it confusing for community groups to understand their eligibility or how to apply. Additionally, multiple layers of review and reporting can slow decision-making and delay project delivery. Strict eligibility criteria may also exclude creative or experimental ideas that don’t fit traditional categories but could offer significant value.

• Updated donation eligibility criteria now require applicants to demonstrate significant local need and allow retrospective funding within the same financial year
• New exclusions include funding for debt payments, insurance premiums, Committees of Council, Council-owned projects, religious ceremonies, political parties, individuals, and politically affiliated events. Organisations already supported through formal Council partnerships, including Lease Equity Program recipients, are also excluded

Yes. The Community Environment Grant Program will no longer require matching in-kind funds and is now open to social enterprises, sole traders, and small businesses. From 1 July 2025, Council introduced a new waste management subsidy for eligible charities and not-for-profit organisations. This provides up to 20 tonnes (or $5,233 worth) of free waste disposal and recycling services at the Awaba Waste Management Facility for organisations with a valid Community Service Exemption from the NSW EPA.

Organisations receiving support through the Lease Equity Program or other Council funding streams will no longer be eligible to apply for Events and Festivals funding. Additionally, funding for the same event will be limited to three consecutive years starting 1 January 2026. Organisers are encouraged to seek alternative revenue sources such as sponsorships, ticket sales, merchandise, vendor fees, crowdfunding, and grants from other government or philanthropic bodies.

Key changes to the procedure include:

• Removal of the 50% matching funds requirement for several programs, including Creative Industry Seed Grants and Community Environment Grants
• Clarification that university administration or overhead costs are not eligible under Environmental Research Grants
• Removal of the donated green waste service, which ended on 30 June 2025
• Introduction of a new “Implementation, Coordination and Governance” section to guide funding officers in biannual reviews

The updated policy has been revised to improve clarity and focus. Procedural details have been moved to a separate procedure document to streamline the policy itself. These changes aim to support more equitable and strategic funding decisions across Council programs.

• Grants (e.g., Community Environment, Youth Week, NAIDOC).
• Donations for eligible community organisations
• Events and festivals funding ( Local and Community Events)
• Subsidies (e.g., waste management, park hire, development fee reductions)

The Funding from Council Policy outlines Council’s role in supporting the community through funding. The policy has been updated to remove details on funding rounds, as details on the specific funding rounds available and eligibility criteria are operational and managed by separate criteria and assessment. This detail is included within the aligned internal procedure.

The policy has been updated to make the wording clearer and better reflect its purpose. Operational details, such as insurance and promotion requirements, have been removed from the policy and are now included in a separate procedure document. The policy also now aligns with the Events and Festivals Strategic Action Plan 2024–2028, and the review period has been extended from two years to four years to match the Council term.

The funding policy has been revised to improve clarity and better reflect its purpose. Operational details, such as insurance and promotion requirements, have been moved to a separate procedure document to streamline the policy. The scope of the policy has also been updated to align with the Events and Festivals Strategic Action Plan 2024–2028, and the review period has been extended from two years to four years to match the Council term.

Additional changes include the continued availability of Council sponsorship under the updated policy, the introduction of a new sponsorship category, the Youth Excellence Sponsorship (YES!) Program, and the removal of individuals from the ineligibility list. These updates aim to make the policy more accessible, focused and responsive to community.

The purpose of this policy is to strengthen Lake Macquarie’s position as a destination for high-impact events and initiatives. It aims to actively attract large-scale sporting, cultural, and other events at local, national, and international levels through sponsorship opportunities. The policy also supports high-value proposals from individuals, businesses, and organisations that offer equal or greater return to the city. By encouraging diverse and economically beneficial activities, the policy seeks to build a vibrant community, increase visitation, and enhance awareness of Lake Macquarie as a dynamic and attractive location.

Feedback may result in changes being made to the draft Funding and Sponsorship from Council Policies prior to a report being prepared for Council.

You will be notified again, prior to Council considering the matter, which will include a link to the Council report containing a summary of submissions and how feedback was considered.

Your submission can be as short or as long as you wish,

Ideally, you will express your level of support for the proposal and provide detailed and specific feedback. The feedback will be reviewed by staff and later presented to Council to make an informed decision.

Should multiple submissions be received from a single resident regarding this project, the feedback will be reviewed by staff and counted as one submission when reporting back to Council.

Submissions must be made in writing and received by 25 November 2025.  You can choose to:

• provide written feedback via the online submission form on this website
• email [email protected] with the subject heading 'Funding and Sponsorship from Council’
• Write to Lake Macquarie City Council Attn: Arts, Culture and Tourism, Box 1906, Hunter Region Mail Centre, NSW, 2310.