Council's Grants Programs

Council values cultural, community and sporting initiatives and events and acknowledges the contributions made by organisations to our community.

To support our community, and to ensure Council maintains a consistent, open and equitable approach for the consideration and distribution of Council funds, a Community Financial Assistance Program was implemented in 2018. 

The Program covers three types of assistance.

1. General - A 'helping hand' through the provision of funds for a specific purpose or event up to an amount of $1,000.
2. Rates and Charges - The waiving of fees and charges on properties owned by a local not for profit community groups or organisations.
3. Leasing and Licencing - Reducing leases and licensing fees on Council owned properties.

Council runs two rounds of grants per year.

Applications for Community Financial Assistance

You can review the Community Financial Assistance Policy here: Community Financial Assistance Policy(PDF, 171KB)

Application forms are below:

• Community Financial Assistance - General Application Form (February and July)
• Community Financial Assistance - Leasing and Licencing Application Form (February)
• Community Financial Assistance - Rates and Charges Application Form (July)

At the conclusion of the application submission period, completed application forms will be assessed by an Evaluation Panel against the eligibility criteria.

Successful applicants will be required to report back to Council on how the funding was spent.

For more information, please contact Council's Governance team on 6861 2333. 

Click here to view form.

PRINTABLE FORM: Please click here for a printable version of this form. Once completed, please return to council@parkes.nsw.gov.au or the Administration Centre at 2 Cecile Street, Parkes. 

Council is committed to supporting the development, growth, improvement, and sustainability of local and destination events. 

Events play an important role in our community, providing a diverse range of vibrant experiences contributing to the Shire's social cohesiveness and wellbeing, heighten our community's pride of place and promote the Shire as an attractive place to live and visit.

To maintain a consistent, transparent, and equitable approach to the consideration and distribution of donations and to address substantial growth within the events industry across the Parkes Shire, Council has introduced an event grant funding initiative, known as the "Events Financial Assistance Program".

The Events Financial Assistance Program includes two separate funds:

Community Events Fund

The Community Event Fund recognises the vital connection that not-for-profit organisations and groups play in the development of a strong and resilient community. 

Community events should make a positive and ongoing contribution to the community. This funding is provided to assist event organisers to develop new events or improve existing ones whilst working towards event sustainability. Funding is provided for events that:

• Promote a safe, inclusive, and growing community.
• Assist in building a diverse and economically strong Parkes Shire.
• Appeal to a wide demographic.

Destination Events Fund

The Destination Event Fund recognises the importance of events that deliver significant visitation and economic benefits to the Parkes Shire and wider Central West region. 

Funding is provided for events that:

• Promote a safe, inclusive, and growing community.
• Attract overnight visitation from outside the Parkes Shire.
• Engage with the local tourism industry.
• Be held at a desirable time of year (outside of peak visitation periods).

Events Financial Assistance Program documentation

As part of the Events Financial Assistance Program, Council has devised a set of protocols that apply to community groups, non-profit organisations, and charitable entities, ensuring a systematic, fair and transparency approach to granting funds for events.

Guidelines - Events Financial Assistance Program(PDF, 336KB)

Council Policy - Financial Assistance(PDF, 171KB)

Funding rounds

Community Event Fund

• Round 1 (July - December 2025). Applications are open from Tuesday 8 April and close 5pm Friday 9 May 2025.

Destination Event Fund

• Applications for the 2024/25 Destination Events Fund are now closed, as all available funding has been allocated. Applications are now open for the 2025/26 Destination Events Fund. Please note that applications must be submitted at least four months prior to the event date. Late applications will not be accepted. The Destination Events Fund does not operate in set rounds. However, once the total funding allocation has been exhausted, the program will close for the financial year.

Funding limits

Applicants can apply for up to $10,000 in funding for either Community or Destination events

Application process

Applications must be submitted online via the below links:

Application Form - Events Financial Application Program - Community Events Fund

Application Form - Events Financial Assistance Program - Destination Events Fund

Further information

For further information on the Events Financial Assistance Program, please contact Council's Events and Festivals team on:

Email: events@parkes.nsw.gov.au

Phone: 02 6861 2333

Parkes Shire Council has joined forces with Evolution Mining - NorthParkes Operations to provide financial assistance grants to sporting groups and individuals throughout the Parkes Shire. In a new three-year agreement, Northparkes Operations and Parkes Shire Council will provide a total of $210,000 to be distributed for sporting related projects and now individuals through the Rising Star Award Grant Program.

Parkes Sports Council administers the grants with the aim to increase regular and ongoing participation opportunities in sport and to improve the sporting infrastructure within the Parkes Shire. The Sports Council is responsible for the care, control of sporting fields in Parkes Shire. It also strives to foster active participation of the people of Parkes Shire in all forms of athletic sports.

Northparkes Operations believes that to maintain a strong social license to operate they must have a positive influence on the long-term development of the communities that their operations may impact. Northparkes Operations has sponsorship and donation programs focused on community-based initiatives aimed at building community capacity.

Parkes Shire Sports Grants

The Sports Grant Funding is split between two distinct project types:

1. Participation Projects - that deliver a sport or physical activity participation experience to an identified group of people; and
2. Facility Development Projects - building new or upgrading sport and recreation facilities to support increased participation.

Each year $60,000 in grant funds are offered in two rounds of $30,000 each as follows:

• Round 1 Closing Midnight 30 March
• Round 2 Closing Midnight 30 September

The maximum available for a single sporting group for one or more projects is $15,000 per round.

Rising Star Award

The new Rising Star Grant Program will complement the existing program by providing financial assistance to individual sportspersons of the Parkes Shire, particularly those at junior level, who demonstrate the need for such assistance to develop their sporting career.

Each year $10,000 in grant funds are offered in two rounds of $5,000 each as follows:

• Round 1 Closing Midnight 30 March
• Round 2 Closing Midnight 30 September

At the end of the year, all the recipients of the Rising Star awards for the year will be automatically entered into the Parkes Shire Australia Day Sports Awards, where one will be selected to receive the perpetual Ron Harrison OAM Rising Star Award.

How to Apply

First, read the guidelines regarding the Sports Grants, which can be downloaded below. Note that the guidelines include a list of items that will and will not be funded under the program. For example, uniforms are now no longer funded. Please check the list when applying to ensure that you submit a complying application.

•  Sports-Grants-Policy-and-Guidelines.pdf(PDF, 290KB)

Then, complete the online application form below.

Parkes Shire Sports Grant (Sporting Groups) Application Form

Rising Star Award Grant (Individuals) Application Form 

Note: If the links do not work, try right clicking the link, choosing 'Copy link address" and pasting it into your browser address bar.

Help and Assistance

For more information about the Evolution Mining - Northparkes Operations / Parkes Shire Council Sports Grants or to seek assistance in completing an application, contact Council's Grants Officer on 02 6861 2333 or send an email to grants@parkes.nsw.gov.au.