NSW Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund (CEO Fund) – Expanding Quality Access Program

Grant amount: Variable from a total program budget of $100 million.
Funding streams: capital works, operations support and transition support.
Priority area loading: A 15% loading will be applied to the total funding allocation for a transition service located in a priority area.
Applications close: November 30 2026

The NSW Expanding Quality Access Program supports existing quality, not-for-profit community preschools in NSW to transition to quality, not-for-profit long day care service models. The program aims to improve access to affordable early childhood education and care, particularly in underserved communities, while expanding options that meet diverse family needs across different age groups, hours and weeks of care.

It also seeks to increase workforce participation, particularly among women, by supporting access to extended weeks or hours of care from quality not-for-profit providers. Funding may support tailored advice and transition costs for up to two years, including capital works, wages and salaries, utilities and rent, training, software upgrades and equipment. The intended outcome is for recipients to transition their community preschool operations to a quality, not-for-profit long day care service by 30 June 2028.

Key Requirements

Improve access to quality and affordable early childhood education and care: The program aims to improve access for NSW children, particularly in underserved communities, by supporting eligible community preschools to transition to long day care models.
Expand care options for diverse family needs: The program supports service models that respond to the need for more weeks per year, longer hours, and care for different groups of non-school aged children
Increase workforce participation: The program is designed to support workforce participation, particularly among women, by increasing access to extended weeks or hours of early childhood education and care.
Transition to a long day care service by 30 June 2028: The primary outcome is for recipients to transition the operations of a quality, not-for-profit community preschool to a quality, not-for-profit long day care service by this date.
Meet one of three long day care service models: Applicants may transition to a model for children aged 0 to 5 years, children aged over 24 months to 5 years, or children aged 36 months to 5 years.
Demonstrate readiness, capacity and capability: Applicants are assessed against service, financial and community criteria, including transition planning, workforce, governance, regulatory obligations, infrastructure, budget feasibility and community need

What is eligible for funding?

Capital works required to support transition to an eligible long day care service model.
Wages and salaries linked to the transition service.
Utilities and rent linked to transition operations.
Training required to support transition.
Software, IT and digital upgrades required to support transition.
Equipment and other transition-related costs that support the move from a community preschool to an eligible long day care model.
Tailored planning and implementation support for transition, including workforce, regulatory compliance, financial management, governance, capital works and infrastructure planning

What companies are eligible for funding?

Approved providers of eligible community preschools in NSW.
Existing not-for-profit community preschools funded under the NSW Department of Education 2026 Start Strong for Community Preschools program.
Community preschool services that are approved early childhood education and care services and hold at least a Meeting National Quality Standard rating.
Approved early childhood education and care service providers operating in NSW, excluding Department of Education preschools.
Agents may apply on behalf of an approved provider of an eligible community preschool, with the provider’s permission.
Agents must be registered or incorporated in Australia for at least 12 months, hold appropriate insurance coverage and have written approval from the approved provider.
Companies and businesses can only apply if they meet the eligible approved provider or agent requirements

Is this grant competitive or entitlement based?

Competitive. Your application will be assessed among other applications by a judging panel.

How can I increase my chances of winning this grant?

By engaging an accredited government grants consultant, such as Avant Group.

Competitive grants often require significant business case development and project analysis to support the application, this may include detailed presentations supporting the project’s merit, projected sales, cost-benefit analysis and more.

As part of your engagement with Avant Group, your account manager will assess the required documents and will provide the following as needed to support your grant submission.

Grant application writeup including a detailed presentation illustrating how the grant funding will contribute to your project, how the funding will contribute to the project’s budget, a project milestone plan, delivery timeline, impact on employment if applicable and a breakdown of the management and leadership team for the project

Industry analysis presentation
Competitor Analysis Presentation
Marketing and Sales Analysis Presentation
3-5 year Cashflow Forecast
3-5 year Balance Sheet Forecast
Cost-Benefit Analysis of Grant Funding
End-to-end grant application including information collating, analysis and application writing
CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) cost-benefit analysis
Stakeholder relations and Risk Mitigation Plans
Any other relevant forecasting that will support your application

How can I get help with my application? Or know if I’m likely to win funding?

Avant Group offers a no-obligation assessment of your eligibility for funding and will assess your likelihood of a successful grant application.

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