We’re supporting growing communities across the state by helping to fund the delivery of high-quality, inclusive open spaces.
The Better Open Spaces program will provide $40 million in grants over two rounds to councils to fund upgrades to inclusive parks and sport fields, swimming spots and town squares. The program will help fund the delivery of high-quality open spaces to support the needs of growing communities across the state. It builds on the NSW Government’s investment in supporting greener, better-connected communities.
Round 1
Round 1 of the program will deliver up to $36 million and is available to 53 councils.
Funding for Round 1 is split into two pools which reflects the approximate share of housing growth between the two groups:
- $32.4 million in funding for 43 LGAs across Greater Sydney, Illawarra-Shoalhaven, Central Coast, Lower Hunter and Greater Newcastle
- $3.6 million in funding for 10 LGAs in regional NSW based on the highest dwelling construction approvals during the National Housing Accord Period.
Each council may apply for up to two grants, valued between $150,000 and $2 million, with matched funding required.
Three categories of open spaces are eligible for funding:
- Parks and sports fields – to upgrade facilities such as play spaces, tracks for walking/cycling/skating, fitness areas, off-leash dog areas, multi-purpose courts, picnic shelters and BBQ areas.
- Swim sites – to improve open spaces located near waterways, beaches, foreshores and riverfronts.
- Town squares and civic plazas – to improve central community spaces.
Round 1 of the program will prioritise construction-ready projects and proposals that demonstrate strong community support.
Round 1 timeline
Activities and indicative timeframes:
-
Application period opens
30 June 2026
-
Application period closes
31 August 2026
-
Successful council projects announced
2027
-
All open space projects to be completed
30 June 2029
Program principles
The Better Open Space program will deliver long-term benefits, showcasing best practice design and supporting growing, diverse local communities.
The program builds on the success of the Everyone Can Play program by assisting councils to upgrade inclusive, accessible and high-quality outdoor public spaces that cater to people of all abilities, ages, cultures and genders.
Inclusive open space means everyone can use the space for its intended purpose and it adheres to 3 principles:
Can I get there?
This principle ensures fair access to public open spaces, meaning no one is left out and that people with diverse needs can safely and affordably reach the space.
Can I stay?
This principle is about comfort, safety and dignity, ensuring public spaces feel welcoming for all, respectful and free from pressure to leave.
Can I join in?
This principle shifts the focus to identity, safety and inclusion, ensuring people feel genuinely welcomed, valued and connected. It promotes emotional safety, cultural expression and a strong sense of a strong sense of community.
The program supports key NSW Government priorities, including the Public Open Space Strategy for NSW and the NSW Disability Inclusion Plan, while supporting inclusive, high-quality open spaces in urban areas in NSW.
Frequently asked questions
The $40 million Better Open Spaces program is a NSW Government initiative announced in the 2025-26 NSW Budget to provide grants to councils to create high-quality, inclusive, and accessible outdoor public spaces.
Under Round 1, 53 councils are eligible to apply for funding. This includes all councils in the Greater Sydney, Central Coast, Lower Hunter, Illawarra-Shoalhaven regions, and 10 councils across Regional NSW which have the highest rates of growth during the National Accord Period.
Metropolitan
Bayside, Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Burwood, Camden, Campbelltown, Canada Bay, Canterbury-Bankstown, Central Coast, Cessnock, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Hawkesbury, Hornsby, Hunters Hill, Inner West, Kiama, Ku-ring-gai, Lake Macquarie, Lane Cove, Liverpool, Maitland, Mosman, Newcastle, North Sydney, Northern Beaches, Parramatta, Penrith, Port Stephens, Randwick, Ryde, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Strathfield, Sutherland, Sydney, The Hills, Waverley, Willoughby, Wollondilly, Wollongong, Woollahra.
Regional
Albury, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dubbo Regional, Mid-Coast, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional, Tamworth Regional, Tweed, Wagga Wagga.
The Better Open Spaces program was announced in the NSW Budget 2025–26 and will provide $40 million to eligible councils with two rounds of funding (Round 1 provides up to $36 million and Round 2 about $4 million).
Under Round 1, councils can apply for up two grants each of between $150,000 and $2 million with a requirement to match funding.
Funding for Round 1 is split into two pools which reflects the approximate share of growth between the two groups:
- $32.4 million in funding for 43 LGAs across Greater Sydney, Illawarra-Shoalhaven, Central Coast, Lower Hunter and Greater Newcastle
- $3.6 million in funding for 10 LGAs in regional NSW based on the highest dwelling construction approvals during the National Housing Accord Period.
Round 1 opens on 30 June and will be open for 8 weeks until 31 August. Councils will be able to apply through the Department's grants portal from 9am.
The competitive grant process rewards councils with the highest growth by ranking applications based on dwelling approvals in each local government area during the National Housing Accord period. This will be determined using the latest release of ABS Building Approvals data available at the time of assessment which counts individual dwellings that have received construction approvals.
All projects must satisfy the remaining merit-based criteria to be recommended for funding, including value for money, deliverability, inclusive design and strategic alignment.
Funding will support upgrades to three types of public open space:
- parks and sports fields
- swimming sites such as waterways, beaches, foreshores and riverfronts
- town squares and civic plazas.
Projects funded under this program may be located anywhere within the eligible local government area, except within Tier 1, Transport Oriented Development (TOD) Accelerated Precincts. These precincts are excluded because other grant programs, notably the TOD Community Infrastructure Program and Parks for People program, are already committed to providing funding to support public spaces and active transport projects in those areas.
Exclusions include indoor and commercial facilities, land acquisition, community gardens, bushland, carparks and ongoing operational costs. A full list of eligibility criteria is specified in the Grant guidelines (PDF, 1.8 MB).
Successful recipients can anticipate receiving funding in early 2027. This is subject to the announcement of successful projects, execution of funding agreements and meeting of certain milestones, including agreement on a final project plan.
Yes. Each grant awarded will require matched funding from councils. Matched funding will leverage the support of the NSW Government to deliver better open spaces sooner than what councils might otherwise be able to achieve without the grant.
Applicants can expect to be notified of the outcome via email in early 2027.
Generally, projects will need to be construction ready, however design-and-construction projects will be accepted if no more than 30% of grant funds requested are for design and they are completed within 18 months.
All projects selected for funding in Round 1 must be completed by 30 June 2029. Any design component must be completed within 18 months. More information can be found in the Grant guidelines (PDF, 1.8 MB).