Open Streets Program 2025-28

The Open Streets Program is one stream of the Vibrant Streets Package, delivering on the NSW Government’s ongoing commitment to enhance vibrancy in NSW.

The Open Streets 2025-28 is a $14.65 million grant program that will provide successful applicants with up to $350,000 in funding over three years to transform our streets into vibrant, walkable public spaces for people to enjoy and safely access.

This round of the Open Streets Program builds on the success and learnings of previous rounds (2021-22 and 2024-25) by providing multi-year funding to enable longer-term planning with improved processes and reduced costs, strengthen existing and emerging partnerships with business and the creative sector, and deepen community connection to place.

Key considerations:

• The Open Streets 2025-28 Program is an open competitive grant. This means that applications will be assessed on their comparative merits against the selection criteria which are outlined in the Program Guidelines.
• All applications will be assessed for eligibility and only eligible applications will be considered. You can find details about the eligibility criteria in the Program Guidelines.
• The assessment process is competitive and applications that do not clearly and sufficiently respond to the criteria will be disadvantaged during the assessment process.
• Applications should contain clear and relevant information.
• Applicants must be a council within NSW.
• Applicants can only submit one application (but may propose multiple event series within the single application).
• Applications will close by Friday 14 March 2025 at 5pm.

Before you begin, visit the Open Streets Program webpage and read all documents relating to the funding round including:

• Program Guidelines 
• Frequently Asked Questions 

Available support

• If you need help with your Open Streets Program application submission, please e-mail revitalisation@transport.nsw.gov.au and quote your application number.
• If you need technical support, visit the SmartyGrants Help Guide for Applicants webpage or check out the SmartyGrants Applicant Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's).
• Applicants are encouraged to seek advice from their own legal, business and financial advisors to determine the suitability of the funding before applying.

The objectives of the program are to:

• Promote vibrant local communities through delivery of free recurring street-based events.
• Empower local councils to deliver reduced costs and improved efficiency for street-based events.
• Support cultural industries and drive economic growth with more sustainable ongoing delivery of street-based events.
• Enable councils, community groups and businesses to activate their local streets.

The Applicant acknowledges and agrees that:

• Submission of this application does not guarantee funding will be granted for any project, and Transport for NSW expressly reserves its right to accept or reject this application at its discretion;
• It must bear the costs of preparing and submitting this application and Transport for NSW does not accept any liability for such costs, whether or not this application is ultimately accepted or rejected; and
• It has read the Program Guidelines and has fully informed itself of the relevant program requirements.
• Transport for NSW will populate the funding agreement with key project details as submitted in the application form. Transport for NSW reserves the right to amend the agreement before it is entered into with any recipient. 
• Councils who have received funding through a previous round of the Open Streets Program are not guaranteed funding through this competitive round and are not at an advantage over other applicants.

By submitting this application form, the Applicant acknowledges and agrees that:

• If this project application is successful, the relevant details of the project will be made public, including details such as the names of the organisation (Applicant) and any partnering organisation (state government agency or non-government organisation), project title, project description, location, anticipated time for completion and amount awarded;
• Transport for NSW will use reasonable endeavours to ensure that any information received in or in respect of this application which is clearly marked ‘Commercial-in-confidence’ or ‘Confidential’ is treated as confidential, however, such documents will remain subject to the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) (GIPA Act); and
• In some circumstances Transport for NSW may release information contained in this application form and other relevant information in relation to this application in response to a request lodged under the GIPA Act or otherwise as required or permitted by law.