2022–23 Financial Year
Part of the Tourism Product Development Fund.
Introduction
The following information is to provide you with more guidance when completing your application. Please read the Funding Guidelines first so that you have an overview of the program and the terms and conditions.
If you do not meet one or more of the eligibility requirements, do not commence an application. Your application will not be eligible if you do not meet all the eligibility requirements. If you have any doubt about your eligibility, please contact your Destination Network to seek advice.
The following information should be read in conjunction with developing your application and reviewing your form prior to submission.
As you complete the online form please regularly (at least every 30 minutes and at any time you step away from the computer) click the ‘Save Draft’ button to ensure you do not lose your work.
We recommend that you use the latest version of Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Opera to complete the online application form. If you are using outdated versions or other systems, the site may not function as intended.
Application writing tips
- Grant funding rounds are highly competitive. Assessors will be reviewing a high volume of applications. You need to present a concise, easy to read application that addresses all the stated requirements of the assessment criteria for the fund.
- Write your application assuming the assessor knows nothing about your business or your proposed project. Is the information you are providing easily understood by someone who doesn’t know your business or is unfamiliar with your project?
- Write factually. The information you submit needs to be accurate. If any misleading information is included in your application, it will affect your chances of receiving a grant or if you were successful it may result in the offer of funding being withdrawn.
- Describe your project idea and how it aligns with the objectives of the grant program and the NSW Government Visitor Economy Strategy 2030.
- Do you have a business plan? Is the business plan up to date? Is the project included in your business plan? Attach your business plan to the application.
- Plan how you will use the grant money effectively to deliver the project.
- Consider how your project idea will translate into action and all the steps required to complete it to create a project plan. Attach this project plan to your application.
- What are the benefits of your project to the broader visitor economy? How will the investment in your project deliver broad and long-term benefits (e.g. creation of jobs, preservation of existing jobs, attract new markets, increase visitors, visitor nights and/or visitor expenditure).
- Explain how you are or will be competitive in your sector. A grant assessor will want to see that you are committed to remaining competitive (Government has a responsibility to see that public funds are used by productive, profitable and effective businesses that will achieve successful and sustainable outcomes).
- Answer all the questions and provide supporting evidence.
Section 1 - Applicant Business Details
1.1 Business Details (organisation or lead organisation if a consortium)
Registered Business Name: The business name supplied must be registered for GST.
ABN: The ABN supplied must relate to the Business Name supplied above.
Trading Name: If you trade under another name using the above ABN provide that trading name.
Registered Business Address: Provide the registered address of the business.
Postal Address: If your postal address is different (e.g. a PO Box) please provide the postal address. If your registered business address is the same as your postal address, then tick the ‘Same as above’ box.
1.2 Authorised Person
This must be an individual who is able and authorised to enter into a Funding Agreement with Destination NSW on behalf of the applicant organisation, if the application is successful. This may be a Director or an owner of the business.
Title: Select the appropriate title from the drop-down list supplied e.g. Mr, Mrs, Ms, Doctor, etc.
First Name: Enter the First Name of the Authorised person.
Last Name: Enter the Last Name of the Authorised person.
Position Title: The title held in the business e.g. Director, Owner, CEO, General Manager, etc.
Postal Address: Provide the postal address of the authorised person. If it is the same as the business postal address, then tick the ‘Same as business postal address ‘ box.
Phone: Provide a phone number the Authorised person can be contacted on.
Mobile: Provide the mobile number the Authorised person can be contacted on.
Email: Supply an email address the Authorised person can be contacted on.
1.3 Primary Contact
This person will be contacted on all matters relating to this application. It can be the authorised person or an individual preparing the application on behalf of the business applying for the Funding. If it will be the Authorised Person, then tick the ‘Same as Authorised Person’ box. If a different person is to be the Primary Contact, then complete all the contact details requested.
Title: Select the appropriate title from the drop-down list supplied e.g. Mr, Mrs, Ms, Doctor, etc.
First Name: Enter the First Name of the Primary Contact.
Last Name: Enter the Last Name of the Primary Contact.
Position Title: The title held in the business e.g. Director, Owner, CEO, General Manager, etc.
Relationship to Business: From the drop down, list please select the option that best describes your relationship to the applicant business.
Phone: Provide a phone number the Primary Contact can be contacted on.
Mobile: Provide the mobile number the Primary Contact can be contacted on.
Email: Supply an email address the Primary Contact can be contacted on.
1.4 Business Category
Please select the Business Category Type, from the supplied list, that best describes your type of business structure. If you are unsure, please talk to your Accountant for advice.
1.5 GST Registration
Is the applicant organisation registered for GST? Select Yes or No to answer this question.
Attach evidence of your GST Registration. You can obtain this evidence by going to the Australian Business Number Look Up website and entering the ABN you supplied in 1.1. You can print the results page to a PDF format and then upload the PDF file to your application.
If the ABN lookup doesn’t confirm you are registered for GST, then you cannot apply to the funding until you are registered for GST and can attach evidence of your registration to the application. If you are successful you will need to still be registered for GST to be eligible to enter into a Funding Agreement with Destination NSW.
1.6 Sharing your information
This question is seeking your approval for Destination NSW to share the content of the application with staff members of Destination NSW, the relevant Destination Network and external advisors of Destination NSW for the purposes of assessment and communication and for information purposes to certain NSW Government Ministerial Representatives.
Without providing this approval, your application cannot be assessed. However, under privacy rules we need your permission to share the contents. All assessors are bound by confidentiality agreements and codes of conduct. Your business information will be treated as Commercial-in-Confidence.
Select Yes or No to answer this question. Selecting No will result in Destination NSW being unable to assess your application.
Section 2 - Project Details
2.1 Business Name and Physical Location
If the Business Name and Physical Location of the project is the same as the Applicant Business Name tick the ‘Same as Applicant Business Name and Business Address’ box.
If the information is different, provide the relevant Business Name and Address as requested in the application form.
2.2 Local Government Area
What Local Government Area is the business located in? If you are unsure of the Government Area name please check by visiting the Office of Local Government website and typing in the business’s address.
You can then select the correct Local Government Area name from the drop-down list in the application form.
2.3 If the project will be undertaken over multiple locations please provide further details below:
If your project will be undertaken over multiple locations, please provide information in the free text box to explain all the locations that your project will occur in. If your project does not involve multiple locations, please skip this question.
2.4 Do you currently operate a tourism business at the above location?
Please select Yes or No as relevant. If you select No, you proceed to question 2.5. If you select Yes, the following questions will automatically appear in your application form.
2.4 a) Please provide the following information:
In the boxes provided supply the URL link to your own website, the name of the online booking platform/system your business currently uses and the link to your product listing on visitnsw.com, which is the consumer website operated by Destination NSW.
An applicant from an area with no or limited internet connectivity, which results in online bookings not being viable for their business, may apply. Simply state N/A in the box requesting your online booking platform.
More information about getting your product listed on visitnsw.com is available on the Destination NSW website
2.4 b) For the Calendar year 2022 (or the financial year 2021-22 ) please complete the below table. If your business opened post this period, please advise your current employees.
You need to supply the information requested for the yellow highlighted sections in the below table:
The information entered needs to be numbers only. Round your answer to the nearest full number. The table will use the information supplied to auto calculate the FTE employees. If you do not have a particular type of worker, place a 0 in each of the fields for that worker type.
2.4 c) Which period do the above figures relate to:
Select the correct period, from the supplied list, for the employment figures provided in 2.4 b) e.g. 2022 Calendar Year, 2021-22 Financial Year .
2.4 d) For the same period selected above, what were the visitor numbers for your existing tourism business?
In the table provided supply the information requested.
2.5 Project Title
Provide a short simple working title for your project. Review the successful projects from the previous Product Development funding program on the Destination NSW website for some ideas of how to keep it simple.
2.6 Project Description
Clearly state what the funding you are requesting will be used for e.g. establish a new ‘xyz’ nature experience; upgrade an ‘abc’ to deliver a new nature experience; construct viewing platforms e.g. for wetlands, canola fields or lavender bloom viewing; repurpose an “A” into “B” and why.
Explain what other work you will be undertaking in the short term i.e. within 12 months of the work funding is being requested for. If you have longer term plans outlined in your Business Plan, reference that section of your Business Plan to provide the detail on your long-term vision for your business.
Outline how the development will fit into your existing business and why you believe the project will work in the location.
If it is a new business explain why you believe there is a need for the product and why you believe the project will work in the location.
You can provide more detail through the attachments you supply to support your answer.
In your answer reference the documents you are attaching in support of your answer - reference the attachment by its name and the section/page number(s) you want the assessor to read.
Some key attachments are: your business plan, aerial view(s) of the site with the development location highlighted or marked out to show where it will be located, photographs of the existing tourism experience and site of where the new tourism product will be located, a project plan including the timeframe for the various elements of your project to be completed, research to support the viability of your project in the location, financial forecasting, anticipated visitor numbers and ticket pricing and a copy of the property title or lease agreement for the location(s) the project will occur.
NOTE: Do not attach the same attachment in multiple locations within your application. Attach the document once and when you reference it later in your application refer the assessor to where you have attached it.
In scoring your application assessors can only consider the information you provide in your application form and, where relevant, a desktop search on your current business.
2.7 Does the project require a Development Application?
Simply select Yes or No as appropriate for your project.
If your project requires construction work or installation of prefabricated infrastructure, please check with your Council to confirm that a DA is not required.
2.8 Has the Development Approval been obtained?
Please select Yes or No as relevant. If your answer is Yes, please attach a copy of the complete DA (and yes, we do want all the pages to be scanned and attached) including the approved plans stamped by the Council.
If you select No, attach the plans you have or will be submitting to Council and advise when this did or will happen. Also please provide the anticipated timeframe for the approval process e.g. submitted to Council on (insert date), Council decision anticipated on (insert date).
Please note, if your project requires a DA and it has not been obtained by the time of submitting your application, your application will be less competitive than an application that does have an approved DA.
Should the application be successful, no funding payment will be made until a copy of the approved DA and the Council stamped plans are provided to Destination NSW. The approved DA must be consistent with the project as described in the application. For example, if the Council has varied the proposed work or has imposed operating restrictions, which result in the project no longer meeting the assessment criteria or being as competitive as other applications received, then the offer of funding may be withdrawn.
2.9 Proposed new Attraction or Experience project start date
Please provide the date you anticipate commencing the project. The date format required is dd/mm/yyyy and a clickable calendar is provided to easily populate the field.
This date will need to be no earlier than three months from the application closing date to allow for a Funding Agreement to be negotiated and entered into.
If you are successful no work will be able to commence on the project until a Funding Agreement has been entered into.
2.10 Anticipated launch date
Please provide the date you anticipate opening the new attraction or experience to the public. The date format required is dd/mm/yyyy and a clickable calendar is provided to easily populate the field.
2.11 How many weeks per year do you intend the new attraction or experience will be available for visitors?
Insert the number of weeks you intend to be open to visitors in the field provided.
This question is seeking confirmation that you meet one of the key eligibility requirements which is that your new attraction or experience will be available to visitors for at least 50 weeks of each calendar year.
Please note that this excludes situations where due to emergency orders, natural disasters or other unforeseeable circumstances; your business is unable to operate. It is asking about your normal, planned operating arrangements.
2.12 Will the new attraction or experience be available to be booked and paid for online.
Increasingly consumers expect to be able to search, book and pay online for the activities they want to undertake on a holiday. In response to this consumer expectation a key focus of the Visitor Economy Strategy (VES) 2030 is Digital Transformation.
This question is asking if visitors to your proposed new attraction or experience will be able to book and pay online, through your own and/or a third-party website. Please select Yes or No as relevant for your business. Please note that an online enquiry form, email, social media or ‘chat’ enquiry option does not constitute being bookable online. Bookable online refers to consumers being able to, in ‘real time’, see your availability, make a booking, make payment and have the booking confirmed 24/7.
If your business will be in an area with no or limited internet connectivity, which results in online bookings not being viable for your business, you may still apply. Please select No and attach an explanation which clarifies the challenges regarding connectivity. The additional information is important for the assessors to understand why your business should be exempt from being bookable online.
Section 3 - Project Budget
3.1 Project Budget
Provide a summary budget in the template within the application form. All costs included in the budget are to be provided excluding GST. You can add extra rows to the table by clicking on the ‘Add Row” button.
See below example:
The budget shouldn’t just be one line, for example, Building Works $550,000. You can bundle/group expenses under key headings if the detail is available in a more detailed budget attached to your application. All anticipated project costs should be included in the budget, even ineligible costs.
For each eligible item in the budget you are seeking funding for, you will need to at least match the dollars being requested. If a single eligible item in your budget costs $500,000, or more, the funding requested for that item could be the maximum $250,000 with your contribution being the remaining money required. You would then need to cover all other costs associated with the project.
The application budget or the detailed budget attached needs to provide enough detail for Destination NSW to clearly determine which items are eligible expenses. Should you be successful and the eligibility of items in your budget is unclear those items will not be funded.
The guidelines provide a list of the types of expenses that are not eligible.
The budget must be at least $200,000 of eligible expenses to meet the minimum grant threshold of $100,000 for a matched dollar-for-dollar grant. In most cases, due to projects including ineligible expenses, your total budget will be greater than $200,000. Attaching a more detailed budget will assist the assessors to better understand the costs of your project and confirm it meets the minimum threshold. The budget must include an allocation for the independent audit once the project is completed. The audit only considers the costs and work associated with the funded project. It is not a full audit of your business. Up to one percent (1%) of the total project cost can be allocated to the audit in your budget.
The audit can be completed by an Auditor or a Chartered Practicing Accountant (CPA) providing it isn’t the CPA or accounting company that prepares your business accounts.
3.2 Supporting documentation - Proof of matching cash
You need to demonstrate that you have the money needed to complete the project. You will need to supply current Bank Statements or Loan Approvals from an Australian Financial Institution demonstrating all the money needed for the project (less the funding requested) is available now.
Past or future investment, future earnings or funds from the sale of property not yet settled cannot be used as evidence that you have the funds to complete the project.
If your application is successful you will also need to re-confirm that the funds are still available at the time of signing the Funding Agreement.
If you are unable to demonstrate in your application that you have all the required applicant cash on hand, your application will be deemed ineligible and will not be assessed for funding.
3.3 Supporting documentation - Letter of Commitment
The letter of commitment is to formally declare that if your application is successful you commit to use your funds and the grant for the project as described in your application i.e. they won’t be used for other purposes.
If you have multiple businesses or individuals financially contributing to the project, each investor will need to supply a letter of commitment.
A letter of commitment needs to:
- be on company letterhead with contact details
- contain details of the project
- state the source(s) of the matching funds (will need to match the evidence supplied in 3.2)
- commit that if the application is successful the cash will be directed to delivering the project as described in the application
- signed by each of the business’s partners
- addressed to Destination NSW, GPO Box 7050, Sydney NSW 2001.
3.4 Other NSW Government funding for this project
If you have received any NSW Government Funding for any part of the project described in your application select Yes. If no NSW Government Funding has been received, select No.
If you select Yes, then provide further details including which Department provided funding, the amount of funding and specifically what the funding was granted for.
If you have received NSW Government Funding, attach a copy of the Funding Agreement to your application. If the funding has been included in your investment in 3.1 then attach the Funding Agreement to that section. Otherwise attach the Funding Agreement to your Capacity to Deliver section in 4.3.
Also attach an update on what stage the work outlined in the Agreement is up to.
3.5 Other NSW Government funding for the business
If you have received any NSW Government Funding for any activity in the last three years then select Yes. If no NSW Government Funding has been received, select No.
If you select yes, then provide further details including which Department provided funding, the amount of funding and specifically what the funding was granted for and the status of the project.
Attach the information to the Capacity to Deliver section at 4.3.
3.6 Commonwealth Government funding for this project
If you have received any Commonwealth Government Funding for any part of the project described in your application select Yes. If no Commonwealth Government Funding has been received, select No.
If you select Yes, then provide further details including which Department provided funding, the amount of funding and specifically what the funding was granted for.
If you have received Commonwealth Government Funding attach a copy of the Funding Agreement to your application. If the funding has been included in your investment in 3.1 then attach the Funding Agreement to that section. Otherwise attach the Funding Agreement to your Capacity to Deliver section in 4.3.
Section 4 - Assessment Criteria
4.1 Strategic and marketing impact data/benefits
4.1 a) Target Market(s)
Who will be visiting your tourism product? If you haven’t thought about this already, you may want to look at research about the types of visitors currently coming to the area as a guide. Which of those are most likely to be interested in your new attraction or experience? You may have more than one target market, but it definitely will not be everybody.
Research Snapshots and Local Government Area Profiles are available on the Destination NSW website.
4.1 b) Which current and/or emerging strength(s), as identified in the VES 2030, does the new Attraction or Experience project align with?
This question is asking you to identify each of the strengths that you believe your new attraction or experience aligns with. Please select only the strengths that have a clear alignment to your new products. Examples of weak, vague or insubstantial links include:
- Proposing an alignment with ‘Living Aboriginal culture’ because you are naming your product using the local Aboriginal language, but you are not an Aboriginal owned or operated business
- Proposing an alignment with any strength under ‘World-Class Food and Drink’ because you happen to serve food, wine and/or beer.
4.1 c) For each of the new or emerging strengths you have selected above please explain how your product aligns and provide details how your new attraction or experience contributes to these strengths.
Please explain how or why you believe the new attraction or experience will build on or support each of the strengths you have selected.
4.1 d) Does the new attraction or experience align with the relevant Destination Network, Region’s or Local Government Area’s Destination Management Plan?
If You select Yes complete question 4.1 e). If you select No or there isn’t a DMP for your area, then proceed to question 4.1 f)
4.1 e) If you have answered Yes in 4.1 d) Please provide a hyperlink to each of the relevant Destination Management Plan(s), explain how and why you believe your new attraction or experience aligns with the plan(s).
You will need to supply a link to the relevant Destination Management Plan(s) and provide details of the relevant sections, page numbers etc., of the plan which identify / support the product development and highlight how your product development aligns with the findings and/or recommendations of the Destination Management Plan.
Please provide specific page/section references from the plan and explain how your project aligns. The stronger and the more direct the alignment the better your application will score. Weak, vague or insubstantial links will not score well.
4.1 f) Do you have a plan for marketing and promoting the attraction or business once it is developed?
A well developed and costed marketing plan will strengthen your application. Select the check box relevant to your application. If you answer Yes, please attach the plan.
4.1 g) Does your new attraction or experience incorporate sustainability initiatives or mitigations in its design or delivery?
Sustainability relates to initiatives including, but not limited by, renewable energy use, green business practices, drought and bushfire mitigation, and prioritising local suppliers, produce, eco and recycled materials/consumables in your procurement policy.
Select the check box relevant to your application.
If you answer Yes, please answer question 4.1 h).
4.1 h) If you answered Yes in 4.1 g) Please outline the sustainability initiatives or mitigations that will be incorporated and attach any relevant supporting evidence.
An assessor would expect that these initiatives would also be clearly outlined in your Business Plan and/or Project Plan. You may attach supporting evidence. It is recommended that you provide clear references to the information you want the assessor to read in your attachments.
4.1 i) Does your new attraction or experience incorporate accessibility initiatives or mitigations in its design or delivery?
Accessibility relates to initiatives including, but not limited by, accessibility of the attraction/experience to visitors with physical or intellectual challenges e.g. hearing loops, ramps, accessible facilities, braille signage, audio descriptions, tactile displays and other multi sensory interpretation/interaction.
4.1 j) If you answered Yes in 4.1 i) Please outline the accessibility initiatives or mitigations that will be incorporated and attach any relevant supporting evidence.
An assessor would expect that these initiatives would also be clearly outlined in your Business Plan and/or Project Plan. You may attach supporting evidence. It is recommended that you provide clear references to the information you want the assessor to read in your attachments.
4.2 Proposed Economic Impact Data
4.2 a) What are the anticipated visitation results of your proposed product in the first 12 months of operation?
Here is an example of what the table could look like when fully populated:
The figures provided should be the total number of visitors you anticipate in your first year of operation broken down by the listed source markets.
The numbers you supply here will form the basis of your KPIs - do not overstate your targets.
An assessor will also question, and score down, targets that appear to be inflated. Your targets will be compared to the current visitation data for your region. For example, if based on the current data your targets would require 80% of your target market(s), that currently visit the region to visit your product, this would be considered inflated. You would need to provide your reasons to support such targets in your Business Plan and reference them in 4.2 b) below.
Research Snapshots and Local Government Area Profiles are available on the Destination NSW website.
4.2 b) Please reference where in your Business Plan this forecast is explained and the research or other information sources you have used to develop the forecast.
You have up to 600 characters to provide clear references to the information in your Business Plan that explains how you developed your anticipated visitor targets stated in 4.2 a).
4.2 c) In the table below please indicate the number of employees you anticipate will be working at your business 12 months after the new attraction or experience has been open to visitors? If you are successful you will be asked to report against this forecast as part of your final report.
You need to supply the information requested for the yellow highlighted sections in the below table. State the number of people who will be employed at your business during the first 12 months of operation under each category and the average number of hours each type of employee will work in a week:
The information entered needs to be numbers only. Round your answer to the nearest full number. The table will use the information supplied to auto calculate the FTE employees. If you do not anticipate having a particular type of worker, place a 0 in each of the fields for that worker type.
4.3 Capacity to Deliver the Project
4.3 a) Demonstrate that you have a successful business record.
OR
If you are a new business demonstrate that you have the skills, experience or engaged the right support/advice to be able to run a successful business.
The applicant organisation’s business track record should be noted, e.g. evidence of growth, results of past product development (grant and/or self-funded).
If a new business, what life/work experience do you have that demonstrates your ability to run the new business. What professional advice, support or guidance have you obtained to successfully run the new business?
Regardless of whether you are new or existing business, have you discussed your new product idea with the Destination NSW Industry Development team? Have you attended any of the NSW First Workshops, watched any of the Webcasts or reviewed the NSW First Guides to develop your knowledge and understanding of the tourism industry? Information on the latest Live and On Demand NSW First Workshops and other information resources are available on the Destination NSW website.
You have up to 1000 characters to answer this question. You can also attach supporting evidence under question 4.3 e) and provide references to the key pages and sections you want the assessor to review to demonstrate your successful business record.
4.3 b) Demonstrate that you do, or will have, adequate dedicated human resources to manage the project.
Detailing the experience and skills of the project manager and team, as they relate to the nature of this project, is important. This should also include the contractors, designers, architects etc., you have engaged for any construction projects. Attach CVs of your key human resources, position descriptions for staff you intend to employ and bios or brochures of your contractors.
You have up to 1000 characters to answer this question. You can also attach supporting evidence under question 4.3 e) and provide references to the key pages and sections you want the assessor to review to demonstrate your adequate human resourcing.
4.3 c) What systems and processes do you, or will you, have in place to manage and monitor the new attraction or experience?
Detailing the systems/processes to be used is also important, e.g. a call to action, contracted online booking company, in-house booking system, project management software or system and result measurement tools - how will you record/track your visitation so that you can report on your KPIs if successful.
This information demonstrates to the assessor that you have considered, and are prepared for, both the project development and future running of the business.
You have up to 1000 characters to answer this question. You can also attach supporting evidence under question 4.3 e) and provide references to the key pages and sections you want the assessor to review to demonstrate your systems and processes.
4.3 d) Demonstrate you have sound Corporate Governance.
Do you have clear and transparent procurement and decision-making processes? Who is responsible for hiring and firing staff? Do you have clear delegations for financial transactions? Can staff purchase standard consumable items up to a certain value but beyond which the owner must approve purchases or is it only the owner who can make purchases? Are three quotes required above a certain value for purchases? Must all Directors agree to non-budgeted expenditure or only if it is above a certain value? Is your policy to prioritise buying local? Buying ecological products? Buying best value for money? What are the rules of your business and how it operates?
You have up to 1000 characters to answer this question. You can also attach supporting evidence under question 4.3 e) and provide references to the key pages and sections you want the assessor to review to demonstrate your Corporate Governance.
4.3 e) Demonstrate you have undertaken research, project planning and preparation for the development of the new attraction or experience.
The applicant should highlight to the assessor any preliminary work already undertaken e.g. preparing a business plan, research that demonstrates the new attraction or experience will be financially viable and will appeal to your target market(s), secured DA approvals, scoping the work, engaging/obtaining expert advice, any estimates or quotes for the proposed work, preparing design layouts and concepts.
You have up to 1000 characters to answer this question. You can also attach supporting evidence under question 4.3 e) and provide references to the key pages and sections you want the assessor to review to demonstrate your pre-planning.
Financial Status Files
4.3 f) Applicants should attach their latest two completed financial statements (including a balance sheet, cash flow statement and profit and loss statement) as selected for the last two financial years including any notes.
You need to attach two full sets of Financial Year Financial Statements. Not one Financial Statement that shows two financial years, but two separate Financial Statements so we can review three financial years’ activity.
A Director, Chief Financial Officer or Auditor must sign a cover note with their position, contact details and a declaration stating “I hereby certify that these financial statements are true and correct to the best of my knowledge after making diligent enquiry.”
If you don’t have these financial statements, because it is a new business or because your business structure doesn’t require this level of documentation, then prepare a financial forecast for your business covering the next three years, outlining your income and expenditure for the business. Talk through your budgets, financial situation and financial forecasts with your Accountant, seek their opinion and advice and incorporate that into your financial forecasts. Attach these forecast documents to your application.
Ask your Accountant to review your forecasts and budgets and advise you if they believe your budget, financial situation and forecasts are well considered, reasonable and are sound. If yes, ask them to supply a letter confirming their opinion. Attach that letter to your application. If they do not believe your budget and forecasts are well considered, reasonable and sound, you should work with them to develop more realistic figures for your proposed business. You may need to reconsider your pricing or other aspects of your business to ensure it is financially viable.
If an applicant does not supply the statements as specified above it will reduce the competitiveness of their application.
4.3 g) Contact details of the applicant’s accountant
Please provide the contact details of your accountant as per the fields requested in the application form.
4.3 h) Contact details of the applicant’s existing auditor (if applicable)
Please provide the contact details of your current auditor as per the fields requested in the application form. Please note that, should you be successful, this person or company cannot undertake the independent audit at the completion of your project.
4.3 i) Permission to contact
This information is required to allow Destination NSW to independently confirm the financial status of an applicant. If you do not wish to give permission, it may reduce the competitiveness of this application.
Select Yes or No in relation to the following statement:
I give Destination NSW permission to contact my accountant or auditor to confirm my financial position.
Section 5 - Declaration
The declaration is a legal declaration in relation to the contents of the application so please ensure the Authorised Person reads the declaration carefully and is clear about what they are ‘signing’ their name to.
The declaration can only be ‘signed’ by the Authorised person. By typing in the Authorised Person’s name and Position Title they are legally deemed to have signed the declaration.
The declaration must be signed prior to submitting the application.
There are also two specific questions at the beginning of the Declaration section which must be answered with a Yes or No.
Submitting your Application
Applicants should review their application carefully before submitting, to ensure all questions are answered honestly and thoroughly and that all required information and documents are attached to support their application. Once applications are submitted, applicants will not be able to change their submission. Any missing, incomplete or ambiguous information will reduce the competitiveness of the application.
Once all the information is complete you can submit your application.
If there is a missed mandatory field or information supplied in the incorrect format the system will not accept the application. If this occurs error message(s) will appear at the top of the application form in red. The relevant fields in the application will also be marked in red as you move through the form.
You will need to fix these errors and re-save the application before it can be successfully submitted. Please do NOT leave submitting your application until the deadline. You may have insufficient time to resolve any issues prior to the closing date and time.
Once you have successfully submitted your application you will receive a confirmation email from Tourism.Funding@dnsw.com.au. If you do not receive a confirmation email, the application has not been submitted. Please check your Spam or Junk Mail folder.
You can also see the status of your application from your dashboard. Log out and log back into the online application portal. Check the application status column of the dashboard. If the application is still marked as draft, it has not been submitted.
If after checking for error messages, you are still unable to submit your application, please email Tourism.Funding@dnsw.com.au and provide your application ID Number so we can review the draft and provide technical assistance.
What Happens after the application is submitted?
Destination NSW will assess each application submitted at least twice. They will be assessed against the criteria outlined in the Funding Guidelines.
The strongest applications will be recommended for funding until all available funds have been utilised.
