About New and Upgraded Preschools ("NUP")
Catholic Schools NSW (CSNSW) acting in its capacity as the NSW Catholic Block Grant Authority (“CBGA”) is responsible for administering the NSW Government $60 million grant program for new and upgraded preschools (“NUP”) on non-government school sites in high growth areas and neighbouring high growth areas.
The purpose of the Program is to improve children aged 3 to 5 access to preschools in high-growth areas, decided by location, socio-economic status, student demographics and classification as a school for a specific purpose through grants to build new or upgrade existing preschools on non-government school sites.
Funding under the NUP Program is available for two discrete funding streams:
| New Builds | Upgrades to existing Preschools |
| Grants of up to $4 million to support major capital works that will build new preschools on non-government school sites (including grants for planning processes) | Grants of up to $350,000 to support minor capital works and grants for planning purposes (e.g. building of indoor or outdoor play spaces, renovations to existing facilities and minor expansions). |
Key Dates
The following key dates are listed for applications due for the 2026 Main Round:
| Date | Application Process |
|---|---|
| 18 December 2025 | CSNSW have identified schools that are eligible based on the Socio-economic and Demographic criteria within the guidelines are invited to apply for funding. |
| 31 January 2026 | Supplementary Round (to be submitted to Government on 31 March 2026) Completed applications are required to be submitted to CSNSW for assessment, which should include the following:
Applications for a new build must consider the low supply of preschool places in the area compared to the demand and the proximity to public school sites being considered for a new construction to avoid duplication/oversupply of preschools in any given region. Please note that incomplete applications will not be accepted. |
| 1 February 2026 | CSNSW will review all applications submitted and provide assessment of the application and feedback on whether the application will be submitted to government. |
| 9 March 2026 | CBGA to recommend to Capital Projects Evaluation Panel ("CPEP") the list of projects that meet the NSW Government’s eligibility criteria. |
| 10 March 2026 | School Proprietor’s Deed of Certification and Warranty sent to the applicant for authorisation of local contribution. |
| 31 March 2026 | Schedule of approved projects submitted to the NSW Minister of Education. |
| 29 May 2026 | Ministerial approval for 2026 Supplementary Round applications. |
Main Round (to be submitted to Government on 30 September 2026) Completed applications are required to be submitted to CSNSW for assessment, which should include the following:
Applications for new builds must consider the low supply of preschool places in the area compared to the demand and the proximity to public school sites being considered for a new construction to avoid duplication/oversupply of preschools in any given region. Please note that incomplete applications will not be accepted. | |
| 1 July 2026 | School Proprietor’s Deed of Certification and Warranty sent to the applicant for authorisation of local contribution. |
| 31 August 2026 | CBGA recommend to CPEP the list of projects that meet the NSW Government’s eligibility criteria. |
| 30 September 2026 | Schedule of approved projects submitted to the NSW Minister of Education. |
| 30 November 2026 | Ministerial approval of 2026 Main Round applications. |
Submission Dates
The schedule for applications for the 2026/2027 financial year is set below:
| Round | NSW Government Application Due Date | Outcome Date - NSW Minister Approval |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Supplementary Round 31 March 2026 |
29 May 2026 |
Main Round 30 September 2026 |
30 November 2026 |