2. Selection criteria

Pathways funding will be offered to existing Providers under 2024 Start Strong Pathways program following a new closed, non-competitive application process through the SmartyGrants online application system (SmartyGrants).

2.1. Eligibilty criteria

To be eligible for the 2026 Pathways program, Providers must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be a not-for-profit service provider.
• Be currently delivering activities and services under the 2024 Start Strong Pathways program.
• Be a service provider identified and registered in the Early Childhood Contract Management System (ECCMS), and agree to continue being identified for the duration of the program.
• Engage a certificate III or diploma qualified early childhood educator, early childhood education teacher, or other person with a relevant tertiary qualification to run or design the service activities.
• Have an established partnership or connection (including a referral network) that may support children to transition to preschool settings with an approved early childhood education and care service under the National Law and National Regulations.
• Accept and comply with the Early Childhood Outcomes Programs – Funding Agreement – Terms and Conditions – 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026 (Terms and Conditions). Providers may have their funding suspended or withdrawn in the event of failure to comply, and the funding agreement may be terminated.

Successful applicants will be required to enter into a funding agreement with the department on behalf of the NSW Government.

2.2. Assessment criteria

Applications will be assessed against the above eligibility criteria. Providers will need to provide evidence as part of their application, including:

• Details of operation across a representative week for all of your Pathways service/s from 1 January 2025 onwards.
• The employment of a qualified early childhood education teacher or other person with a relevant tertiary qualification (evidence may include a letter of employment and a certificate of graduation).
• consistency of activities conducted under the 2024 Start Strong Pathways program and alignment with objectives of the new 2026 Pathways program.

3. Application process

3.1. Application for funding

To receive funding under the 2026 Pathways program from 1 January to 31 December 2026, eligible Providers must:

• submit a Pathways application through SmartyGrants
• be notified of a successful application by the department.

Documents required as part of the application include:

• completed application form
• the other evidence referred to in Section 2.2 above.

Please note that funding is also contingent on a Provider’s:

• continued compliance with the department’s Terms and Conditions
• completion of annual performance accountabilities and financial accountabilities, as provided and directed by the department.

Applicants must not provide false or misleading information. An application containing false or misleading statements may be rejected.

3.2 Support available

For information about the 2026 Pathways program, please contact the department’s Early Childhood Outcomes directorate by:

• Phone: 1800 619 113
• Email: ecec.funding@det.nsw.edu.au

Support for grant applicants is limited to verbal guidance over the phone or an email reply explaining the information in these grant guidelines.

4. Assessment process

4.1. Assessment of grant applications

Assessment involves a one stage process.

Applications will be assessed individually against the eligibility criteria outlined in these program guidelines. Following the closing date, all submissions will be checked for eligibility and completeness. The department may contact applicants to clarify information, particularly on the eligibility criteria.

The Manager, Participation & Access (assessor) will assist to make recommendations to the appropriate financial delegate (decision-maker), to determine successful and unsuccessful applications. The following delegates have been identified:

1. Deputy Secretary, Early Childhood Outcomes, for grants that exceed $1,000,000 (incl. GST)
2. Executive Director, Early Childhood Outcomes, Quality, Participation and Connection, for grants that are between $500,000 – 1,000,000 (incl. GST)
3. Director, Early Childhood Outcomes, Equity & Inclusion for grants up to $500,000 (incl. GST).

The decision-maker is not taking advice from a probity adviser.

Besides approving the selection process (that is, a closed, non-competitive method), the Minister for Early Learning and Education will have no further input in assessing individual applications. The department will not engage with the Minister for Early Learning and Education in the assessment of individual applications.

4.2. Notificaiton of application outcome

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application through the same email address entered into the SmartyGrants application form.

There is no designated appeal mechanism for decisions.

4.3. Publication of grants information

The Grants Administration Guide (Guide) requires that certain information is published in relation to grants awarded no later than 45 calendar days after the grant agreement takes effect (see Section 6.5 of the Guide and Appendix A to the Guide). This information is also open access information under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) (GIPA Act), which must be made publicly available unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure of the information.

In accordance with these requirements, relevant information about the grants awarded will be made available on the NSW Government Grants and Funding Finder as soon as possible after the grant funding is approved or declined.

All records in relation to this decision will be managed in accordance with the requirements of the State Records Act 1998 (NSW).

5. Successful grant applications

5.1. Program spending rules

Successful Providers must comply with the Terms and Conditions, and any reasonable directions of the department. Failure to do so may result in the department being unable to make payments through ECCMS, ceasing to provide funding after 31 December 2025 and terminating the funding agreement.

Providers must continue to deliver the original scope of activities approved by the department under the 2024 Pathways program.

Requests to vary activities should be made in writing to ecec.funding@det.nsw.edu.au. To confirm, variations must be agreed to by the department in writing, prior to changes to activities being made.

A minimum of 70% of total funding received under the 2026 Pathways program must be spent on enabling the delivery of Pathways activities, including any of the following activities:

• Purchasing educational resources to support children attending the Pathways service.
• Employment of a certificate III or diploma qualified early childhood educator, early childhood education teacher, or other suitably qualified person to run the Pathways activities.
• Venue costs (including rent or other operating costs).

If there are remaining funds, these (but only up to 30% of total funding received) may be used on other administrative costs for the approved Pathways services.

Providers are required to certify that funds have been spent in accordance with the applicable funding agreement.

Providers need to spend funds during the 2026 calendar year, unless otherwise agreed to by the department. For more information on surplus and refunds, refer to Section 5.4 Unspent funds.

5.2. Grant agreement

Succcessful applicants are required to enter into a funding agreement with the department on behalf of the NSW Government. The funding agreement requires that Providers acknowledge the financial support from the NSW Government.

The funding agreement between the department and successful Providers in respect of the 2026 Pathways program will comprise of:

• these program guidelines (as amended from time to time)
• the Terms and Conditions (which Providers must accept and comply with)
• the separate 2026 Pathways funding letter.

5.3. Grant payment

The below dates are indicative only and are provided to assist providers and applicants with their planning. These dates may be subject to approval and implementation plans and may change. Any changes will be communicated to providers and applicants.

Four instalments of base funding will be available to Providers, following the approximate payment schedule below. Successful grant applicants must sign and return the funding letter for payment to proceed. For a February payment, Providers must submit an application and accept Terms and Conditions by 2 December 2025, and successful applicants return a signed funding letter by 14 January 2026.

All payment variations will also be made in line with the payment schedule.

Approximate 2026 Payment schedule:

1. February 2026 program payment for period January to March 2026
2. April 2026 program payment - for period April to June 2026
3. July 2026 program payment - for period July to September 2026
4. October 2026 program payment - for period October to December 2026.

These payments will be made through ECCMS.

5.4. Unspent funds

Providers are required to spend all annual Pathways funding in accordance with the spending rules in Section 5.1 during the relevant program period.

The department recognises that some Providers may have surplus (that is, unspent) funds at the end of their reporting period. Any surplus funds are required to be returned to the department according to the Terms and Conditions.

There may be occasions when the Provider wishes to present a case to retain surplus (that is, unspent) funds. The department will consider requests submitted by Providers on a case-by-case basis and may be approved if the request aligns with the objectives of the 2026 Pathways program.

5.5. Financial accountabilities and funding compliance

Providers funded under the 2026 Pathways program will be required to complete the following reports, as requested by the department:

• performance accountabilities, including:
  • strategies employed to engage Equity Cohorts
  • supports provided to Equity Cohorts
  • evidence collected from families engaging in the program
  • alignment with the objectives of the program
  • amount of time engaged in the Pathways programs
  • reporting on children who participate and transition to preschool programs including the number of children from Equity Cohorts participating in the program
• annual financial accountability statement.

These accountability reports will be used to ensure services are receiving the appropriate level of funding and are compliant with 2026 Pathways program requirements. Providers may be audited to confirm the accuracy of data provided in performance and financial accountability statements and reports.

Grant recipients must keep the department updated if their circumstances change and this may affect delivery of the funded activities.

5.6. Evaluation

Providers may be audited as part of the department’s annual audit process. An evaluation may be conducted based off evidence provided through performance accountabilities, financial accountabilities and information requests from the department.

Audit and evaluation activities may consider total amount of funding received and strategies and plans for engagement against the purpose and objectives in Section 1.1 of these program guidelines, and the following information:

• The total participation of the Equity Cohorts in Providers’ 2026 Pathways services.
• The total participation of children in Provider’s 2026 Pathways services.
• Performance of 2026 Pathways services against the core objectives, with a specific focus on Equity Cohorts, as measured by any of the following:
  • number of children that are 0-3 years old engaging in early childhood educational activities through the Pathways program, for example through attending playgroups, occasional cares
  • number of children from Equity Cohorts supported through the Pathways program to transition into preschool settings, demonstrated by positive feedback from families and number of children who transition into preschool settings, for example supporting the enrolment process of children in preschool, supporting families to find provision of local preschool education
  • number of families with children that are 0-3 years old engaging in Pathways promotional activities, for example attendance at information sessions and receiving educational material (both verbal and physical, for example, pamphlets).

An evaluation may consider this information against:

• the appropriateness of activities, including continued relevance to government (increasing the proportion of children enrolled in preschool) and community priorities
• efficiency
• effectiveness in delivering outcomes (see above)
• distribution of outcomes and benefits, and impacts on Equity Cohorts
• net social benefit and value for money.

6. Additional information and resources

6.1. Complaint handling

Please contact Early Childhood Outcomes, Quality, Participation and Connection regarding any concerns, through the ecec.funding@det.nsw.edu.au inbox.

6.2. Access to information

The GIPA Act provides for the proactive release of government information by agencies and gives members of the public an enforceable right to access government information held by an agency (which includes Ministerial offices). Access to government information is only to be restricted if there is an overriding public interest against disclosure.

The NSW Legislative Council has the power to order the production of State papers by the Executive Government. Standing Order 52 provides that the House may order documents to be tabled by the Government in the House. The Cabinet Office coordinates the preparation of the papers – that is, the return to order. The return to order may contain privileged and public documents. Privileged documents are available only to members of the Legislative Council.

Note that documents submitted as part of a grant application may be subject to an application under the GIPA Act or an order for papers under Standing Order 52.

For further information, please contact the department by emailing ecec.funding@det.nsw.edu.au.

6.3. Ethical conduct

Providers who have applied for funding should notify the department in writing, in the event that they become aware of any potential conflict of interest in connection with the application and potential funding (for example, if the service provider has a personal relationship with the decision-maker).