Applications for the $1 million Port Kembla Community Investment Fund are set to open on 20 October with local groups and businesses encouraged to apply for grants of up to $250,000.
Grants are available for a range of projects that help activate or enhance the port, boost visitation and tourism, create strong community bonds and increase participation in cultural and artistic life.
The fund sets out to deliver high-quality projects that:
- Foster stronger community bonds
- Enhance accessibility
- Boost visitation
- Increase participation in cultural and artistic life
- Enhance public, environmental or business infrastructure
In the past the program has delivered projects including the Port Kembla Community Skate Park, which features a new skate bowl, skate space and basketball courts, upgrades to the Port Kembla Surf Club as well as the Keeping Culture Alive Hall upgrade and improved Marine Rescue Port Kembla facilities.
The program supports projects between $10,000 and $250,000 and applications will open on Monday 20 October 2025 and close on Monday 15 December 2025.
To increase opportunities for investment in the Port Kembla area the Minns Government has adjusted the area of eligibility to include the suburbs of Port Kembla, Cringila, and parts of Warrawong and Lake Heights to maximise the benefit to local organisations.
For further information about the program, including guidelines and eligibility criteria, go to www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/port-kembla-community-investment-fund.
NSW Minister for Illawara and South Coast, Ryan Park, said that Port Kembla is an economic powerhouse and one of the fastest growing and most exciting regions in NSW.
“This fund is about giving communities access to resources that will build a more vibrant community,” Park said.
“The NSW Government is investing heavily in the region, and this is just the latest initiative designed to ensure local communities and businesses continues to succeed.”
MSW Minister for Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty, said that Port Kembla drives the local economy and is a major employer in the Illawarra.
“The NSW Government is proud to back transformative projects that will revitalise and energise Port Kembla and the surrounding area, bring people together and strengthen local connections,” Moriarty said.
“This funding round is about empowering the Port Kembla community to shape its own future, whether through cultural celebration, improved public spaces or events that bring people together.
“Investing in Port Kembla means investing in jobs, creativity and connection. These projects will help unlock the area’s full potential and ensure it remains a vibrant place to live, work and visit.
City of Wollongong Mayor, Tania Brown, said that this fund offers a way for enterprising businesses and community organisations to get a funding boost which supports innovation and activation within this community.
“I welcome the expansion of the fund to include Cringila, and parts of Warrawong and Lake Heights as a postcode doesn’t define a community, and these suburbs have close and tightknit networks that can come together for the greater good.’’
