National Shed Development Programme (NSDP)

The NSDP makes sure that all men’s sheds in Australia have access to a wide range of resources and support for their particular shed.

About the NSDP

The NSDP is a competitive men’s shed grants program that started in 2010. It allows men’s sheds and the organisations that support them to apply for funds. They then use these funds to better respond to their community’s needs.

The Australian Men’s Shed Association announces grant round activity on its development grants page.

A men’s shed is any community-based organisation that is open to all men. Men can gather and work on meaningful projects at their own pace and in their own time. The aim of men’s sheds is to improve the health and wellbeing of its members.

Why it is important

The NSDP allows men’s sheds to apply for grant funds to:

  • help with health promotion activities
  • purchase equipment
  • maintain their buildings.

Goals

The goals of the NSDP are to:

  • improve the health and wellbeing of shed members
  • deliver appropriate activities
  • improve the facilities and sustainability of men’s sheds across Australia.

Meeting our goals

The NSDP will meet our goals by:

  • awarding grants on a competitive basis up to a total of $10,000 (GST exclusive)
  • prioritising sheds in disadvantaged areas
  • opening up to all sheds that meet the definition of a men’s shed
  • running grant rounds twice per year ($500,000 for each round).

There are 5 funding categories:

  • health and wellbeing and events
  • shed improvements
  • tools and equipment
  • mental health and wellbeing events
  • automated external defibrillators.

Defibrillators are being made available through a separate application form, that sheds can submit at any time, ensuring faster delivery of their defibrillator.

Who we work with

The Australian Men’s Shed Association (AMSA) manages the NSDP for us.

Apply for funding

AMSA will promote the opening of each grant round on its website.

Status

The NSDP conducts 2 rounds each year ($500,000 for each round). Funding is not automatically guaranteed. Sheds must apply for funding and all requests are evaluated all requests based on appropriateness and need.

Round 27 of the NSDP opened on 15 January 2024 with applications to close on 23 February 2024.

AMSA publishes the outcomes of each NSDP round on its website.

Contacts

Australian Men’s Shed Association (AMSA)

The Australian Men’s Shed Association (AMSA) is the peak body supporting almost 1000 men’s sheds across Australia. Contact them for information on men's shed operations.

Men's sheds contact

Contact us for information about how we support men's sheds activities across Australia.
Date last updated:

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