A sponsorship is a commercial arrangement in which a sponsor provides a sponsorship recipient with a contribution of money or in-kind to support an activity in return for specified benefits. The benefits usually involve public acknowledgement of the fact that the sponsor has contributed to the activity. The NSW Government may be a sponsor or a recipient of a sponsorship.

The NSW Government is committed to ensuring that all public money is spent fairly, effectively and transparently, and that all sponsorships involving the use of public resources deliver value to the public in achieving government objectives.

In pursuit of that commitment, a whole of Government Sponsorship Policy has been developed and is issued under this Circular. The Policy provides:

• an overview of the process for managing incoming and outgoing sponsorships for and by the NSW Government,

• overarching principles that apply to all NSW Government sponsorships, and

• best practice guidance and specific requirements for administering sponsorships.

Among other things, it is intended that the Policy will harmonise the administration of NSW Government sponsorships, supporting consistency and coordination across government, and embedding transparency, accountability, collaboration and integrity in the way the NSW Government deals with sponsorship opportunities.

The Policy applies to all NSW Government sponsorship arrangements, and the mandatory requirements set out in the Policy must be complied with. Agencies must implement processes and practices for sponsorship arrangements consistent with the principles and mandatory requirements in the Policy. Agencies may wish to issue operational guidance to support implementation of this Policy within their operational context. Any such guidance should not be inconsistent with this Policy.

This Policy applies to all sponsorship activities undertaken on and from the date this circular was issued, on 14 October 2024. Sponsorship activities undertaken in connection with arrangements that were already underway before that date are required to adhere to the requirements under the Policy for the remainder of the sponsorship process.

Secretary
The Cabinet Office