Change Our Game Professional Development Scholarships Program
The 2024-25 Change Our Game Professional Development Scholarships Program supports women to access professional development opportunities to develop and strengthen specialist skills necessary to their roles in the sport and active recreation sector, placing them in the best position to obtain and thrive in leadership roles.
Important dates
Open: 12 July 2024
Close: 26 August 2024
About the program
This year’s Program offers professional development opportunities to women across the various stages of their career through 6 streams:
- Learning Stream: Grants of up to $5,000 to access specialist skill development, for those in the early years of their paid employment (less than 7 years), or returning after a career break, seeking to strengthen specific professional skills.
- Next Generation Leaders Stream: Access to a series of one-on-one and small group sessions with a leading career coach, to develop the pathway, skills and techniques to become a CEO or senior executive leader, for those with more than 7 years' paid employment.
- Women with a Disability Stream: Grants of up to $10,000 to access skill development, for women with disability in paid employment seeking to progress their career in the sport and active recreation sector.
- Executive Stream: Grants of up to $10,000 to access development in areas of technical skill such as strategy, negotiation, change management and finance, for those with more than 10 years' paid employment, who hold a Chief Executive Officer position or currently report to a Chief Executive Officer.
- Governance Stream: Access to the Foundations of Directorship Course delivered by the Australian Institute of Company Directors for new or aspiring board directors in the sport and active recreation sector.
- Community Leaders: Grants of up to $5,000 to access skill development, for women who are volunteering or working within community sport and active recreation clubs or organisations seeking to build their skills as a leader in their community and sport.
Eligibility and funding streams
In 2024-25, the application process will depend on the stream being applied for.
Applications for all streams can be submitted by an Eligible Candidate (see Section 2.1 in the Guidelines available on the Change Our Game website). This is a new option in 2024-25. Previously, only applications for the Next Generation Leaders and Governance Streams were able to be submitted by Eligible Candidates.
Please refer to Section 2 – Eligibility in the Program guidelines for the full eligibility criteria for each funding stream.
Stream | Candidate Eligibility | Application submitted by | Application authorisation or support |
|---|---|---|---|
Learning (grant of up to $5,000) | Women in paid employment with less than 7 years’ paid experience in the workforce OR Women who are returning or have recently returned to work* following a career break (e.g. parental leave). | The Eligible Organisation, with the application form completed by either the Eligible Candidate or an authorised person | If the Eligible Candidate completes the application form on behalf of the Eligible Organisation, the application must be authorised by a representative from the Eligible Organisation (For example, by a senior representative/manager employed by the organisation). |
Next Generation Leaders (career coaching) | Women in paid employment with more than 7 years' paid experience in the workforce, with clear aspirations to be a senior executive leader in the sport and active recreation sector, such as a CEO. | Eligible Candidate | It is strongly encouraged to include a letter of support from a senior representative or manager from an Eligible Organisation, such as the individual’s employer. |
Women with a Disability (grant of up to $10,000) | Women with a disability in paid employment who are seeking to progress their career. | The Eligible Organisation, with the application form completed by either the Eligible Candidate or an authorised person | If the Eligible Candidate completes the application form on behalf of the Eligible Organisation, the application must be authorised by a representative from the Eligible Organisation (For example, by a senior representative/manager employed by the organisation). |
Executive (grant of up to $10,000) | Women in paid employment with more than 10 years’ paid experience in the workforce, who hold a Chief Executive Officer position or currently report directly to a Chief Executive Officer. | The Eligible Organisation, with the application form completed by either the Eligible Candidate or an authorised person | If the Eligible Candidate completes the application form on behalf of the Eligible Organisation, the application must be authorised by a representative from the Eligible Organisation (For example, by a senior representative/manager employed by the organisation). |
Governance (director training) | Women who are new or aspiring directors to a board of regional, state or national organisation in the sport and active recreation sector, seeking to strengthen their understanding of governance processes. | Eligible Candidate | It is strongly encouraged to include a letter of support from a representative of the board that the individual may have joined or is aspiring to join. |
Community Leaders (grant of up to $5,000) | Women who are volunteering or working within community sport and active recreation clubs or organisations who are seeking to build their skills as a leader in their community and sport. | The Eligible Organisation, with the application form completed by either the Eligible Candidate or an authorised person | If the Eligible Candidate completes the application form on behalf of the Eligible Organisation, the application must be authorised by a representative from the Eligible Organisation (for example, by a senior representative / manager employed by the organisation). It is strongly encouraged to include a letter of support from a representative from the individual’s club, association or organisation. |
*The Candidate must have returned to the workforce no more than 12 months prior to the time of application.
Application process
Step 1: Check your eligibility
Check the detailed information contained in the guidelines available on the Change Our Game website to see if you are eligible (Section 2 – Eligibility and Section 3.1 – Stream Eligibility).
Step 2: Apply online using Grants Online
Click the buttons on this page to apply on the Change Our Game website.
Ensure you have the information you need on hand to submit your application, including answers to the following application questions and any supporting documents you wish to attach, such as letters of support.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to prepare responses to the application questions in a separate document to avoid loss of content in the event of technical issues.
You will receive confirmation of your application number when you apply online. Please quote your application number in all correspondence relating to your application.
Apply now
Applications are closed.
To learn more visit the program page on the Change Our Game website.
Program area and assistance
For preliminary information on this program please contact us.