Program Guidelines

For accessibility, the program guidelines have been published in full on this web page. Scroll down to read the guidelines online or download a copy via the links below.

These program guidelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Minister for Community Sport

These program guidelines provide an indication of what will be considered for funding and a list of some of the items and projects that will not be funded. This is not an exhaustive list. Prior to submitting their application, applicants that are unsure if proposed items or projects are eligible for funding, should contact us .

The Department’s reserved rights

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these program guidelines, the Department reserves the right to do any or all the following, in its absolute discretion, at any time for any reason, with or without notice:

• suspend or cancel the Emergency Sporting Equipment Grant Program.
• withdraw, amend or replace these program guidelines and any application terms.
• suspend or cease the assessment of any application.
• withdraw any offer it has made to a successful applicant through an Email of Acceptance or Grant Agreement.

For information on this program, please contact us.

On this page

1. About the program
2. Key dates
3. Applicant eligibility
4. Funding details
5. Assessment
6. Support documentation
7. Due diligence checks
8. How to apply
9. Conditions that apply to applications and funding
10. Payments
11. Child safe standards
12. Acknowledging the government's support and promoting success
13. Post project evaluation
14. Compliance and audit
15. Privacy statement
16. Terms of applying
17. Complaints

1. About the program

The Emergency Sporting Equipment Grant Program provides funding for community sport and active recreation organisations across Victoria.

Access to this funding helps grassroots organisations replace or repair essential sport or first aid equipment that has been lost or destroyed because of unpreventable incidents, including bushfire, flood, significant storms, theft, arson, or criminal damage.

Grants of up to $2,000 are available.

Applicants can only receive one grant through the 2025-26 program.

2. Key dates

Incidents that occur from 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2026 will be considered for funding.

Applications Open: Wednesday 2 July 2025.

Applications Close: 11:59 pm, Sunday 31 May 2026, or until funding is exhausted.

Notification of Outcome: Within 5 weeks of applying.

3. Applicant eligibility

3.1 Who can apply

Applicants must be:

• A community sport or active recreation organisation operating in Victoria.
• Not-for-profit and non-government.
• Delivering a sport or activity that is a person-centric physical activity.
• Registered and operating in Victoria as one of the following eligible legal entities:
  • an incorporated association
  • a company limited by guarantee, or
  • an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation.

Applicants may nominate an auspice organisation.

Auspice eligibility is outlined in section 3.3.

3.2 Ineligible applicants

The following business or organisation entity types are not eligible to apply for funding:

• Schools, playgroups, kindergartens, child-care centres or pre-schools.
• Animal obedience organisations
• Organisations that receive revenue through a venue operator licence that enables the entity to operate gaming machines in Victoria.

3.3 Auspice arrangements

Applicants that are not registered as an eligible legal entity, can nominate an auspice organisation to take legal and financial responsibility of the grant on their behalf.

The auspice organisation must:

• be registered as one of the above eligible business organisation entity types and operating in Victoria.
• have completed reporting responsibilities on any grants previously received from Sport and Recreation Victoria.

Auspice arrangements cannot be used:

• to seek funding on behalf of individuals, sole traders or any other ineligible entity.
• to seek funding on behalf of organisations whose primary business is not the delivery of community sport or active recreation.

3.4 Applicant attestations

All applicants must attest that their organisation:

• implements and maintains policies relating to the Child Safe Standards available on the Commission for Children and Young People website
• has completed reporting responsibilities on any grants previously received from Sport and Recreation Victoria.
  Sport and active recreation applicants must attest that their organisation:
• adheres to and enforces the Fair Play Code, or the relevant State Sporting Association code of conduct and/or member protection policy, which incorporates the Fair Play Code
• complies with the requirements and expectations of the Australian National Anti-Doping Scheme and Australian National Anti-doping Policy (if applicable).

3.5 Additional requirements

• If the applicant (or nominated auspice organisation) is affiliated with a Sport and Recreation Victoria recognised organisation, the recognised organisation must have a minimum 40% women on their board or have an approved action plan with the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation to meet this requirement. Further information can be found at Balance the Board Policy.
• If the applicant (or nominated auspice organisation) has been named in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, or receives a Notice of Redress Liability, the applicant (or nominated auspice organisation) must join or provide advice to Sport and Recreation Victoria that it intends to join the National Redress Scheme. Further information can be found at National Redress Scheme.

4. Funding details

Grants of up to $2,000 are available for incidents that occur from 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2026.

Eligible incidents

Natural disaster

• Bushfire
• Flood
• Significant storm
• Earthquake.

Criminal activity

• Theft
• Arson
• Criminal damage.

Incidents that will not be funded

• Medical emergencies
• Loss, damage, or depreciation resulting from ordinary use, or wear and tear
• Damaged equipment from being unattended after use, competition or events
• Items not safely secured in appropriate accommodation
• Incidents of criminal activity where a Victoria Police report is not provided
• Incidents where the organisation has filed an insurance claim for coverage.

Eligible costs

• Replacement or repair of playingequipment that is essential for participation in an activity, is transferable to other participants and remains the property of the applicant: bats, match balls, equestrian jumps, racquets, gymnastic mats, team equipment kits, gloves, badminton nets.
• Injury prevention equipment that is transferable: goal post padding, batting pads, gloves, goalie gear, helmets, catcher’s gear.
• First aid equipment which is necessary for immediate attention to injury that may occur during participation in sport or active recreation: defibrillators*, stretchers, first aid supplies

* Defibrillators will only be funded if the incident is eligible. Wear and tear, an expired stand-by lifetime, or shelf life are incidents that will not be funded.

Costs that will not be funded

• Non-playing / participation equipment: wicket covers, IT and GPS products, iPads, EFT machines, alarm systems, scoreboards, storage, marquees
• Fixed playing surfaces and structures: synthetic pitches, in-ground goal posts, permanent shade structures, fixed lighting, permanent practice wickets
• Equipment aimed at enhancing skills: ball machines, bowling machines, weights, simulators, batting cages
• Personal items, clothing or accessories: uniforms, mouthguards, drink bottles, singular high-cost participation items for personal use
• Vehicles or maintenance equipment: lawn mowers, rollers, line markers, hoses, tools, boats, bikes, golf carts
• Firearms, scopes and ammunition
• Capital expenditure to acquire, upgrade or maintain assets, property, building, hardware or transport
• Operational expenditure: rent, utilities, wages, fees, insurance, taxes, overhead costs.

5. Assessment

Applications are assessed according to the applicant’s eligibility and:

• circumstances of the incident
• eligible costs
• adequacy of support documentation; and
• availability of funding.

To be considered for funding, applicants must provide answers to all questions listed below.

6. Support documentation

Mandatory evidence

• To be considered for funding, applicants must provide evidence that fully illustrates the type of incident that occurred and the impact on participation equipment.
• Applicants that do not supply mandatory evidence will be ineligible for funding.

Mandatory quotes and receipts

• Applicants must include quote(s) which correspond to all costs to be funded.
• Applicants can apply to be reimbursed for the cost of eligible replacement equipment or repairs that have been paid for prior to applying.

7. Due diligence checks

Applicants may be subject to due diligence checks to enable the department to assess financial and other non-financial risks associated with the application.

Such checks may include:

• the potential for reputational risk to the State
• the risk profile, financial viability and management capacity of the applicant’s business over the duration of the proposed activity
• where the proposal has already been fully funded by the applicant through other means
• the delivery performance of other grants contracted with the Victorian Government and whether the applicant has failed to meet key contractual obligations.

Outcomes from such assessments may be taken into account in any decision to recommend or award a grant and in contracting with successful applicants.

The Department may at any time, remove an applicant from the application and assessment process, if in the Department’s opinion, association with the applicant may bring the Department, a Minister or the State of Victoria into disrepute

8. How to apply

Applicants must submit a completed online application via the Department’s Grants Portal.

• To start a new application, visit the Emergency Sporting Equipment Grant Program webpage and click on ‘Start a new application’ for the category you wish to apply for. When prompted, log-in using an existing Grants Portal account or create a new account.
• Draft applications can be saved for a later time but must be submitted before the advertised closing date and time. Saved applications can be accessed by logging into the Department’s Grants Portal.
• An automated email confirming the application submission is issued immediately after you press submit. If you do not receive this confirmation email, please immediately contact us and quote your application reference number.

Information regarding third-party grant writers

• Applicants may seek the support of a third-party grant writer or consultant to develop their application, however applications are not accepted directly from third parties
• Applicants must submit their own applications and agree to the funding terms and conditions of grant
• The Department will only liaise with the authorised representative nominated in the application.

9. Conditions that apply to applications and funding

The following conditions together with the detailed conditions of grant will apply to projects for which a grant is provided.

• As part of the application process, an authorised representative of the applicant must accept and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of grant and these guidelines. By completing the application form the applicant is making an offer to the Department and will be bound by the terms of the offer if accepted by the Department.
• If an application is successful, the Department will notify the applicant’s authorised representative via an Email of Acceptance. This will form an agreement between the applicant and the Department on the terms contained in the application, the Email of Acceptance, these guidelines, and the conditions of grant. An authorised representative of the applicant will need to acknowledge the Email of Acceptance.
• The applicant must complete the project and spend the grant funds within 12 months of receipt of the grant funds. Any unspent funds must be returned to the Department.
• Funds must be spent on the project/items as described in the application. Any proposed variation to the approved project must be submitted to the Department for approval prior to implementation or purchase.

Where an auspice arrangement is required

• The auspice organisation must enter into a Grant Agreement with the Department after the Department notifies the relevant applicant that its application is successful.
• The Grant Agreement sets out the commitments and obligations of the parties and the general terms and conditions of funding.
• Different terms and conditions apply to different types of grants and grant recipients. The terms and conditions as set out in the Grant Agreement are not negotiable.

10. Payments

• Successful applicants will receive an Email of Acceptance from the Department. An authorised representative of the applicant will need to acknowledge the Email of Acceptance.
• In the case of auspice arrangements, successful applicants will receive a Grant Agreement via a letter of offer. An authorised representative of the auspice organisation will need to sign the Grant Agreement.
• Payments of the full grant amount will be made to the applicant’s nominated bank account as provided on its application form, or the auspice organisation’s nominated bank account provided on the Grant Agreement, within 28 days after the Department sends the Email of Acceptance to the applicant’s nominated email address, or the Department receives a copy of the signed Grant Agreement (for auspice arrangements).

Payments will be conditional on:

• Applicants submitting fully completed applications, including completion of the Declaration and Acknowledgement by an authorised representative of the applicant;
• Grant recipients providing reports as required, or otherwise demonstrating that the activity is progressing as expected;
• Terms and conditions of funding continuing to be met; and
• Grant recipients without an active Australian Business Number providing a completed Australian Tax Office Statement by Supplier form indicating that no tax is or will be withheld from any grant payments.
• Grant payments made under this program will be provided exclusive of GST, regardless of an applicant’s GST status. If funding will be used to pay expenses attracting GST, the funding application should include all GST that will be payable by the applicant for that supply.

11. Child safe standards

• The Department is a child safe organisation. All engagements with funded organisations and delivery of funded activities and programs must be conducted in a way that complies with the Child Safe Standards.
• This is particularly relevant where funded activities or programs involve children. This may include (but is not limited to): funding arrangements, activities, or programs delivered to children; children participating in events that are incidental to the funding agreement; and children attending events as members of an audience.
• If the successful applicant is an applicable entity under Schedule 1 of the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005, it must comply with the Child Safe Standards, and appropriate child safety control measures must be implemented during the delivery of the funded activities/program.
• If the successful applicant is not a relevant entity under Schedule 1 of the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 and is not required to comply with the Child Safe Standards, it must nonetheless commit to complying with the Child Safe Standards and the Department’s Child Safe-related policies and procedures during the course of the funded activity.
• The Department will take action if a funded organisation does not meet required child safety and wellbeing standards.

12. Acknowledging the government’s support and promoting successes

• The Department requires grant recipients to acknowledge the Victorian Government's support on marketing and promotional materials, which must be approved in advance by the Department. Acknowledgement of the Victorian Government's support in marketing and promotional material will depend on the grant given and will be specified in the Email of Acceptance or Grant Agreement.
• Grant recipients must obtain written approval from the Department before making public announcements about receiving the grant.
• The Department may publicise the benefits accruing to a grant recipient associated with the grant and the State's support for the project, and recipients must cooperate with the Department in promoting the Program. These requirements are outlined in the Email of Acceptance or Grant Agreement. The Department may include the name of the grant recipient, and the amount of funding granted in any publicity material and in the Department’s annual report.
• For full details and logos, download the acknowledgement and publicity guidelines for Sport and Recreation Victoria grant recipients.

13. Post project evaluation

• By submitting an application, all grant recipients agree to comply with the Department’s performance monitoring and evaluation procedures.
• Successful recipients through the 2025-26 Emergency Sporting Equipment Grant Program must acquit each approved project to the satisfaction of the Department, to be eligible to apply and receive funding for future rounds of the program. Where a program acquittal (end of project report) has not been completed. The applicant organisation will be ineligible for future grant funding under this program.
• The grant recipient may receive an evaluation survey up to 24-months following the issue of the grant. Program evaluation activities are non-negotiable for recipients of the Emergency Sporting Equipment Grant Program. Non-compliance could impact future applications to the Department’s programs.
• Grant recipients may also be required to contribute information on project outcomes for use in program evaluation reviews and the Department’s marketing materials.

14. Compliance and audit

• Applicants (and the auspice organisation if applicable) are subject to a risk assessment, which verifies an organisation’s legal details provided with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, Consumer Affairs Victoria and/or other applicable regulator or registrar.
• Grant recipients, including applicants that enter into an Email of Acceptance with the Department and applicants under auspice arrangements where an auspice organisation enters into a Grant Agreement with the Department, will be subject to audit by the Victorian Government or its representatives and may be required to produce evidence of how the grant funding was expended. This request of the Victorian Government may be made for a period of two years after the grant has been approved.
• If any information provided in an application to the Emergency Sporting Equipment Grant Program is found to be false or misleading, or grants are not applied for the purposes of the applicant in accordance with the terms of funding as set out in these guidelines and the submitted application, the grant will be repayable on demand.

15. Privacy Statement

• Any personal information provided for the Emergency Sporting Equipment Grant Program will be collected and used by the Department for the purposes of assessing eligibility, program administration, program review and evaluation.
• The Department completes a range of eligibility assessments that may include data matching to clarify the accuracy and quality of information supplied. This is part of our auditing and monitoring processes and for confirming eligibility across this program.
• In the assessment of an application for the program, it may be necessary to share personal information with State and Commonwealth Government departments and agencies, as well as other external experts. If personal information about a third party is included in the application, the applicant must ensure the third party is aware of and consents to the contents of this privacy statement.
• The Department collects demographic information for economic reporting purposes. No personal information is used in reporting; all reports are presented with aggregated data.
• Any personal information about the applicant or a third party will be collected, held, managed, used, disclosed, or transferred in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) and other applicable laws.
• Enquiries about access or correction to your personal information, can be emailed to srvgrants@sport.vic.gov.au
• Other concerns regarding the privacy of personal information, can be emailed to the Department’s Privacy Unit at privacy@ecodev.vic.gov.au. The Department’s privacy policy is also available by emailing the Department’s Privacy Unit.

16. Terms of applying

16.1 Department probity and decision-making

• The Victorian Government makes every effort to ensure the grant application and assessment process is fair and undertaken in line with these program guidelines.
• Decisions in recommending and awarding grant funding under the Emergency Sporting Equipment Grant Program are at the Minister’s and Department’s discretion. This includes not making any funding available or approving a lesser amount than that applied for.
• These guidelines and application terms may be changed from time to time, as appropriate.
• The Department may request the applicant provide further information should it be necessary to assess an application to the Program’s policy objectives.

16.2 Applicant conflicts of interest

• A conflict of interest arises where a person makes a decision, or exercises a power in a way that may be, or may be perceived to be, influenced by either material personal interests (financial or non-financial) or material personal associations.
• A conflict of interest may arise where a grant applicant:
  • Has a professional, commercial, or personal relationship with a party who is able to, or may be perceived to, influence the application assessment process, such as a Victorian Government staff member, or
  • Has a relationship with, or interest in, an organisation which is likely to interfere with or restrict the applicant from carrying out the proposed activities fairly and independently.
• Applicants must advise the Department of any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest relating to a project for which it has applied for funding.\
• Victorian Government staff are required to act in accord with the Code of Conduct for Victorian Public Sector Employees (Section 61) issued under the Public Administration Act 2004 (Vic). This includes an obligation to avoid conflicts of interest wherever possible and declare and manage any conflicts of interest that cannot be avoided.

17. Complaints

• If an applicant wants to lodge a complaint about the process for a grant application, requests can be made to the Department by sending a written request (with an application GA reference number) to SRVgrants@sport.vic.gov.au
• Requests can be made in relation to any of the following:
  • Dissatisfaction with the process and/or timeliness of the process;
  • Communication provided by the Department; or
  • Adherence to the published program guidelines.
• The Department aims to respond to all complaints within 28 business days. Reassessment of an application or overturning of a funding decision for a merit-based grant will not be considered through the complaints process.
• Once your complaint has been received by the department, it will be acknowledged within 2 business days.