Sporting Club Grants Program

The Sporting Club Grants Program provides funding for community sport and active recreation organisations across Victoria.

Important dates

Open: 20 February 2025

Close: 27 March 2025

Program guidelines

A web page with fully accessible guidelines has been developed for this program.

To view it, please go to Sporting Club Grants Program Guidelines.

PDF and accessible Word versions of the guidelines can be downloaded using the links below.

Download: 2024-25 Sporting Club Grants Program Guidelines Round 2 (PDF , 416.5 KB)

Download: 2024-25 Sporting Club Grants Program Guidelines Round 2 (DOCX , 109.6 KB)

About the program

Access to this funding helps grassroots clubs and organisations address barriers in participation, develop safe and sustainable practices and build social and active local communities.

This program assists organisations to:

purchase uniforms and equipment that are essential for participation, first-aid and safety
attract, build the capability and retain a skilled workforce – both volunteer and paid
increase equity, diversity and inclusiveness
implement good governance practices
increase participation of individuals and communities who participate less
create opportunities so Victorians can participate in ways that suit them
build a robust sector that responds to current and changing community needs
support athletes to achieve success in their sport.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria listed under Section 4: Applicant eligibility of the Program Guidelines.

Applications are only accepted from community-based organisations involved in the delivery of sport and active recreation in Victoria.

Program dates

Round 2

Funding is available for projects commencing or items purchased from 28 March 2025.

If successful, recipients must complete the project and spend grant funds within 12 months.

Applications open: Thursday 20 February 2025
Applications close: 4 pm Thursday 27 March 2025
Notification of outcomes: May 2025.

Funding Categories

In 2024-25, there are 4 funding categories.

Category 1: On-field Uniforms or Equipment

Up to $1,000 to purchase on-field playing uniforms, participation equipment for competitors and active participants, safety, injury prevention and first-aid equipment.

Category 2: Volunteers and Officials

Up to $5,000 for projects that improve the skills and knowledge of volunteers, coaches and/or officials and projects that improve volunteer-retention.

Category 3: Access and Engagement

Up to $1,000 for tools and resources that improve accessibility, governance and strengthen engagement with members and participants.

Up to $4,000 to plan and deliver a new or modified sport or active recreation program.

Category 4: Competitors

Up to $750 towards the costs of travel, accommodation and event registration fees for individual athletes selected to attend representative competition, selection trials or training camps.

Ineligible applicants

The following organisations are ineligible to receive funding:

organisations that received a grant in categories 1, 2, or 3 of:
- the 2023-24 Sporting Club Grants Program
- round 1 of the 2024-25 Sporting Club Grants Program.

These organisations are ineligible to apply for funding in categories 1, 2 or 3.

These organisations are eligible to apply for funding in category 4.

Before applying for categories 1, 2 or 3, please check the list of previous grant recipients available below:

Organisations that received $6,000 or more in total funding through grants received in category 4 of:
- the 2023‑24 Sporting Club Grants Program
- round 1 of the 2024-25 Sporting Club Grants Program.

These organisations are ineligible to apply for funding through category 4.

These organisations are eligible to apply for funding in categories 1, 2 or 3.

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.

Application questions and guidance

Application question and guidance information has been prepared to assist you prepare the information required to apply for funding.

To view the information for your category, please follow the link below:

What's new?

Number of applications permitted

Organisations can submit up to 10 applications in total, comprising:

a maximum of 1 application in either Category 1 OR Category 3, plus
a maximum of 1 application in Category 2, plus
a maximum of 8 applications in Category 4.

Apply now

Applicants must submit a completed application via the DJSIR Grants Portal before 4 pm on Thursday 27 March 2025.

Below, please select the category you wish to apply for then click Start a new application. When prompted, either create a new account or log-in using an existing account on the Grants Portal.

Category 1: On-field Uniforms or Equipment – Start a new application
Category 2: Volunteers and Officials – Start a new application
Category 3: Access and Engagement – Start a new application
Category 4: Competitors – Start a new application.

Conditions of grant

To read the conditions of grant or to download a copy in PDF or Word, please see Sporting Club Grants Program 2024-25 – Round 1 and 2 Conditions of Grant.

Additional information

See the following resources for more information:

Child abuse insurance examples

See the examples in the accordions below or download in PDF or Word.

Example 1: Category 2 Project

Proposed project: A football club wishes to engage a registered training organisation to deliver diversity education sessions to the club’s coaches.

In this example, child abuse insurance is required if:

The education sessions are held over multiple planned sessions (for example every Wednesday for 4 weeks), and
At least one coach is aged under 18 years.

In this example, child abuse insurance is not required if:

The education session is a one-off, held on a single day, or
All coaches are aged 18 years and over, or
The parent or guardian of each coach aged under 18 years is also present for every education session.

Example 2: Category 3 Project

Proposed project: A karting club wishes to launch a pilot program inviting local schools to register children to undertake driver training and education sessions free of charge. The club hopes to convert the students into paid members at the pilot program’s conclusion.

In this example, child abuse insurance is required if:

The driver training and education program is completed over multiple planned sessions (for example every Saturday for an entire school term), and
At least one student is aged under 18 years.

In this example, child abuse insurance is not required if:

The driver training and education session is a one-off occurrence, completed on a single day, or
The driver training and education program is held over multiple planned sessions with a different group of children at each session, or
The parent or guardian of each child aged under 18 years is also present for every session of the program until its completion.

Example 3: Category 3 Project

Proposed project: A junior netball club wishes to engage a consultant to prepare a new strategic plan. All registered players of the netball club are children under the age of 18 years.

In this example, child abuse insurance is not required because the proposed project does not involve any supervision, or authority over, a child under the age of 18 years.

Note, example 3 does not require child abuse insurance, because the project is the ‘development of a strategic plan’. The fact that the club’s players are all aged under 18 years is not relevant when considering child abuse insurance requirements for this type of project.

For further information on child abuse insurance requirements for the Sporting Club Grants Program, please contact us.