Supporting clubs in the south west to be resilient and sustainable
South West Sport provides advice and guidance on a range of club development topics. Sharing our expertise in this area we ensure volunteers can access knowledge, ideas, and strategies that will help build their capacity to create successful and social sporting environments in which their community can thrive.
Members can contact us for a range of club support needs, including advice and guidance regarding governance, grants, participation, partnerships, programming, volunteers, and more.
Committee support – Supporting your club committee to run efficiently and effectively through the provision of advice and guidance on committee structure, roles, and responsibilities.
Volunteer recruitment and coordination – Provide advice and guidance on volunteer recruitment and coordination, supporting clubs to build a strong culture of volunteerism.
Constitution and/or policy development – Review and provide feedback to club’s updating and refreshing documents that help govern their clubs, including constitution, by-laws, and club policies and procedures.
Grant Support – Support clubs to find grants, review and provide advice on applications and provide letters of support.
Membership and participation growth – Providing guidance and ideas on growing membership and attracting new participants to your sport.
Club future planning and succession planning – Providing guidance and advise on succession planning and future proofing of your sporting club.
We understand that it’s hard trying to manage the costs of playing sport and running a club. We have put together a list of grants that your club may be eligible to apply for.
Future Stars Grant
Grant provider: Australian Sports Foundation & Swysh
Value: $5000
Purpose:
The Future Stars Grant program is generously funded by Swysh, Australia’s leading video messaging platform for sports stars, in partnership with the Australian Sports Foundation (ASF). It is designed to ease financial pressure on families; particularly with the rising cost of living, by providing up to $5,000 worth of sporting equipment, including GST and shipping, to selected eligible community sports clubs and organisations with members aged 20 or younger
Web link: https://asf.smartygrants.com.au/
Closing date: Open Date: 18 August 2025 - Close Date: 31 August 2025
Growing Healthy Communities Grants
Grant provider: VicHealth
Value: Tier 1: $10,000 to $50,000 - Tier 2: $50,001 to $150,000
Purpose:
Many young Victorians (0-25 years) and their families face structural barriers to good health. These barriers can be more significant for those who:
Barriers exist in mainstream systems, policies, laws, practices, and beliefs. They cause unfair, unequal, and preventable health outcomes.
Funding can be used to scale, grow or improve existing initiatives, or pilot new ideas that help break down the barriers for children, young people (aged 0–25) and their families to be as healthy as possible.
Closing date: Open Date: 11 August 2025 - Close Date: 30 October 2025
Coles Little Athletics Community Fund
Grant provider: Coles
Value: $1000 - $5000
Purpose:
Eligible Little Athletics Centres can apply for funding to purchase sports, safety and volunteering equipment that will help improve the Little Athletics experience for volunteers, participants and families, such as hurdles, high jump mats, first aid kits, modified equipment, trolleys and shade marquees.
Closing date: Open Date: 1 August 2025 - Close Date: 31 August 2025
Individual or Group Assistance Fund - Warrnambool City Council
Grant provider: Warrnambool City Council
Value: National Competitions: Up to $300 for Individuals, Up to $500 for Teams - International Competitions: Up to $700 for Individuals, Up to $1000 for Teams
Purpose:
As part of Warrnambool City Council’s vision for a healthy and active city, grants are available for resident individual athletes competing at elite levels, as part of an affiliated state or national event or international activity or event (e.g. national championships, world championships). Grants are available for one-off events and not for on-going competitions.
Closing date: Applications are open year round or until annual allocation has been fully expended
Woolworths Netball Grants Program
Grant provider: Woolworths
Value: Up to $2000
Purpose:
The Woolworths Netball Grants Program supports grassroots netball clubs and associations across the country to improve the health and wellbeing of Aussie kids.
Closing date: Open Date: 9 May - Close Date: 29 August
Glenelg Shire Junior Sport Trust
Grant provider: Glenelg Shire Council
Value: Individuals - $500 (Vic), $700 (Interstate), $1000 (International), Teams - $1000 (Vic), $1500 (Interstate), $3000 (International)
Purpose:
The Glenelg Junior Sport Trust provides financial support for individual athletes or teams who have been selected to represent at state, national or international level in their chosen sport, aged up to 18 years of age inclusive.
Closing date: Open until grant allocation is expended
Community Investment Program - Community Bank Dunkeld & District
Grant provider: Community Bank Dunkeld & District
Value: Multiple Streams - Investment Express - Up to $500, Investment - $500+, Grant - $5000+
Purpose:
Grampians Regional Community Enterprises Limited (GRCE) is the franchisee of Community Bank Dunkeld & District. GRCE is an enterprise run by the community, for the community, and aims to provide funding and sponsorships for community-based groups and initiatives. Our Community Investment Program returns the profits back into the Communities that generated them, meaning our Program is geographically aligned to the Dunkeld, Penshurst, Cavendish and district communities.
Closing date: Open Date: 1 August 2025 - Close Date: 30 November 2025
Community Investment Program - Beach Energy
Grant provider: Beach Energy
Value: Individual Application Review
Purpose:
Beach Energy is committed to building meaningful long-lasting relationships with the communities in which it operates. This includes investing in local and strategically aligned initiatives that build stronger and more resilient communities. Applications that align with the Health, Safety and Wellbeing key area are accepted.
Closing date: Reviewed Annually
Sporting Schools
Grant provider: Australian Sporting Commission
Value: Ranging from $1000 to $3650
Purpose:
Sporting Schools offers grant opportunities for primary schools, and targeted grant opportunities for secondary schools in relation to Years 7 and 8 students. Grants support the delivery of sport-based programs to help students build the confidence and capability to be active for life.
Closing date: Open Date: 4 August 2025 - Close Date: 22 August 2025
Grassroots Cricket Fund
Grant provider: Cricket Australia
Value: $3,000
Purpose:
The GCF Grant Program’s focus is on enabling sustainable impact, fostering participation growth in the junior space and creating brilliant experiences for volunteers and participants.
From Monday, 18 August 2025 (12PM AEST), the 2025/26 GCF funding program will open for four weeks to support clubs to prepare for the upcoming season and to help make them even better places to play the game. The round closes on Sunday, 14 September 2025 (11:59PM AEST), so be sure to have your applications in prior.
Closing date: Open Date: 18 August 2025 - Close Date: 14 September 2025
Strengthening Rural Communities — Small & Vital
Grant provider: Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal
Value: Up to $10,000
Purpose:
The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Small & Vital stream gives small remote, rural and regional communities across Australia the opportunity to access funds for a broad range of initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities.
Closing date: Round 26 Close Date: 17 September 2025, Round 27 Open Date: 18 September 2025 - Close Date: 4 December 2025
Local Sporting Champions Grant
Grant provider: Australian Sports Commission
Value: Up to $750
Purpose:
The Local Sporting Champions program provides financial assistance for coaches, officials and competitors aged 12-18 participating in state, national or international championships.
Closing date: Open Date: 1 August 2025 - Close Date: 31 October 2025
Community Assistance Fund - Moyne Shire Council
Grant provider: Moyne Shire Council
Value: Up to $15,000
Purpose:
Grants of up to $15,000 aimed at supporting community organisations to deliver services and activities that benefit the community. There are four categories with different funding rations.
Closing date: Open Date: 25 August 2025 - Close Date: 19 September 2025
Emergency Sporting Equipment Grant Program
Grant provider: Sport and Recreation Victoria
Value: Up to $2,000
Purpose:
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 storm, earthquake, theft, arson, or criminal damage.
Closing date: Open Date: 2 July 2025 - Close Date: 31 May 2026
Corangamite Ready Now Grant
Grant provider: Corangamite Shire Council
Value: Up to $500
Purpose:
Council has developed a policy and application form for groups seeking funding through the Council Quick Response Grants for small projects, equipment, or initiatives.
Closing date: Applications are assessed monthly
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South West Sport would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians on the lands on which we work.
We pay our respects to elders past and present, and acknowledge their continued connection to country.
We are committed to building inclusive communities through sport and recreation, and we celebrate the power of sport to promote reconciliation and reduce inequality across our regional community.
