More than 8 million Australians use community sporting facilities every year.
Community sport, with its focus on participation, benefits us by improving our:
- physical health by reducing the risk of chronic conditions
- mental health particularly by reducing isolation
- potential through new challenges and personal goals.
Learn more about the benefits of exercise and physical activity.
How we support community sport
We support schools, local clubs and groups, and local governments to develop sporting facilities and activities.
We support a number of initiatives to give everyone the opportunity to take part in sport.
Australia’s Sport Participation Strategy
Play Well – Australia’s Sport Participation Strategy creates sustainable and positive sporting environments and experiences.
The strategy helps individuals of all ages, backgrounds, genders and abilities to come together to access the benefits of sport.
Co-designed by Australia’s sport participation system, the strategy identifies 6 priority areas in our sporting landscape. It aims to increase engagement and participation in sport across the nation.
The strategy complements Win Well – Australia’s High Performance 2032+ Sport Strategy and provides direction for the Australian Sports Commission’s participation grant programs.
Increasing participation in sport
The Play Well Participation grant program is investing in new and existing programs that:
- increase involvement in sport and physical activity
- address the barriers to participation.
The funding is split across 2 competitive funding streams:
- National Pilot and Expansion Projects – supporting national sport and physical activity organisations to deliver programs to increase lifelong involvement in sport and physical activity.
- Community Projects – supporting local government councils to form partnerships to deliver projects that address local barriers to involvement in sport.
Women and girls in sport
The Women Leaders in Sport (WLIS) program helps women to reach their full leadership potential in the sports industry. The Australian Sports Commission manages the program in partnership with the Office for Women.
The Play Our Way program will support local governments and community, not-for-profit, and sporting organisations to deliver initiatives to make sport more welcoming and equitable for women and girls.
The grant opportunity will fund projects across 2 streams:
- Facilities – to support new and upgraded facilities, playing areas or spaces for sport and physical activity, specifically for women and girls.
- Participation and equipment – to support sustainable and enduring sport participation programs, and/or new or upgraded equipment, specifically for women and girls.
Sport in schools
The Sporting Schools program, delivered by the Australian Sports Commission, aims to increase the amount of sport in schools. Research shows fitter kids achieve better academic results. Kids who grow up playing sport are 10% more likely to remain active as adults.
A 2020 review found this program is delivered efficiently and is meeting its objectives.
Increasing social inclusion through sport
This grant program funds sport projects for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. It supports projects aimed at:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
- migrants and refugees
- women and girls
- people with a physical or mental disability.
Community sports infrastructure
The Australian Government supports sports infrastructure projects ranging from small community facilities to major sporting venues.
No funding opportunities are currently open.
Grants and funding opportunities
A variety of grant and funding opportunities support community sporting organisations.
- GrantConnect has details on all Australian Government funding opportunities. You can register to be notified of new opportunities.
- There are a range of grants and funding opportunities for sporting clubs through the Australian Sports Commission.
- The Australian Sports Foundation (ASF) provides funding to eligible organisations for projects that aim to increase participation in sport.
State and territory governments also provide grants and funding: