More Aussies will be supported to get active and enjoy the benefits of sport and physical activity thanks to the Australian Sports Commission’s (ASC) Play Well participation grants.
Funding has been announced for the latest round with 69 projects greenlit, with $10.3 million driving more participation in sport.
Sports including surfing, golf, badminton, table tennis, AFL Masters, rugby league, softball and orienteering will receive funding to expand their existing programs and welcome more people to sport.
Football Australia will receive funding to grow the game in Indigenous communities and expand its Miniroos and walking football programs. Motorsport Australia will also expand its Girls on Track program while Wheelchair Rugby League Australia will bring its NRL Wheelchair program to five states and territories.
Funding has also been allocated to pilot new projects such as Surf Live Saving Australia’s Breaking Barriers event to help people with disabilities participate in surf sports, and Basketball Australia’s Ability Hoops program for children with an intellectual impairment.
The Minister for Sport, The Hon Anika Wells MP, says all Australians will benefit from these programs.
“Indigenous communities, regional and remote areas and people with disability are at the heart of so many of these projects to help ensure sport is fun and accessible for anyone who wants to be involved,” Minister Wells said.
Gridiron Australia has seen interest in flag football soar after it was added as an Olympic sport for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
“We’ve been absolutely inundated from kids right through to adults wanting to play since the announcement,” Gridiron Australia CEO Wade Kelly said.
He hopes a new university tournament which will see teams compete across four states will encourage more Australians to play football while also serving as a pathway to the national and international university games.
“This funding is everything to us. It will allow us to run this event in Semester One next year and also helps us identify talent for LA 2028.”
DanceSport Australia National Vice President Martyn Kibel hopes to reach up to 3,000 new participants by offering free beginner Standard Ballroom, Latin American and New Vogue classes.
“We held a Come and Try day in Victoria a few years ago which attracted more than 500 people with 100 returning to attend more classes,” he said.
“We are also seeing increased demand for regular all-abilities and wheelchair dancing classes so this funding will be used to train more coaches with 20 coaches attending a similar workshop recently held in Perth.”
29 councils will also receive funding up to $40,000 to run sporting events and come and try days including skateboarding workshops in Victor Harbor in South Australia, Indigenous youth cricket programs in Casino and Coraki in New South Wales and volleyball clinics in southwest Queensland.
ASC CEO Kieren Perkins OAM said the program will now reach even more Australians after receiving an additional $17.3 million in the 2024-25 Federal Budget to extend the program for a further two years.
“Thanks to the Australian Government, this vital program has already helped more than 500,000 participants and can continue to make it easier for even more Australians to get active.”
“Creating great sporting environments is central to the nation’s first Sport Participation Strategy and these projects will help us in our goal to transform sport participation ahead of and beyond Brisbane 2032 so that everyone feels welcome.”
The Strategy calls on Australians to Play Well and create safe, welcoming and fun sporting environments where people of all ages, backgrounds, genders and abilities can come together to access the benefits of sport.
More information on the Participation Grant program and a list of successful recipients is available on our website.
