Grants
Each year there are various grants provided by organisations and government departments which can provide much needed support and funds to nurture sporting talent, help build sports facilities and develop the industry as a whole.
Sport NSW monitors available grants with the view to sharing the information with our member State Sporting Organisations, State Sporting Organisations with a Disability and Local Councils. Listed below are Grants that are currently open and avaialble to Sporting Organisations. Grant information and updates are also a regular feature of the monthly Blues eNews newsletter, you can subscribe to the newsletter at the link below.
Open Grants
Women Leaders in Sport
Australian Sports Commission
Grant applications open – 2 September 2024
Grant applications close – 30 September 2024
Safe Shooting Program
NSW Office of Sport
Grant applications open – 25 September 2024
Grant applications close – 23 October 2024
NSW Surf Clubs Facility Grant
NSW Office of Sport
Grant applications open – 12 September 2024
Grant applications close – Category 1: 14 October 2024, Category 2 & 3: 11 November 2024
Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program
NSW Office of Sport
Grant applications open – 17 September 2024
Grant applications close – 27 November 2024 or once funding allocation exhausted
Helpful Links
Check out some of the below sites for current grant programs:
The links below provide further assistance to find grants:
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Australian Sports Foundation
The Australian Sports Foundation (ASF) was established to assist sport and recreation organisations to fundraise for a sporting initiative. The ASF is the only mechanism which allows for donations to sporting clubs and organisations to be tax deductible for the donor.
Sporting organisations of any size can list their fundraising project on the ASF website and then direct members or supporters to that page.
Sport NSW has established this page as comprehensive grants summary - however all sporting organisations should also be looking to supplement grant revenue with their own fundraising, which is why our grants summary is now brought to you by the Australian Sports Foundation.
Steps to writing a grant application
Below is a guide and some recommended steps to follow for organisations intending to make a grant funding submission.
Where to source grants?
There are a number of options. Some of these require an annual subscription but are inexpensive.
- The Sport NSW website maintains a comprehensive list of opportunities that are relevant to sports – see the link above.
- The Funding Centre
- Our Community
- Philanthropy Australia
- Funding Guru
1. PREPARE
It is important to remain prepared as grant opportunities may come up quickly and have short deadlines. Firstly, develop and maintain a spreadsheet of grant opportunities.
- The information to be added into each field is self-explanatory. It is also pre-populated with a number of grants that are directly relevant to sports regardless of level and geographical location.
- Fill out as much information as you can from the information available on the grant.
- Read (and continue to refer to) the Funding Guidelines and FAQ’s to self-assess if your organisation and/or project are eligible to apply for funding under the particular program. If it is a government grant, ensure that you link your program to the broader government programs such as obesity, physical activity, premier’s priorities etc.
- Call the grant funder if anything is unclear.
- Take note if there are multiple rounds.
- Check the total pool of funds to give your organisation the best chance of success.
- If available, check past recipients and the amounts which were granted as that will provide you with a good comparison.
- Identify your project or priority areas in your organisation and match those against grant opportunities in the spreadsheet.
- Determine which grants are the best fit for your project or priority.
What to do once a grant has been found that is open and is suitable?
- Read the Funding Guidelines carefully. Don’t apply for the sake of it.
- Determine who you’ll need to get information from. Depending on your project area it could be the: President, treasurer, your manager, operations staff, a committee chair, your NSO/SSO/State etc.
- Start on your project application early in the application period. Most information can be dropped in at different stages and your application saved and retrieved later.
- Have a thorough understanding of your project.
- Read the project assessment selection criteria thoroughly.
- Consider how your project will address the criteria and how you will support this with some form of evidence.
2. PLAN
- Work out your project timelines and create a project plan of when you will need information – be realistic and ensure they are within the acceptable time period for the grant program.
- Prepare a realistic budget. Don’t ask for too little or too much. Check that all budget items are eligible under the grant criteria.
- Identify the community groups that will benefit from your project.
- Source any documents that are required to be attached with your application such as from your NSO/SSO/State/Local/Federal member which could be in the form of a letter of support etc. Also be aware of the need to seek land owner’s consent if the grant relates to infrastructure and your organisation does not own the land.
3. WRITE
- Complete the application as fully as possible and ensure that each question or section is appropriately answered.
- Ensure financial information is as accurate as possible.
- Write clearly and succinctly. There are some key words which are always helpful and powerful to include: embed, enable, sustainable, research, evidence-base, innovation, collaboration, capacity, capability, reducing barriers, embracing, (social) inclusion, social impact, measurable outcomes, opportunity, unique.
Tips
- Think of your sport as a vehicle or the tool to deliver the outcome and not just as a sport.
- If your application is for participation or infrastructure, download a profile of your Local Government Area
(LGA) which are free on Profile Id. Profile Id provides a succinct profile of LGAs based on ABS census
information.ng ‘seed funding’ so it may be important to include some statements about how you can make
the subject sustainable.
- Think of the grant funder as providing ‘seed funding’ so it may be important to include some statements
about how you can make the subject sustainable.
- Don’t exceed word limits.
- Attach all the required supporting documentation.
- Don’t include documents that are not requested.
- You can work on your project submission over several sittings, so check information and make improvements before you submit your application.
Tip
- Assume that the assessor has no knowledge of your sport or your organisation.
4. CHECK
- Review your application, check spelling and grammar and have it reviewed by someone who has never seen the project or heard you talk about it.
- After reading it – ask them to explain it to you.
- Did they pick up the main points you wanted to make?
- Did they know what you were asking for?
- Refine your application and repeat this step until the other person can clearly and easily describe the project back to you.
5. SUBMIT
- Submit before or on time as late applications are unable to be submitted. And if there is an IT issue impacting your submission, you may need the grant funder’s help desk.
- Submit in accordance with the instructions.
- Keep a copy of the notification that your application has been received and any identification code that is provided for future reference.
6. What if my application is unsuccessful?
- Don’t despair. Most grant opportunities are over-subscribed and grant funders will only fund about 10% of applications they receive. And once you’ve submitted an application, you have no control over the outcome.
- Ask for feedback.
- Have the courage to reach out for professional assistance to help with grant applications. There are organisations and consultants that specialise in providing these services.
Tips when engaging professional help:
- Look for values in the consultant/company that align with your organisation’s values.
- Ensure that they have successfully written grant applications in your priority area(s) and for organisations
of similar size.
- Start small – one grant/an advisory arrangement/a review of grant application before submitting/even a
short-term retainer based on an agreed number of hours based on an hourly rate.
- Ensure that the consultant/organisation is prepared to prove their worth.
- Ensure that the consultant/organisation is prepared to build the relationship with your organisation.
- Make sure that you still own the process at each stage.
- Ensure that you always have access to the grant.
The Office of Sport has also provided a Grants Frequently Asked Questions page, to clarify matters that have been raised by organisations intending to make a grant funding submission. It will continue to be updated in response to inquiries.