Applications for grants open for sporting clubs to make facilities female-friendly
THE State Government is encouraging sporting clubs to apply for grants under the new grassroots football, cricket and netball facilities program.
GRANT applications have opened for sporting clubs seeking to improve their facilities with the State Government and major sports committing $12 million over the next two years.
The program replaces Labor’s female facilities program and also has the option of being extended with another $5 million from the State Government for a third year.
Football and cricket’s governing bodies are each tipping in $1 million each while the State Government puts in $5 million per year into what is called the grassroots football, cricket and netball facilities program.
The program will be run collaboratively between the Government and the sports.
Sports minister Corey Wingard said the program was designed after consultation with a women in sport task force, state associations and the general public through a survey.
The gist of the program is that the $12 million fund committed over the next two years will be used to match — dollar for dollar — any investment by the sporting clubs and local council to improve facilities.
“We’re investing $10 million over the next two years on grassroots community sports clubs with a focus on female and family-friendly infrastructure,” Mr Wingard said. “It invariably will put more than $24 million back into community grassroots sports, which is a great outcome for sport across South Australia.
“This will allow us to make sure that we get the facilities and build the facilities that the sports want.
“We know there are great growth opportunities in participation and we want to see more people playing sports here in South Australia.
“The opportunities with football, cricket and netball are immense.”
Grants can be applied for to upgrade club rooms, surfaces, netball courts, cricket nets and other areas that allow more people to play sport.
SANFL chief executive Jake Parkinson said preference would be given to applicants with a clear plan that could deliver quickly.
There had been concerns under the previous program that some funds had been dispensed but were sitting in clubs’ bank accounts as plans had been delayed.
“What is going to grow the best outcome for participation (will get preference),” Parkinson said. “And ensuring that the project will actually take place in quite a short time frame.
“We want to be able to focus on the ones that can take place quite quickly.”
The first round of applications close on February 27, 2019.