TELSTRA FOOTY COUNTRY GRANTS

On September 14, 2023, it was announced that Telstra and the AFL are launching an initiative that will support community football clubs by establishing the Telstra Footy Country Fund that will provide $2M per year for four years to meet the needs of community footy clubs all across Australia.

Read more on the initiative’s announcement, here.

1. Grow and assist volunteer capacity

• Undertaking short courses in electronic bookkeeping, governance, barista, RSA, first aid/sports training course, food handling (75% of total cost up to $1,000)
• Improving club financial practices:
  • Electronic POS systems (75% of total cost up to $1,500)
• Items to ease the workload on volunteers:
  • Line-markers (75% of total cost up to $2,000)
  • Ice machine (75% of total cost up to $1,500)
  • Replace of manual scoreboard to an electronic fixed scoreboard (50% of total cost up to $20,000)
  • Replace manual scoreboard to an electronic portable scoreboard (50% up to $10,000)
• Items required to modify ovals for junior football or NINES competitions (75% of total cost up to $1,500)
  • Moveable goal posts, cones to define boundaries, additional goal umpire flags.
• Items which improve the safety of the environment
  • Goal post padding (75% of total cost up to $1,000)
  • Defibrillators (75% of total cost up to $2,000)
  • PA systems (75% of total cost up to $2,000)
  • Behind the goal netting where there is a demonstrated safety concern, i.e balls escape onto a busy main road or down a steep embankment (50% of total cost up to $20,000)
• Other initiatives recommended by State AFL body to grow and assist volunteer capacity(Maximum $5,000)

2. Grow and Diversify Participation

• Start-up costs associated with the establishment of new or amalgamated clubs (Total costs up to $15,000)
• New girls teams in age groups up to under 12’s (Total costs up to $2,000,)
• Grants of up to $500 per participant (capped at $5,000) are available to promote increased participation among multicultural communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, individuals of all abilities, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds
  • Indigenous or Pride themed jumpers where a club demonstrates additional education/awareness is delivered, i.e a club delivers cultural awareness training to participants prior to an indigenous themed round (75% of total cost up to $2,000)
• Other initiatives recommended by State AFL body to grow and diversify participation (Maximum $5,000)

3. Improve Environments and Experiences

• Initiatives, resources and/or assets that promote and enhance child safety standards (Maximum $5,000)
• Short-term financial support to distressed clubs ie where a natural disaster may have impacted on the club’s ability to operate (Maximum $5,000)
• Safety Lighting and/or surveillance/security cameras to monitor matchday environment on and off field (75% of total cost up to $2,000)
• Other initiatives recommended by State AFL body that improve environments and experiences (Maximum $5,000)

• Facilities improvements or acquisitions other than those outlined above.
• Payments for services provided by coaches, trainers, administrators, 3rd party presenters or 3rd party club development providers.
• Costs associated with catering, advertising or room hire.
• Tablets, phones, laptops and computer printers
• Equipment for existing teams, including but not limited to new footballs, sports tape, water bottles and coaches vests
• Costs for activities and/or programs currently offered by the club’s league, region, state body or the AFL.
• Player payments or League competition fees.
• Projects that require ongoing funding assistance or routine or cyclical maintenance works.
• Retrospective funding for a project that commenced or has been completed more than three months ago.

Applications for the 2025 Telstra Footy Country Grants Program are now open and can be made here.

Applications up to $20k will be considered and assessed against the above strategic areas by the Grants Advisory Board. Clubs will be required to have the support from their relevant State AFL Body prior to the Advisory Board considering the application. Clubs will be limited to 1 application each unless approved by the State AFL Body.  

Where applications include goods or services from a supplier, applications must include official supplier quotes. 

For electronic scoreboards and behind the goal nets projects approval from the landowner should be provided through a letter of support as part of the application 

Successful applicants will be required to enter a Funding Agreement.

Club's upon signing the agreement will have 60 days to purchase their item/s and then invoice the AFL accordingly in order to receive the funding amount.

All Community Football Club’s affiliated to the AFL can apply.

Excluded are VFL, SANFL and WAFL clubs as well as umpiring groups.

Applications will open on Monday 2nd December 2024. The following dates will represent a cut off for when applications are considered. For example, if you were to miss Round 1, you can still apply; however, the outcome of your application won't be known until after the Round 2 closure date.

• Round 1: Monday 2nd December 2024 to 11:59pm (AEDT) Sunday 2nd February 2025
• Round 2: Monday 3rd February to 11:59pm (AEST) Thursday 3rd April 2025
• Round 3: Friday 4th April to 11:59pm (AEST) Sunday 25th May 2025
• Round 4: Monday 26th May 2025 to 5pm (AEST) Thursday 24th July 2025

Application outcomes will be provided via email, and you should expect to receive an update at:

• Round 1: Week of Monday 3rd March 2025
• Round 2: Week of Monday 5th May2025
• Round 3: Week of Monday 23rd June 2025
• Round 4: Week of Monday 18th August 2025

Clubs are eligible for one successful application each year irrespective of category or item. For example applying for an alternate item/s is not acceptable. So be sure to select and apply for what is best for your club in that year.