Local

It is important to find out where your local council advertises grants. This may be via the website &/or promoted through their social media / eDMs, local media etc. Sign up or subscribe to not miss out on any opportunities.

State Government

Click on the below links to access grants through your State or Territory Government, or some other relevant sport specific organisations.

ACT | NSW | NT | QLD | SA | TAS | VIC | WA

AFL State / Territory body

Your local league and/or state AFL body may also have regular communications and/or webpages with information about available grants. Ask your league for any guidance that they can provide and check out your AFL State / Territory website to see if they are promoting any current grants for facilities or more.

AFL NSW/ACT | AFLNT | AFL QLD | SANFL | AFL TAS | AFL VIC | WA Football

Other Organisations

You may like to consider regular reviewing websites &/or subscribing to organisations that regularly promote grant opportunities. Some suggestions to consider include:

• Australian Sports Commission
• Australian Sports Foundation
• Clearinghouse for Sport
• Sports Community
• The Grants Hub

Whilst each grant will be unique in what you need to provide and the depth of the information required, the following checklist is a handy guide to work through when completing the grant application

Before you start writing your grant application, it’s important to understand why grants are unsuccessful (so you can avoid making the same mistakes!).

Some of the most common reasons grants are not successful include:

• The project didn’t satisfy the purpose of the grant
• The application didn’t include all the necessary information
• The application lacked proof of support from key stakeholders
• The project wasn’t viable/wasn’t enough financial support

Generally, the first thing a grant provider will do is review each grant to determine if all the information is complete and that the applicant is eligible to apply. Grant providers will not call you if the grant application is incomplete, missing information or is incorrect. Your application will be rejected.

Make sure your project is eligible and your application is complete before submission, so you don’t waste your time applying for a grant that never had a chance.

Most grant programs are now online however it’s recommended you start by writing your application in a word document. This will allow you to come back to it, spell check the application and then share with others before submitting it.

Tips for the writing process include:

• The purpose of the grant is clearly addressed in your answers
• All criteria are clearly addressed
• There are clear details about how the project will be achieved and how progress will be measured
• Ensure your application is within the word count
• Don’t ramble! Remember there are often large numbers of applications and accessors want clear and concise information. It is ok to use quality dot points
• Back up your application with supporting material! Use the Bureau of Statistics, league and club information to solidify any claims
• Remember to list the positive impact your project will have – not only on your club but the wider community

Once you have written the application, circulate it to the club committee for it to be reviewed and proofed. This will ensure:

• Every answer addresses the question in full, is complete and is accurate
• Spelling and grammar are correct
• Your application includes all supporting information and is accurate and complete

The final step is to submit the application. While most grants are online, some still require hard copies of certain documents. Please allow time for this.

Once you have submitted the grant, call the provider to ensure they have received the application.

If your grant is successful, remember to collect and file any information that may be needed to acquit the grant. Depending on the size of the grant, your local or state AFL staff member may be able to assist with some advice regarding the acquittal process.

Make sure you keep all the grant information together for the next grant application. The next grant application should be a lot faster if you have all supporting information in one place which is accurate and complete.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the senior and junior clubs will also help maintain a working relationship and aid player transition.

What can the junior club do to assist Auskick?

• Distribute player pathway documents to Auskick participants
• Invite the top end youth players to be part of your club’s program

What can the junior club do to assist 8 to 12-year-old?

• Discuss with junior players that they may go on to play with their aligned senior club – distribute a basic pathway document
• Invite the senior club to be part of your program including coaching
• Educate parents on how to encourage and support their children to participate long term in football and why this is important

What can the junior club do to assist 13 to 15-year-old?

• Have a player’s night/dinner at a senior club to experience a senior team training night
• Encourage parents to help young people balance the demands on their time to allow time for sport
• Invite the senior club to be part of your program including coaching

What can the junior club do to assist 16 to 18-year-old?

• Train at local senior club ground several times during the year
• Celebrate local transition successes (i.e. Junior players going on to win individual awards and honours)
• Send a letter to all previous Under 16’s in January/February providing the senior club contact details and encouraging them to register

What can the junior club do to assist senior clubs?

• Support and encourage the efforts of the local senior club
• Provide contact details of Under 18’s players to senior clubs (NB: releasing this information is not in breach of the Privacy Act or AFL Privacy Policy)
• Invite a senior club representative to sit on the junior club’s committee
• Offer a junior representative to sit on the senior club committee
• Hold a joint function/event with the senior club, e.g. quiz night or gala day
• Invite the senior club committee to key junior club events or functions

What can the senior club do to assist Auskick?

• Arrange for senior players to attend the local Auskick Centre and assist in coaching / umpiring (wearing senior club shirt)
• Arrange for NAB AFL Auskick kids from the local junior club to play at half time of your senior club’s league match, with a BBQ / event for players and parents

What can the senior club do to assist Under 9’s to 12’s?

• Assist the junior club at local junior registration days
• Provide players or people to support the efforts of the junior clubs in recruiting junior players
• Senior players to volunteer a few hours during the season e.g. operate the BBQ at key events

What can the senior club do to assist Under 13’s to 16’s?

• Hold BBQ’s for the junior players after training
• Provide players to conduct training sessions for junior team
• Invite junior players to senior club matches

What can the senior club do to assist Under 16’s to 18’s?

• Actively look to provide a player/ex-player to coach the Under 16’s junior team (someone who is a positive role model)
• Establish regular communication with Under 16’s and 18’s players, such as letters at the start of the season (wishing them all the best for the season ahead), middle (touching base and inviting them to a senior club event – with no alcohol) and end of their season (congratulating them on the end of the season and giving them further details about your club and the following season)
• Invite the Under 16’s to 18’s to train with the senior squad on occasion
• Have the senior club league coach provide support to the Under 16’s and 18’s coaches and take sessions with the junior players
• Hold a parent information session with the parents of the Under 16’s and 18’s parents to give them info about the senior club and so they can ask any questions
• Include all Under 16’s / 18’s players from local junior clubs on a mail out / email database for all club newsletters (seek permission from players and include an unsubscribe option)
• Invite all Under 16’s / 18’s and their parents to a senior club game and incorporate a club lunch for the attendees
• Establish a pre-season timeline to distribute to all Under 16’s/18’s players at the end of their season - don’t wait until pre-season commences!

What can the senior club do to assist junior clubs in general?

• Appoint a Junior Club Liaison Officer and offer a senior club representative to sit on the junior club committee
• Invite a junior representative to sit on the senior club committee
• Explore an induction process or youth player camp
• Implement a player welfare program to ensure the players feel welcome at the club once they arrive
• Implement a mentor program (player buddy system) – whereby current senior players ‘buddy up’ with a youth player. The senior player may train with his buddy a couple of times throughout the year and watch each other play throughout the year
• Senior clubs need to present a professional image that junior players and their families want to be a part of include:
• Appropriate coaching
• Professional look and standards at training
• Ensuring that the club rooms and its surroundings are kept presentable and not impacted from anti-social behaviour
• Create a positive image and environment at the club that will welcome younger players. This is particularly relevant if you share a ground with a junior club

1. Set clear club values and expectations
2. Promote an inclusive club environment

• Advertising in different languages if the club is in a multicultural community
• Not serving alcohol on game days to be more family friendly
• Diversity in age, gender and culture on the club committee and volunteer workforce
• Program offerings to meet the needs of people with a disability and other considerations

3. Engage quality coaches

• The coach is vital to a player’s experience and the club’s culture. It is important to appoint the right coach to the right team.
• It may be beneficial to appoint a selection panel who are responsible for the coach appointment process. When appointing coaches, consider the following points:
• Coaching accreditation requirements
• Ability to attain Working with Children Check
• Values, vision and expectations of both the club and the coach
• Communication and leadership style
• Ability to provide and receive feedback from the club committee
• Even if there is only one applicant – the club should do due diligence to ensure the coach meets the club’s needs. If there are gaps, consider potential measures like extra training or development opportunities to ensure the coach delivers a positive experience for the players.

4. Ensure the club is about more than just football

• The club’s ability to provide social opportunities to harbour a strong comradery will ensure the players feel connected to the club.
• Ideas include: Player dinner after training, charity events during the season, pre-season training camps, team outings, off-season gatherings

Click on the relevant link below to understand the full eligibility criteria & process. Parents/guardians need to work through these simple steps to gain the benefits.

Step 1 – Apply for the voucher via the relevant government website

Step 2 – When approved, use the voucher code when registering via Play.afl

It must be at the forefront of our actions to ensure everyone is included. Special attention is needed to make sure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people feel welcome in our football clubs. There are various measures we can adopt to ensure this cultural inclusivity. This document will guide your club through ideas and best practices for the inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.