Local football clubs across Australia will have the opportunity to share in an $8 million funding boost over the next four years, as the AFL and Telstra launch Telstra Footy Country Grants. With a pool of $2 million to be distributed in 2024, eligible regional and metro clubs can apply for grants up to $20,000 – helping strengthen, sustain and grow local footy.
WHAT ARE THE GRANTS?
The Telstra Footy Country Grants is designed to financially assist local footy clubs affiliated with the AFL through three key initiatives:
- Grow and assist volunteer capacity
- Grow and diversify participation
- Improve club environments and experiences
WHAT CAN CLUBS SEEK FUNDING FOR?
Whether it’s upgrading to an electronic scoreboard, upskilling volunteers or introducing new initiatives to attract more participants, Telstra Footy Country Grants aims to provide tangible support for clubs and alleviate the challenges they may face.
HOW TO APPLY?
The Grants will be launched in early 2024, so clubs across Australia are encouraged to consider how the Grants could benefit their club. Check back on this page early next year to lodge your application. You may like to express your interest to hear from us once applications officially open.
FAQs
Learn more about Telstra Footy Country Grants, the three initiatives your club can seek funding for, or any other questions you may have about the program.
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 local footy clubs all across Australia.
Read more on the announcement, here.
1. Grow and assist volunteer capacity;
- Undertaking short courses in electronic bookkeeping, governance, barista, RSA, food handling (75% of total cost up to $1,000)
- Improving club financial practices:
- Electronic POS processes or accounting software such as xero (75% of total cost up to $1,500)
- Items to ease the workload on volunteers (75% of total cost up to $2,000):
- Line-markers (75% of total cost up to $2,000)
- Replace of manual score to an electronic scoreboard (50% of total cost up to $20,000)
- 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 improves the safety of the environment
- Goal post padding (75% of total cost up to $1,000)
- Defibrillators (75% of total cost up to $1,500)
- 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 approved by State AFL body
2. Grow and assist volunteer capacity;
- Start-up costs associated with the establishment of new or amalgamated clubs or new female teams in the age groups of 5-9 year olds (new team costs up to $2,000, new club costs up to $15,000)
- Subsidies to encourage increased participation of multicultural, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, all abilities, or disadvantaged participants (up to $500 per player)
- Undertaking club cultural awareness training
- 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 approved by State AFL body
3. Improve environments and experiences;
- Initiatives, resources and or assets that promote and enhance child safety standards
- Short-term financial support to distressed clubs ie where a natural disaster may have impacted on the club’s ability to operate
- Other initiatives approved by State AFL body
- Facilities improvements or acquisitions other than those associated with new electronic scoreboards and behind the goal netting.
- Payments for services provided by coaches, trainers, administrators, 3rd party presenters, 3rd party club development providers.
- Costs associated with catering, facilities improvements or acquisitions, advertising or room hire.
- iPads, iPhones, laptops and printers
- Equipment for existing teams i.e new footballs, sports tape, water bottles, coaches vests etc
- 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.
The Grants will be launched in early 2024 and clubs across Australia are encouraged to consider how the Grants could benefit their club. Check back on this page early next year to lodge your application.
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.