Club Development Grant information

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As we embark on a fresh season, it’s important to outline some new initiatives and projects AFL NSW/ACT is rolling out across the state and territory.

Pleasingly, the La Niña conditions experienced across the past two years are forecast to ease, and we are looking forward to seeing football clubs and communities back on the park for a stellar season ahead. We are also investing in innovations and people to help attract more people to this great game as players, coaches, umpires or administrators. 

In August last year the AFL Commission endorsed that not less than 10 per cent of the AFL’s assessable football revenue annually will go towards developing the game at the grassroots. That means in 2023 the AFL’s investment in game development across the country will be increased by 35 per cent.

AFL NSW/ACT has worked with the Game Development Investment Panel (the body charged with distributing these funds) to secure additional investment to get footy growing across NSW and the ACT in the next two years.

Quite simply we want to grow the game after a few tough years – and will focus on the following key areas to do so:

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• Club and competition development: Grow and develop sustainable clubs and competitions that offer a great footy experience in meaningful pathways.
• Coaching and umpiring development: Increase the number of quality coaches and umpires through education, tools and resources.
• Women and girls: Ensure we create opportunities for girls and women who play, coach, umpire and administrate the game through education, programs and facilities.
• Participation growth: Generate more ways for young people to engage in our game through school and Auskick programs.
• Facilities: Build or develop higher quality football facilities across the state and territory.

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We have created multiple roles internally to support these focus areas, including two specific positions which focus on implementing the AFL’s Women and Girls Action Plan, two on supporting club development, roles to improve football operations, and others across coaching and umpiring development.

Additionally, AFL NSW/ACT has acted to enhance our capability and capacity in the participation team, which is responsible for school engagement, Auskick registrations and other methods to harness interest and bolster participation in our game. This team’s capability is already strong with one of its many achievements in 2022 delivering face to face football clinics to more than 70,000 primary school children. Continuing to build on this engagement in the schoolyard is key to the ongoing success of Australian rules football in NSW and the ACT.

As ever, the AFL is looking to support community clubs through staff resourcing at AFL NSW/ACT and via funding opportunities. In 2022, AFL NSW/ACT and its partners secured funding to greenlight more than 20 major football facilities projects across the state and territory which will improve match and training experiences for all involved. The AFL also donated more than $60,000 to flood affected clubs in NSW.

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Club Development Grants

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We understand clubs have bespoke needs which may not fall under existing support programs listed above, so AFL NSW/ACT is proud to announce its new Club Development Grants, which are now open. These small level grants are designed to support clubs implement strategies that build growth and sustainability across key participation segments, improve club capacity and environment, or enhance participation pathways.

All AFL NSW/ACT affiliated clubs will be eligible for Club Development Grants with the first round of funding opening on 24 February. Please ensure your club applies.

Further information and directions on how to apply can be found here.

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Once again, thank you for your commitment to football in 2023. We can’t wait for a bumper year working closely with everyone who loves footy to grow our great game.

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