Deadline: 24-November-2025
The Wellington Shire Council has launched its Change Our Game – Education Program to support women and girls to undertake free training in sport and active recreation.
The program aims to increase opportunities for women and girls to participate, lead, and thrive in community sport and active recreation, support them in completing training or accreditation that furthers their involvement in sport such as coaching, officiating, good governance, and sports training, build inclusive sporting environments that encourage and value gender equity, support clubs and organisations to improve gender balance in leadership and decision-making roles.
Individuals can apply for grants of up to $250 to cover the cost of eligible training or courses. The program has a limited funding pool, so applications will be assessed on merit and in order of submission.
Funding will be paid to the nominated sporting club, which will be responsible for covering the cost of the individual’s approved course or training. Only one application per club is permitted, and applications will remain open until the closing date or until all available funding has been allocated, whichever occurs first.
The grant can fund the full or partial cost of coaching accreditation courses, refereeing or umpiring courses, sports trainer, first aid or CPR training, leadership, governance or committee training in sport, gender equity or inclusion-focused sport education, required materials, registration fees or course-related resources, and travel costs where training is not available locally.
However, it cannot fund training already completed, uniforms or personal sports gear not required for training, participation in sporting competitions, tournaments or carnivals, general club equipment purchases, membership fees or team registration, coaching or private lessons not tied to a formal accreditation, projects not aligned with sport or recreation, or wages and payments unrelated to training delivery.
This grant opportunity is open to women and girls aged 12 and above who live, work, study, or volunteer in the Wellington Shire. It welcomes individuals currently involved in community sport or recreation, as well as those who wish to join a local club.
The program particularly encourages applications from young women and girls, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls, women with disability, culturally and linguistically diverse women, LGBTIQA+ women and girls, and women living in rural or remote areas of Wellington Shire.
To be eligible, applicants must live, work, study, or volunteer in the Wellington Shire; identify as a woman or girl; be applying for training or accreditation that directly supports involvement in sport or recreation; complete the application form with all required information; and use the funding for training to be completed by June 2026.
Applications will be assessed against the grant objectives and allocated funding within the available program budget. If applications exceed available funding, priority will be given based on the overall benefit for Wellington Shire Council sport and recreation groups against the grant objectives.
Applicants will need to nominate a sporting club to receive the funds and arrange payment for the approved training. Applications must be submitted via SmartyGrants, where a login and password will be required for future access to payment and acquittal forms.
Successful applicants will be notified by December 5, 2025, and payments will be made via direct deposit to the nominated sporting club once the funding agreement has been completed. Acquittal reports, including receipts confirming payment of approved expenses, must be submitted by June 26, 2026.
Applications close on Monday, November 24, 2025, or earlier if all available funding is allocated before this date.
For more information, visit Wellington Shire Council.
