Sport Australia — formerly the Australian Sports Commission — is the federal government agency responsible for sport development and investment in Australia. It administers funding from the Department of Health for both community participation and elite performance. Understanding how Sport Australia funding works, who can access it, and how it flows through the sport system helps sporting organisations and their partners navigate federal sport investment.
Sport Australia's mission encompasses:
- Growing participation in sport and physical activity
- Supporting high-performance sport (Olympic and Paralympic pathways)
- Building the capability of the sport sector (governance, leadership, workforce)
- Promoting a healthy, active Australia
Most Sport Australia funding doesn't go directly to clubs — it flows through National Sporting Organisations (NSOs) and state/territory sporting organisations (SSOs), which then deliver programmes and funding to clubs and individuals.
National Sporting Organisations (NSOs)
NSOs are the peak bodies for individual sports — Swimming Australia, Cricket Australia, Football Federation Australia, Netball Australia, and so on. Sport Australia funds NSOs through:
- National Outcome Agreements: negotiated multi-year agreements setting participation, performance, and integrity outcomes
- High Performance System funding: for Olympic and Paralympic sports
- Targeted programme funding: for specific participation initiatives (women's sport, sport for people with disability, etc.)
NSOs in turn fund their state affiliates and member clubs, and deliver national programmes.
State Sporting Organisations (SSOs)
SSOs are the state bodies affiliated with NSOs — Swimming NSW, Cricket Victoria, and so on. They receive funding from both Sport Australia (through NSOs) and state government sport agencies. SSOs deliver programmes, competitions, and services to clubs within their sport.
Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)
The AIS is Sport Australia's elite performance arm. The AIS:
- Provides coaching, science, medicine, and technology support to Australia's elite athletes
- Administers high-performance programme funding (Winning Edge strategy)
- Supports athlete preparation for Olympic, Paralympic, and Commonwealth Games
Most AIS support goes to athletes through their NSOs under national high-performance programmes, rather than direct AIS involvement.
Active and Healthy Communities
Sport Australia funds community participation through a range of initiatives:
- Sporting Schools: funding for primary schools to connect with sports and increase physical activity
- Move It AUS: community participation initiatives, particularly for underrepresented groups
- Local Sporting Champions: targeted grants for athletes and officials to attend state, national, and international competitions
Inclusion programmes
Sport Australia specifically funds participation for groups with lower sporting participation rates:
- Women and girls in sport: women's leadership, girls' participation programmes, removing barriers to women's sport
- Sport for people with disability: disability inclusion in mainstream sport and Para sport development
- Multicultural communities: breaking down cultural barriers to sport participation
- LGBTQ+ inclusion: safe and welcoming sport environments
Volunteer and workforce development
Sport Australia funds:
- Volunteer recruitment and training
- Coaching qualifications and support (in partnership with coaching peak bodies)
- Sport administration capability
While Sport Australia primarily funds programmes rather than infrastructure, the federal government periodically makes community sport infrastructure grants — typically through discretionary announcement or budget measures. These are significant capital grants (often $100,000-$5 million) for facility upgrades, and are announced through a competitive or priority process.
Community Sporting Infrastructure Fund
Periodic federal government infrastructure funds for local sport facilities are announced on a grant round basis. Local councils and incorporated sporting clubs and associations are typical applicants.
Most Sport Australia funding is not directly available to clubs — it flows through NSOs. The pathways:
Know your NSO: contact your sport's national body to understand what funding flows through them and what opportunities exist for clubs and individuals.
Know your SSO: most day-to-day sport funding relevant to clubs flows through state sporting bodies. The SSO in your sport will know what programmes, grants, and funding opportunities are available at state and club level.
Local Sporting Champions: this grant (for travel costs to state, national, and international events) is applied for directly through the Local Sporting Champions portal by athletes, coaches, and officials who meet the criteria.
Sporting Schools: applications for Sporting Schools participation go through the Sporting Schools portal by schools, not clubs — but clubs can partner with schools participating in the programme.
Each state and territory has its own sport agency (as described in the sport and recreation grants article). State sport agencies:
- Fund state sporting organisations (SSOs)
- Administer capital grant programmes for sport facilities
- Fund participation and inclusion programmes
- Support regional and local sport infrastructure
For most clubs, state government funding is more accessible than federal — state agencies often have open grant rounds that clubs can directly apply to, while federal funding largely flows through NSOs and SSOs.
Build your NSO and SSO relationship: the most valuable thing a club can do to access sport funding is maintain a strong relationship with their SSO and NSO. Attend the forums they run, participate in their programmes, and make sure they know your club and your needs.
Participate in national programmes: Sport Australia-funded national programmes (Sporting Schools, Move It AUS, etc.) flow through SSOs and NSOs. Participating clubs access the resources, training, and support associated with these programmes.
Track federal and state grants announcements: Community sport infrastructure grants are often announced through media releases and funding round announcements. Sign up for your state sport agency's email lists and monitor government grant announcement channels.
Build your governance and capability: sport funding increasingly requires evidence of sound governance, financial management, and club development. Investing in governance quality — with sport's own governance toolkits — opens more funding doors.
Tahua's grants management platform supports state and national sporting organisations managing grant programmes for clubs and individuals — with application management, grant tracking, outcome measurement, and the workflow tools that help sport funders invest effectively in community sport across Australia.