The relationship between sport and mental health is well-established: physical activity reduces anxiety, depression, and stress; team sport builds social connection; and the discipline and achievement of sport development contribute to self-esteem and resilience. This intersection of sport and mental health opens significant grant funding. This guide covers the key funding sources.
Sport-mental health programmes sit between two funding sectors:
- Sport funders: Sport Australia, Sport NZ, gaming trusts, state sport agencies
- Mental health funders: Beyond Blue, Headspace, Mental Health Foundation, health departments
The most successful applications speak to both sectors — framing physical activity within mental health outcome language while demonstrating sport sector best practice.
Both national sport agencies include mental health and wellbeing in their participation rationale:
- Sport NZ: Wellbeing through sport is a strategic priority
- Sport Australia: Mental health benefits of sport participation are part of the participation case
These agencies don't typically have standalone mental health grants — the mental health case strengthens sport participation applications.
Beyond Blue: Mental health and wellbeing. Sport-based mental health programmes framed around anxiety, depression, and social connection can access Beyond Blue funding.
headspace: Youth mental health. Sport programmes for young people with mental health focus.
Black Dog Institute: Research and programmes on depression and anxiety. Sport evidence partnerships.
R U OK?: Awareness and connection. Sport clubs as community connection points.
Lifeline: Crisis support — less relevant to sport programming.
Mental Health Australia: Peak body — advocacy, some sector development grants.
Mental Health Foundation NZ: Community mental health programmes including sport-based wellbeing.
Te Pou: Mental health workforce development.
Health NZ mental health: District mental health commissioning including community physical activity.
Suicide Prevention Office: Population-level mental health programmes.
Depression NZ and Skylight: Specific condition-focused funders.
Both Australia and NZ have state/territory health departments that fund mental health:
- Community mental health programmes
- Prevention and early intervention
- Sport as mental health intervention in community settings
Australian PHNs and NZ PHOs commission community mental health services, which increasingly include sport and exercise interventions:
- Exercise prescription programmes
- Green prescriptions (NZ) — physical activity on prescription
- Social prescribing connecting people to sport and community activity
First Nations mental health and sport:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health funding (Australia)
- Māori mental health and sport connections (NZ)
Youth mental health and sport:
- headspace (AU), Youthline (NZ)
- Sport-based interventions for at-risk youth
Veterans and sport:
- Defence mental health and sport (Invictus Games, veteran sport programmes)
Disability and sport for mental wellbeing:
- Mental health support for athletes with disability
Strong sport-mental health applications demonstrate:
- Dual framing: Explicit mental health outcomes alongside sport participation
- Evidence base: Research evidence for sport-as-mental-health-intervention in your specific context
- Clinical connection: Links with mental health professionals, clinicians, or services
- Outcome measurement: How mental health outcomes will be measured (validated scales)
- Target population: Which population faces which mental health challenge?
- Safe sport culture: Coaches trained in mental health first aid, psychological safety in the team environment
- Referral pathways: What happens when a participant has higher mental health needs?
- Safeguarding: Appropriate pastoral care structures
There is a growing focus on mental health support for athletes themselves:
- Elite athlete mental health: High performance sport mental health support
- Community athlete wellbeing: Creating psychologically safe team environments
- Coach mental health literacy: Training coaches to recognise and respond to mental health needs in their teams
Organisations building mental health literacy within sport clubs (rather than delivering mental health services) are also fundable.
Tahua's grants management platform helps sport organisations manage grant applications across both sport and mental health funding sectors, track programme outcomes, and demonstrate the wellbeing impact that funders value.