Grants support First Nations participation in Victorian sports carnivals and pathway programs

Jarred Cross Published June 2, 2026 at 3.00pm (AWST)

sport

Grants for travel, accomodation, uniforms, equipment and participation are now available via the Victorian Government's Aboriginal Sport Participation Grant Program. (Image: Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Ltd/Facebook)

The latest round of grants to support First Nations athletes and sides to compete in carnivals and tournaments has been launched in Victoria.

Grants of up to $15,000 are open for application for the next month, with 54 applicants sharing in more than $146,000 in 2025.

Since 2020, the state Government has provided more than 500 pieces of funding for travel, uniforms, equipment and accommodation through the Aboriginal Sport Participation Grant Program.

It's also an effort to support athletes in high performance pathways.

"Sport is a great cultural connector and the lifeblood of Victorian communities," Victorian Minister for First Peoples and Community Sport Ros Spence said this week.

"These grants provide an opportunity for our next generation of First Nations athletes to play the sports they love and dream big."

In 2025, over $2000 was provided to support u17s girls and senior women's First Nations netballers for new uniforms at Darebin Netball Association in Melbourne's inner-north.

A Broadmeadows-based basketball club also shared in the grant funding.

Every year, multiple community sports carnivals across the state feature First Nations teams. Some at community-organised Aboriginal competitions, with others take place around the state across a range of sports.

This includes the VACSAL Statewide Junior Football and Netball Carnival.

Mildura's Mallee Tigers Football Netball Club headed to the carnival last September with grant support.

Funding categories include availability of up to $15,000 total or $2,500 per team for junior teams to travel and cover accommodation costs to play in in Victorian or national Aboriginal sporting carnivals or tournaments.

Senior teams can apply for $1,500 per team or a total of $9,000.

There are also categories to purchase uniforms or equipments for $1000 per team, $250 per person or $6,000 in total, as well as grants ranging from $350-$750 for athletes competing, training or training in regional, state and national representative sports.

Eligibility requires individuals in the teams identify as First Nations, reside in Victoria or near the border while competing in Victorian competitions, with grants to be used for specific purposes, among other criteria.

There are two rounds of applications in the next 12 months.

Applications close for the current round on July 6, with the second round open from December 10 to January 7, 2027.