South Australian Regional Drought Relief Grant Open

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Image credit: Shutterstock - Dziurek

Grants are open for South Australia’s Active Club Program – Regional Drought Relief Round – until midday Wednesday 28 May 2025.

The Active Club Program is an ongoing grant from the South Australian government designed to support clubs attract participation and ease operation. This special Regional Drought Relief Round aims to address the disadvantages and barriers clubs face due to being adversely affected by drought.

In total the Regional Drought Relief Round is providing $2 million dollars to clubs in drought affected areas facing hardship, with clubs able to claim $5000.

Eligibility 

To be eligible for the grant, applicants must:

  • be a non-profit recreation, sport, or community club whose primary purpose is the delivery of sport or recreational programs or services within South Australia; or
  • be a non-profit fishing club whose primary purpose is the delivery of recreational programs or services within South Australia; and
  • be incorporated under the Associations Incorporations Act 1985 (SA); and
  • have a minimum total membership base of 20 members. Total membership can include
    associate, social and life membership; and
  • be operating for 12 months or longer; and
  • be located within an eligible council area or comparable regional or remote area. (List can be found on the guidelines page HERE).

Conversely, the following organisations will be ineligible:

  • Any organisation which holds a gaming license.
  • Organisations which have been operating for less than 12 months
  • For profit, commercial organisations.
  • Local councils/local government authorities.
  • State associations and peak bodies which receive funding from the State Sport and Recreation Development Program.
  • Educational institutions.
  • Dance organisations unaffiliated with DanceSport Australia or another recognised body by the Australian Sports Commission.
  • Any organisation whose primary purpose is not the delivery of active recreation, sport or recreational fishing programs.
  • Any organisation which has overdue grant acquittals for the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing (ORSR) at the time of funding recommendations.
  • Any organisation which has less than 20 members.
  • Any organisation which cannot demonstrate an acceptable level of financial responsibility.
  • Any organisation whose primary purpose is to run one off or yearly events.
  • Any organisation physically located in a metropolitan area.

Eligible Projects

Program grants can be used for projects and equipment which target participation and water initiatives or expenses.

Examples include:

  • Water saving or harvesting initiatives
  • Energy efficiency initiatives
  • Utility bill relief
  • Sporting equipment
  • Fishing equipment
  • Uniforms and protective gear
  • Professional development
  • Positive menstrual health initiatives
  • Medical training
  • Medical equipment
  • Club promotional material
  • Hardship subsidies
  • Technology directly associated with
    participation or club sustainability
  • Playing venue maintenance
    equipment
  • White goods
  • Travel and accommodation

Conclusion 

Before applying for the grants, ensure that you have the mandatory documents required. These are the most recent Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet) and/or Statement of Financial Performance (Income and Expenditure Statement) of your organisation, and they must cover a period of 12 months.

To apply for the Regional Drought Relief Round, click HERE.

For more information on the grants, learn from the guidelines HERE.

 

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Victory unites with Roasting Warehouse in culture-led partnership

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Image credit: Melbourne Victory

The Melbourne-based anf family-owned business will join the Victory family, uniting two institutions which represent the city’s culture and identity.

A partnership with local roots

As the newest partner of Melbourne Victory, Roasting Warehouse joins forces with a vital part of the city’s sporting landscape.

The club’s Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the partnership bears so much value to both parties.

“We are excited to collaborate with Roasting Warehouse, a community-oriented destination for high-quality coffee, proud of its foundations in Melbourne,” said Carnegie via official media release.

“Football and coffee sit at the epicentre of Melbourne’s culture. The two go hand-in-hand, consistently at the centre of the conversation that stirs Melburnians, which is no different to the conversation sport and Melbourne Victory stir in the State.”

Indeed, this is a partnership which combines the identity, passions and culture of an entire city, therefore giving it the foundations required for long-term, mutual success.

Representing the best of Melbourne

Both Victory and Roasting Warehouse are hugely successful in their respective industries. They are institutions with community-oriented philosphies, who pride themselves on craft and quality.

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Melbourne Victory, a club that represents the heart, passion, and ambition of Melbourne,” revealed Roasting Warehouse Head of Brand, Alexander Paraskevopoulos.

“As a Melbourne-founded, family-run business, supporting a team that means so much to the local community feels very natural for us.”

Furthermore, through their high-quality blends, Roasting Warehouse will look to prepare Victory’s players and staff for high performances on the pitch as the seasons nears completion.

But this is about far more than just fueling athletes.

This is a partnership which embodies and unites two of Melbourne’s greatest strengths and cultural markers – a connection forged from the city’s very own DNA.

 

For more information about Roasting Warehouse, click here.

Marie-Louise Eta makes history as new Union Berlin head coach

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Image credit: FC Union Berlin

In an historic appointment, Eta will take over as head coach of Union Berlin until the end of the season.

History in the making

Previously the first female assistant coach in Bundesliga history with Union Berlin, Eta will now take the reigns of the men’s first team on an interim basis.

Currently, the club sit in 11th place in the Bundesliga table, but with only two wins so far in 2026, relegation appears an all-too-real prospect, and one which the club is desperate to avoid.

“Given the points gap in the lower half of the table, our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure,” said Eta via official media release.

‘I am delighted that the club has entrusted me with this challenging task. One of Union’s strengths has always been, and remains, the ability to pull together in such situations.”

Eta will begin as Union’s new head coach with immediate effect, and will be in the dugout for the club’s matchup against Wolfsburg this weekend.

 

A step into an equal future

Eta’s appointment signals a major step towards a more level playing field in the football landscape.

Furthermore, Eta joins other coaches including Sabrinna Wittmann, Hannah Dingley and Corinne Diacre who, in recent years, have blazed a trail for female coaches to step into the men’s game.

Wittmann currently manages FC Ingolstadt in Germany’s third division, and was the first female head coach in Germany’s top three divisions.

In 2023, Dingley became caretaker manager of Forest Green Rovers, and thus the first woman to lead a men’s professional team in England.

Diacre, now head coach of France’s women’s national team, managed Ligue 2’s Clerment Foot between 2014 and 2017.

 

Final thoughts

The impact therefore, is that Eta’s appointment will show future generations of aspiring female coaches that men’s football is an equally viable and possible pathway as the women’s game.

The time is now to level the playing field.

And while it may be a short-term role, its effect on attitudes towards equality and fair opportunities in the game will hopefully resonate long after the season ends.

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