Football West’s Building Stronger Clubs Program provides funding

Liam Watson12/11/2020 5:00 pm12/11/2020

Football West’s Building Stronger Clubs Program has provided financial and resource support to more than 20 clubs.

The offering was to clubs based in Western Australia who were invited to apply for funding by signing up to the program. It was launched to future-proof the sport with good practice clubs and associations working in unison to create a better all-round experience for all involved.

The total number of clubs to receive the funding is 24 – going towards projects valued at over $100,000.

“Congratulations to the clubs who have successfully applied for funding through the Building Stronger Clubs Program,” Football West CEO James Curtis said.

“This will provide direct financial help for clubs to offer better services for their members.

“Money is tight for many clubs and associations and it is fantastic that they have taken advantage of the program. The benefits will be felt throughout the club and this is reflected on what the money will go towards.”

Adding on to the Building Stronger Clubs Program, Football West has invested extra to the sport through the Empowering People Scholarship Fund.

Individuals were invited to apply for scholarship funding to develop their skills that would further service the game for Western Australia. This saw 64 applicants who were successful and will each receive $500.

“It is great to see applicants from all over WA apply for the scholarship to further their football education,” Curtis said.

“With 20% of the applicants being from regional Western Australia, it goes to show that football in regional Western Australia is growing and will only get stronger.

“Football West has a gender equity target of 50/50 by 2027 and by having a third of the applicants female and wanting to improve, we feel as though we are on track to achieving our goal.”

Football West has already released a Community Grants Directory, putting all available grants for WA clubs in the one place. Currently, the directory features over $3 million allocated for clubs who wish to apply.

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Female Football Week kicks off across Northern NSW

Declan Chan12/05/2026 6:05 am11/05/2026

Image Credit: Shutterstock

Female Football Week has officially begun across Northern NSW, with a program of gala days, networking events and awards ceremonies running until Sunday May 17, marking a ten-day celebration that organisers say reflects both the growth of women’s football in the region and the work still required to sustain it.

The national initiative, now a fixture on the football calendar, provides a dedicated period of visibility for female participants across all levels of the game from players, coaches, referees to volunteers, whose contributions have historically received less recognition than their male counterparts.

NNSWF Participation and Women’s Football Officer Serena Carter said the week offered something for everyone connected to women’s football in the region.

“Female Football Week provides a fantastic chance to highlight the dedication and skill of female players, coaches, referees and volunteers across the northern NSW community,” Carter said. “There’s something for everyone to enjoy, from grassroots participants to elite competitors.”

Women’s football in northern NSW spans remote and regional communities where clubs operate on limited resources, alongside more established metropolitan programs with clearer development pathways. Female Football Week creates a moment of shared recognition across that spectrum and acknowledges the role volunteers play, from running the canteen to progressing through the pathway.

Northern NSW Football has recorded some of its strongest participation numbers in women’s and girls’ football in recent seasons, a trend that has placed increasing pressure on clubs and facilities to keep pace. The week’s events offer clubs an opportunity to showcase their commitment to diversity and inclusion at a time when that commitment is being tested by growth.

Football NNSW Releases Infrastructure Strategies as Participation Growth Outpaces Facilities

Declan Chan11/05/2026 6:05 am10/05/2026

Image Credit: Shutterstock

Northern NSW Football has unveiled bespoke infrastructure strategies for each of its seven member zones, providing an evidence-based roadmap for facility investment across the region as continued participation growth exposes critical gaps in the sporting infrastructure available to support it.

The Member Zone Infrastructure Strategies draw on data across participation rates, population growth and existing facility conditions to map what each zone has, what it needs and where investment will have the greatest impact. Identified gaps include drainage, lighting and inclusive changerooms – the foundational infrastructure that determines whether facilities are functional, safe and accessible year-round.

NNSWF Government Relations Manager Gary Fisher said the strategies represented a significant step toward smarter, more targeted investment across the region.

“By bringing together key data on participation, population growth and existing infrastructure, these strategies give us a stronger understanding of where the needs are greatest and where investment will have the most impact,” Fisher said. “Ultimately we want to create more inclusive and accessible environments for everyone involved in the game while building stronger, more sustainable clubs and communities for the future.”

Northern NSW Football has previously noted that participation across the region is at record levels and still rising, with women’s and girls’ football a significant driver of that growth. Infrastructure that was built for a smaller and less diverse participation base is increasingly unable to meet current demand, let alone accommodate future growth.

The strategies are also designed to strengthen NNSWF’s alignment with government funding priorities, providing the evidence base needed to support grant applications and long-term facility planning across all seven zones.