New support from Victorian Government as part of Sporting Club Grants Program

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The Victorian Government has announced more support for grassroots sporting clubs affected by the state’s recent coronavirus circuit-breaker efforts, with new funding available through the Sporting Club Grants Program.

In what comes as significant news for Victorian grassroots soccer clubs who incurred losses during the circuit-breaker period from February 12th to February 17th, $2,000 has been made available under the Sporting Club Grants Program’s Circuit Breaker Event Support category.

If clubs had unexpected costs to deal with, such as cancellation fees, lost booking fees and the loss of perishable goods, they can be claimed back in funds as part of this scheme. 

Additional grants available include up to $5,000 devoted to assisting the recovery of affected leagues & associations, up to $1,000 for new uniforms & equipment, up to $5,000 for the development of coaches, officials & volunteers and $5,000 to improve overall operational efficacy are available in addition to the Circuit Breaker Event Support grant.

The Sporting Club Grant Program upholds the state Government’s dedication to ensuring community sport is an accessible & inclusive space, while providing sustainable sport & recreation opportunities to increase local participation. The latest grants add to the $6.8 million given out to 4,950 sporting clubs since 2014.

Victorian Minister for Community Sport, Ros Spence, was enthusiastic on the return to normality for grassroots sporting organisations, acknowledging the boost it provides to local communities and the wider state.

“Sport and recreation plays a vital role in bringing our communities together and improving our physical and mental wellbeing,” he said.

“There has never been a time in our recent history when that role has been more important, with the impact of the bushfires and now the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic putting our communities under enormous pressure.

“Sport and active recreation clubs and organisations have been hit hard, and this Program will help Victorians get back to the sport and recreation activities they love as restrictions ease.

“The Victorian Government has already put in place measures and significant investment to support clubs, leagues and associations stay viable and return to play, however the challenge is significant.”

Applications for the Sporting Club Grants Program are due by March 18th, or earlier if allocated funds are exhausted.

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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.

Football NSW supports Female Coaches CPD as Women’s Football Surges

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Image Credit: Shutterstock

Football NSW has used the platform of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup to deliver a targeted professional development workshop for female coaches, bringing together scholarship recipients for an evening of structured learning and direct engagement with elite women’s football.

Held at ACPE last month, the session was open to female coaches who received C or B Diploma scholarships through Football NSW in 2025. Coaching accreditation carries a financial cost that disproportionately affects women, who are less likely to have their development subsidised by clubs or associations operating in underfunded community football environments. Scholarship access changes that equation at the point where many women exit the pathway.

Facilitated by Football NSW Coach Development Coordinator Bronwyn Kiceec, the workshop focused on goal scoring trends from the tournament’s group stage, with coaches analysing attacking patterns and exploring how those insights could translate into their own environments. The group then attended the quarter-final between South Korea and Uzbekistan at Stadium Australia.

The structure of the evening mattered as much as its content. Female coaches in community football rarely have access to elite competition environments as a professional resource. The gap between the level at which most women coach and the level at which the game is analysed and discussed tends to reinforce itself. Placing scholarship recipients inside a major tournament, as participants rather than spectators, closes that gap in a way that a classroom session cannot.

Female coaches remain significantly underrepresented across all levels of the game in Australia. The pipeline that will change that depends not only on accreditation access but on the professional networks, peer relationships and exposure to elite environments that male coaches have historically taken for granted.

The workshop forms part of Football NSW’s ongoing commitment to developing female coaches through scholarships and structured learning opportunities.

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