WA Government commit $2m to local sporting clubs through grants

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The latest round of funding for the Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund (CSRFF) and Club Night Lights Program (CNLP) small grants has been confirmed.

These small grants, which range from $7,500 to $500,000, will support 25 community sport and recreation facilities with essential renovations, including upgrades to changing rooms, playing facilities, and venue lighting.

In this round, 12 applications were approved for CSRFF funding, while 13 were successful under the CNLP.

Some of the key projects funded in this latest round include:

  • $95,983 for the installation of a synthetic bowling green at the North Perth Bowling and Recreation Club
  • $200,000 for floodlighting upgrades at Usher Park, Kalgoorlie
  • $135,000 for the installation of 100 lux LED floodlighting at Ranford Oval, Canning
  • $129,690 for a heat pump installation at Bridgetown Swimming Pool

These projects represent a combined investment of over $2 million for 2024/25, underscoring a significant commitment to enhancing community sporting infrastructure across Western Australia.

This follows the 2023 announcement of an additional $15 million allocated to the CSRFF over two years, increasing the annual funding to $20 million. This highlights the State Government’s dedication to providing high-quality, sustainable, and accessible community facilities across WA.

The two grant systems have existed since 2018/19 and have worked with many shires and municipalities to develop grassroots sports in WA from Skate parks to stadium expansions for basketball stadiums.

For football, clubs such as Ranford FC who will enjoy a major lighting upgrade that will enable them to hold better, safer evening training sessions and potentially night games if necessary.

Whilst the other upgrades such as surface improvements and change rooms haven’t affected football using these grants, it opens up a possibility for clubs to request vital funding that they require.

Football West in their 2023-2026 Strategic Plan touched on the importance of grants to the local clubs as it pinpoints one of their key pillars being accessibility for kids and adults of all ages and financial backgrounds.

It’s important that football continues to get invested in as it continues to grow in popularity, particularly at the grassroots level. This investment ensures that clubs can accommodate more players, promote community engagement, and sustain the sport’s development across the country.

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Football NSW calls on clubs to Make It Red for Heart Health Round

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Football NSW is calling on clubs and associations across the state to register for the 2026 Make It Red campaign, joining a national awareness movement aimed at reducing heart-related deaths on sporting grounds ahead of Heart Health Round on the weekend of June 5 to 7.

The campaign, developed by the Heartbeat of Football Foundation, asks sporting clubs to wear red, raise funds and build awareness around heart disease and sudden cardiac arrest, which is the leading single cause of disease burden and death in Australia for both men and women, and one that health authorities say is largely preventable through modifiable risk factors.

The call to action comes as the Foundation continues its work to map and register Automated External Defibrillators across NSW sporting facilities, a project that has already engaged twelve football associations and fed data into both the NSW Ambulance GoodSAM registry and NSW Health’s public AED map. The availability of a functioning, registered AED on site is among the most significant determinants of survival following sudden cardiac arrest, with survival rates declining sharply for every minute without defibrillation.

Football NSW is encouraging clubs to engage with the campaign across three areas. Clubs can register for the Make It Red campaign to help fund research, education and prevention programs. Participants, particularly those aged over 35, are encouraged to seek a free heart health screening test from their local GP or enquire about hosting a Heartbeat of Football testing day. Clubs are also urged to ensure their grounds have active, accessible AEDs in place, with guidance available through Football NSW’s Rescue Ready Guide.

The Make It Red campaign runs from June 5 to July 12, with Heart Health Round taking place across the opening weekend. Clubs can register and access participation resources at makeitred.org.

Community Spirit Shines on AFC Grassroots Football Day 2026

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This week, Football Australia (FA) celebrated AFC Grassroots Football Day 2026, championing the people and communities who continue to hold up a safe, inclusive and supportive environment in the football landscape.

‘For all, for life’

In collaboration with Football NSW, Canterbury Football Association and community club, Balmain & District Football Club, the day reflected the very best of what football provides.

The event brought in participants of all ages – from 4-74 years-old – and reached a total of 400 people. Girls-only programs, all-abilities sessions and over-age football ensured all were catered for.

Such a diverse range of participants builds on a wider drive during FIFA World Football Week, which seeks to promote the sport not just as the dazzling lights of 100,000-seater stadiums, but as a way to foster community spirit and social development.

Furthermore, FA support through its Club Changer program was a welcome addition to the action, emphasising the organisation’s commitment to nurture a real love for the game across communities in Australia.

“Through Club Changer we support our clubs to provide a safe, fun and enjoyable environment where everyone is welcome; whether that be as a player, volunteer, referee or supporter,” explained National Program Manager Club Development at FA, Grace Lambourne.

“Everyone should feel they belong and are welcome to play, stay, and love the game.”

 

A welcome celebration

While the upcoming FIFA World Cup will no doubt inspire millions of future Socceroos and Matildas, events like the AFC Grassroots Football Day represent something beyond just inspiration.

It is a platform. An opportunity to express a love for football and to connect with others while doing so.

And connections between the professional and grassroots game is more important than ever if Australia is to nurture the next generation of talent.

This is particularly clear in the rise of women’s football across the nation. Since the FIFA Women’s World Cup, female participation rose by 32%, and registrations for the MiniTillies Program skyrocketed from 264 in 2023, to 1223 in 2024.

The professionals spark passion. But communities turn that passion into playing time.

That is why celebrating grassroots football – and the volunteers and families who sustain it – is a vital part of Australia’s football future. Together, FA and the AFC are creating strong foundations built on positivity, engagement, and inclusivity for all with a love for the beautiful game.

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