Active Club Grants 2009/10
Increasing participation in physical activity through community sport and active recreation
Quick reference guide
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Grants available: up to $2500
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Deadline for applications: 4 December 2009
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Successful applicants notified: by 5 March 2010
- A random selection of successful applicants will be contacted to confirm expenditure of funding within 6 months following notification date.
New publication
Active Club Grants: A practical way to support more Victorians to get active
Background information on physical activity and the gains that can be made through increasing participation at the local level. Includes case studies.
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Applicants are invited to apply online for this grant through the VicHealth Online Grant Management System. If this is your first online application, you will need to register your organisation before completing the application.
If you are unable to apply online, you can request a hard copy application form (see Enquiries, below).
Frequently Asked Questions
These FAQs are for organisations and individuals who are using the VicHealth Online Grant Management System to apply for a grant.
Enquiries
If you have any queries after reading these guidelines, please call VicHealth on (03) 9667 1308 or email activeclub@vichealth.vic.gov.au
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Why does VicHealth offer Active Club Grants?
Research in the sport and active recreation sector has highlighted the important role equipment plays in reducing barriers to participation in physical activity.
Local sport and active recreation organisations can sometimes find it difficult to acquire funding for the essential equipment or training required to allow teams and groups to participate in physical activity. For some, this could be the only barrier to participation, and is sometimes a one-off cost.
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What are we trying to achieve?
The Active Club Grants aim to:
- Encourage and increase participation opportunities in physical activity for those who are currently inactive or traditionally encounter barriers to participation by providing equipment or training.
- Improve the safety of sporting and active recreation environments and reduce the likelihood of injury while promoting physical activity.
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Who are we trying to reach?
Preference will be given to applications from organisations/clubs who target the following groups:
- Indigenous communities
- People from culturally and linguistically diverse communities
- People with a disability
- Clubs/organisations located in low socio-economic status (SES) areas; rural and regional Victoria
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How much funding is available?
Grants of up to $2500 are available to eligible sports clubs/organisations to purchase equipment outlined below. Funds approved by VicHealth may not cover the full costs requested in the application. Additional funding will need to be met by the club/organisation.
- Sports Injury Prevention Equipment
- Essential Sporting Equipment/Items
- Volunteer and Club Training
- Portable Sun Shade
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Who can apply?
Applications will only be accepted from clubs/organisations that facilitate or organise community-based sport and active recreation opportunities as one of their primary functions.
Recipients of 2006, 2007 or 2008/09 Active Club Grants are NOT eligible.
Eligible organisations:
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Sporting organisations (eg, local sporting clubs and regional sports leagues or associations).
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Local active recreation organisations (eg, walking clubs, dance groups).
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Organisations that have the facilitation or organisation of community sport and active recreation opportunities as one of their primary functions.
Organisations must:
- be not for profit;
- be incorporated;
- be based in Victoria;
- be applying for activities taking place in Victoria;
- have satisfactorily acquitted any previous grants that have been received from VicHealth;
- present applications in accordance with published program timelines and processes; and
- supply bank details for electronic funds transfer of grant funds.
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What will be funded?
Sports Injury Prevention Equipment
1. Injury prevention equipment that is transferable (eg, helmets, goal post padding, batting pads, protective gloves, goalie gear, catcher’s gear).
Essential Sporting Equipment/Items
1. Essential sporting equipment/items required to participate in an activity that are also transferable to other participants and remain the property of the club/organisation (eg, bats, racquets, gloves, team equipment kits, team playing uniforms, first aid kits, match balls (limit 3), badminton nets).
2. Modified equipment (eg, light weight equipment, adjustable height of nets, adaptive equipment for people with disabilities).
Volunteer & Club Training
1. Sports Trainer and First Aid training (eg, Basic Life Support Level 1, Level 1 Essential First Aid, Sports First Aid, Sports Trainer level 1).
2. Training of volunteer coaches and officials (umpires, referees, lines people) to the minimum required level in the activity (up to $500 per application only).
3. Cross-cultural, diversity, disability awareness or inclusion training.
For training, contact:
- VAYSAR (Victorian Aboriginal Youth, Sport & Recreational Co-op) phone 9482 7799
CMY (Centre for Multicultural Youth) Contact: Multicultural Sport and Recreation Team, phone 9340 3700
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VICSPORT (VicSport) Contact: Connie Raso, State Sports Connect Coordinator, phone 9926 1376
Portable Shade
1. Portable shade structures for use by club members where there is a demonstrated need for shade (eg, gazebos, pop-up shade tents or marquees and umbrellas).
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What will not be funded?
- Sports clubs and recreation organisations that do not fit the criteria above.
- Equipment that is not transferable or portable
- Equipment that will not remain the property of the club/organisation
- Personal items of equipment (eg, mouth guards, ankle supports, shoes, boots, drink bottles)
- Schools
- Local Government Authorities
- Regional Sports Assemblies
- State Sporting Associations
- Equipment that has already been purchased
- Capital works (eg, permanent shade structures, permanent fencing, fixed lighting, permanent practice wickets, ramps and other permanent fixtures)
- Preventative maintenance (eg, patching repairs of artificial grass)
- Equipment to be owned or controlled by an external agent (eg, local government, sport and recreation centres)
- Stretchers, scoreboards, sunscreen, water coolers, ice vests
- Reference or resource materials (eg, videos, training manuals)
- Audio visual equipment
- Vehicles, trailers and accessories
- Coaching fees
- Sporting equipment that is not deemed essential to take part in the activity (eg, bowling machines, tennis ball machines)
- Equipment used to prepare playing arena or surface (eg, rollers and mowers)
- The purchase of land
- Training equipment
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Grant conditions
Successful applicants are required to:
- Sign a funding agreement covering terms of the grant approved, budget and the equipment to be purchased.
- Supply club/organisation bank account details for electronic funds transfer.
- Provide a tax invoice (if GST registered) or an invoice (if not GST registered) for VicHealth to prepare payment.
- Attend a workshop conducted by a Regional Sports Assembly (regional and rural grants) or Sports Medicine Australia – Victorian branch (metropolitan grants).
- Agree to conduct the project in a SmokeFree environment.
- Take part in an evaluation of the Active Clubs Grants program if requested.
- Actively work towards improving the club/organisation environment and developing participation opportunities.
- Ensure adequate insurance cover for equipment purchased is in place.
- Acknowledge VicHealth funding through club/organisation communications.
- Not be in receipt of financial support from tobacco companies.
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Reporting requirements
- All grant recipients will be required to complete and keep a Financial Report Form for their records detailing what was purchased and the cost. VicHealth will contact a percentage of successful clubs in August 2010 requesting submission of these forms for auditing purposes. This document will be required to be signed by two officer bearers of the club/organisation.
- Keep a copy of all receipts.
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Club/organisation workshops
If your application is successful at least one office bearer from your club/organisation is required to attend a free two hour information session. VicHealth in conjunction with Regional Sports Assemblies and Sports Medicine Australia – Victorian branch, will provide these sessions on how to create healthy club environments, including strategies to increase participation opportunities and help prevent sports injuries. These sessions also provide opportunities for networking.
VicHealth strongly encourages clubs/organisations to send more than one person to these sessions, for example another office bearer, a coach or an active and interested member of the club/organisation.
Successful applicants will be advised of the scheduling of these sessions in regional and metropolitan locations. These sessions are generally held in the evening.
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Why promote sport and active recreation?
Participating in sport and active recreation activities has positive social and psychological effects including increased self esteem, better development of life skills and an increase in academic achievement (AIHW 2006). It is also acknowledged that adolescents who play sport have lower rates of cigarette, alcohol and illicit drug use than non-participants (Kanters & Tebbutt 2001). Likewise, people who participate in sports or other types of physical activity at an early age, especially during adolescence, are much more likely to be physically active adults (Tammelin 2005; Harrison & Narayan 2003).
In 2006, an estimated 1.6 million (63%) of children aged between 5 and 14 years participated in sport, outside of school hours, which had been organised by a school, club or association (ABS 2006). In Victoria, only 64.2% of adult males and 61.2% of adult females are sufficiently active to enjoy the health benefits of physical activity (AIHW 2008).
Participation rates are lower than the average amongst Indigenous communities, older adults, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disabilities, and those who live in low socio-economic communities (AIHW 2008; DHS 2007). For example: Indigenous people are 1½ times as likely as non-Indigenous people to report being sedentary (AIHW 2008); and overall, only 28.2% of males with a disability and 21.1% of females with a disability participate in sport or physical recreation (ABS 2008).
Sport builds social capital by providing a sense of unity. It is a social leveller, fostering a sense of trust among participants and members and contributing to greater social cohesion (Tammelin 2005). In many communities, sport is seen as a means of building community pride and loyalty, with sporting events providing a meeting place and a means of uniting people across age groups. Sport and shared recreation activities offer people the opportunity to be involved, which provides them with a positive sense of self worth (Townsend et al 2002).
As well as providing benefits for the health of the whole community, sporting and active recreation organisations that widen access and opportunity and reduce inequalities will in turn benefit from the participation of a greater diversity of people in their activities.
There are also many economic benefits of having a physically active population. A more physically active community is healthier and reduces the demand on health services. Fitter and healthier workers are less stressed, are more productive in the workplace and less prone to injury. This results in reduced compensation claims and decreases pressure on insurance premiums for employers (Sport & Recreation Victoria 2000).
The Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) fosters change in the social, economic and physical environments that influence the health of all Victorians. Underpinning our work is the belief that health is a fundamental human right; that everyone shares in the responsibility for promoting health; and that everyone should benefit from improved health outcomes.
VicHealth works with many sectors and with partners in the community to build opportunities for people to be informed, learn new skills and have greater access to activities, as well as create environments that enable people to enjoy healthier living.
Promoting health is a powerful, cost effective and efficient way to maintain a healthier community. Everybody has a right to good health and the quality of life it brings.
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More information about VicHealth's physical activity programs
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References
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006. Children’s Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities Australia, Cat. no. 4901.0, ABS, Canberra.
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2008. Sports and Physical Recreation: A Statistical Overview (Edition 2), ‘Participation in sports and physical recreation by persons with a disability’, Chapter 3, Cat no. 4156.0, ABS, Canberra.
Australian Institute of Health & Welfare 2006. Australia’s Health: The Tenth Biennial Health Report of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Cat. no. AUS 73, Canberra.
Australian Institute of Health & Welfare 2008. Australia’s Health: The Eleventh Biennial Health Report of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Cat. no. AUS 99, Canberra.
Department of Human Services 2007. Victorian Population Health Survey: Selected Findings, DHS, Melbourne.
Harrison PA & Narayan G 2003. ‘Differences in behaviour, psychological factors and environmental factors associated with participation in school sports and other activities in adolescence’, Journal of School Health, Vol. 73, No. 3.
Kanters MA & Tebbutt S 2001. Fun First! Sports for kids: working with parents to get the most out of youth sports, National Programs: Fitness and Active Lifestyles. In: Parks & Recreation.
Sport & Recreation Victoria 2000. The Active for Life Physical Activity Framework, Melbourne.
Tammelin T 2005. ‘A review of longitudinal studies on youth predictors of adult physical activity’. International Journal of Adolescent Medical Health, 17(1):3-12.
Townsend M, Moore J & Mahoney M 2002. ‘Playing their part: the role of physical activity and sport in sustaining the health and wellbeing of small rural communities’, Rural and Remote Health.