18.06.2009

ASC grants up for grabs

The Australian Sports Commission advises that there are still Local Sporting Champions Grants available across the country this year.

The grants are available for young sportsmen and women competing in official state or national sporting competitions and are administered by the Australian Sports Commission in association with the Local Members of Parliament. The next deadline for grant applications is Tuesday, June 30.

"These grants are designed to provide a helping hand to individuals and teams that are showing commitment and dedication in their sporting pursuits and the local community feels that a bit of financial assistance can help make a difference," said Judy Flanagan, Australian Sports Commission Director of Community Sport.

The grants are designed to help young sportspeople achieve their sporting goals and are distributed across all 150 federal electorates of the national parliament. Grants of $500 per individual and $3,000 per team are available to help meet costs such as travel, equipment, uniforms, and accommodation. To be eligible to apply, applicants must be aged between 12-18 years and travelling more than 250km to compete in state or national-level sporting competitions.

"In sport, more than many other fields of endeavour, we know that every bit we can do to improve performance can count, and that is what these grants do. I encourage individuals and teams participating in junior competition to contact their local Federal Member or the Australian Sports Commission to make an application. There’s nothing to lose and a lot to gain, so why not give it a go?" Flanagan said.

Further information, including application form and eligibility criteria, is available here.