Local Sporting Champions applications are assessed against the following criteria.

Applications within a Federal Electorate will be ranked in order of priority by applying the following criteria:

1. Level of Competition.  International events will be prioritised over National events which will be prioritised over State events.
2. Distance travelled.  Applicants required to travel a greater distance to their competition will be prioritised.

Special consideration may be applied to applicants from the same local area who are attending the same competition.

In 2025/26, the Local Sporting Champions program will be administered over four rounds with applications assessed at the end of each round.

The timeframe for when an application is assessed is determined by when the application is submitted, as outlined below:

* Applications must be submitted within these dates to be assessed during the associated round.

The assessment and payment timeframes are set as per the table above. We endeavour to finalise the process as soon as possible, however the ASC is unable to assess or process the grant earlier than the stated dates for each round.

Note: Due to the high volume of emails we receive, the ASC kindly ask that you do not contact us about the status of your application until the month after the stated 'Applicants Notified / Paid' timeline listed in the table above.

Notification

Successful applicants will be notified via email or mail.

Receiving the grant

Details for payment will be outlined in the successful email sent by the Australian Sports Commission.

Requirements of receiving a grant

As a recipient, you are required to:

• Abide by the program Terms and Conditions;
• Spend the grant on any associated cost of attending the nominated championships, or use the grant as a reimbursement for any associated costs incurred for attending the nominated championships;
• Email sportingchampions@ausport.gov.au if your contact details or circumstances change, particularly if you are no longer able to attend the nominated championships; and
• Keep records as proof of spending the grant and attending the nominated championships, and provide them to the ASC for the purpose of auditing the grant (if requested).

Audit

As a successful applicant, you may be selected for a check on how you have used your grant. These obligations are set out in the program Terms and Conditions.

If contacted, you must:

• comply with any requests by the designated due date; and
• provide ASC, and/or its authorised representatives, with records* confirming that the grant was used towards your participating at the nominated championships.

* These records can be receipts or bank transaction records confirming the date and amount relevant to your attendance at the nominated championships. Examples include:

• A flight itinerary showing your name, the departure and return dates, and total cost.
• A receipt showing relevant accommodation details which aligns with the championship dates.
• An invoice and/or associated receipt for the championship registration fee which clearly lists your name and the name of the nominated championships.
• Receipts for meals/taxi fares that align with your travel/attendance at the championships.

Notification

If your application is unsuccessful, you will be notified via email within two months from the round closing.

Feedback

The LSC program is currently oversubscribed with a large number of applications received each year. The program regularly receives high calibre applications resulting in an extremely competitive assessment process where the funding cannot be guaranteed.

If unsuccessful, the ASC encourages you to submit another application if you are attending another eligible competition.

You may also wish to explore the list of Third Party Funding Opportunities.