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Sporting Schools provides a program for all primary schools and a targeted program for Year 7 and 8 students in secondary schools which aims to:

Improve children’s fundamental movement skills to encourage lifelong participation in physical activity
Increase the awareness of the value of sport in schools
Engage children in high quality sporting programs
Connect children with sport in their local communities
Develop the capability and capacity of sport to drive nationwide participation growth

Application open dates - 2020

Term 1, 2020 grant applications closed on Friday 22 November, 2019
Term 2, 2020: Monday 2 March, 2020 - Friday 13 March, 2020
Term 3, 2020: Monday 25 May, 2020 - Friday 5 June, 2020
Term 4, 2020: Monday 10 August, 2020 - Friday 21 August, 2020

Primary school grant program

Sporting Schools funding is available for primary schools to deliver Sporting Schools programs before, during or after school hours using one of our NSO partners.

Australian primary schools can apply for funding once per school term during the application open dates.

Primary schools

The Sporting Schools program for primary schools helps to provide a range of sporting programs that will increase children’s interest and participation in sport. It also aims to create stronger links between children and local sporting clubs, nurturing a lifelong love of sport.

Funding amounts include a base amount determined by your whole school enrolment, plus an amount for your expected overall participant numbers.

Special Circumstances funding is also available to assist schools with additional costs due to location or demographics. Funding amounts are usually between $1,000 and $3,600 per term.

To ensure equal access to primary school funding, Sporting Schools uses an open competitive process. Applications received by the close date are assessed against criteria and ranked in order of merit. Applications are prioritised based on the following:

Schools who have received the least number of grants over the past four terms.
Schools who propose to engage a higher proportion of their school population will also be ranked higher.

Secondary school grant program

Sporting Schools funding is available for secondary schools to deliver Sporting Schools programs before, during or after school hours using one of our NSO partners.

Australian secondary schools can apply for funding once per school term during the application open dates.

Secondary schools (years 7 and 8)

Sporting Schools has developed a targeted program for secondary schools that provides access to tailored resources and support for students in Years 7 and 8, particularly girls, to address the barriers that prevent teenagers from participating in sport.

There are three key goals for secondary schools:

Tackle the decline in sports participation that occurs during adolescence. We plan to do this by targeting secondary students aged 12-14, particularly girls, to encourage long-lasting relationships with sport.
Increase physical activity in areas with large cohorts of inactive students. National data tells us that only one in ten Australian secondary school students get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity every day of the week. The targeted secondary schools (years 7 and 8) program provides sporting activities designed to spark the motivations and interests of these students.
Provide access to tailored resources for schools where there is evidence of disadvantage. Studies show that areas of social disadvantage can often link to large groups of inactive youth. Sporting Schools hopes that by providing assistance and additional resources, we can help to hurdle the barriers these schools face.

Funding amounts are usually between $1,000 and $2,500 per term and are based on your expected overall participant numbers, as well as alignment of your planned program to the program goals in your grant application.

It is an open competitive process meaning that schools that meet the criteria are ranked in order of merit and may receive funding (subject to availability).

How to apply

There are a few simple steps to complete to apply for Sporting Schools funding for your school.

If you haven’t already, register your school on the Sporting Schools website – watch the step by step video.
Check that you meet the funding eligibility requirements.
Review the program parameters and terms and conditions.
Then, when funding is open, any of your registered school users can login to the school’s account and select ‘Manage Grants’ to start your application!

Schools are notified by email about their application and if successful, your funding will be transferred to the bank details provided through your Sporting Schools account.

Once you have been approved for funding, you will then be able to use the Sporting Schools booking system to book a program online with one of over 30 key national sporting organisations (NSOs) to help deliver a quality Sporting Schools experience.

Find more information about funding on our Help Centre.

Book a program

Schools can use their funding to select from a range of sports packages from our NSO partner sports.

All bookings are made with our online booking system. There are a range of packages available for primary and secondary schools, including options for teacher delivery or coach delivery.

Once your school has an approved funding application, booking is easy.

Login to your school account
Select ‘Make a Booking’
Browse and request a sports package available in your area.

Find more information about booking a program on our Help Centre.

Spending and acquitting funds

Any funding left over after booking your sports package/s with our partner NSOs can be used within the approved funding period (school term) to assist your school to cover the costs of delivering sport-based activities (in line with the program parameters and terms and conditions).

A list of supported and non-supported costs are outlined below to guide your school’s expenditure of funds.

Spending Fact Sheet [PDF * 228 kb]

Schools are required to complete an online acquittal process, including providing evidence of expenditure and program delivery data to Sporting Schools by the nominated due dates. Find more information about the acquittal process on our Help Centre.

Eligibility

All schools that want to apply for Sporting Schools funding need to meet the following eligibility requirements:

Eligibility Criteria
1.	Maintain registration with the Sporting Schools program
2.	Provide details of a Finance Contact e.g. name, position, phone number & valid email address. The Finance Contact accepts responsibility for the financial aspects of the Sporting Schools program e.g. funding payments, acquittals and invoices.
3.	Provide valid bank details (name, account name, BSB and account number) This includes shared service arrangements. Account names should refer to a department of education and/or the registered schools general account.
4.	Have no outstanding debts with Sport Australia. All Sport Australia debt is resolved e.g. no outstanding invoices with Sport Australia including, Sport Australia pilot programs and /or projects.

Primary school grant

To submit a primary school grant, and apply for possible Special Circumstances funding, schools must meet the following additional requirements:

Eligibility Criteria
1.	Registered as a primary, combined, or special school with enrolled primary school-aged students (from P-6*).
2.	Special circumstances (location or demographic) including at least one of the following: Is a special school Have students with special needs Located in an Indigenous community Have students that identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples Located in a regional or remote location

Secondary school grant

To submit a secondary school grant, schools must meet the following additional requirements:

Eligibility Criteria
1.	Registered as a secondary, combined, or special school with enrolled secondary school-aged students in Years 7 and 8*.
2.	Provide details of a Secondary School Contact i.e. name, position, phone number and valid email address. Note: This contact is responsible for coordinating and facilitating the Sporting Schools program for secondary schools.

Eligibility Criteria

Registered as a secondary, combined, or special school with enrolled secondary school-aged students in Years 7 and 8*.

Provide details of a Secondary School Contact i.e. name, position, phone number and valid email address.

Note: This contact is responsible for coordinating and facilitating the Sporting Schools program for secondary schools.

* Sporting Schools recognises that Special Schools may have enrolled students that are equivalent developmentally to primary or secondary school aged students. Further guidance on funding, and what Special Schools can apply for, is available on our Help Centre.

Parameters

Program parameters help to describe the characteristics of activities for schools participating in Sporting Schools.

All schools participating in Sporting Schools are required to comply with the following program parameters:

Parameters
1.	Select a minimum of one (1) Sporting Schools national partner sport to deliver Program activities within the approved funding period.
2.	Use the site account to login to the Booking System to engage an Organisation, and manage bookings, amendments and cancellations for the delivery of sport packages. Note: This includes Teacher-delivered sport packages.
3.	Provide the Program as a free service. Schools must not request payment from children or families to participate in activities under the Program.
4.	Provide Sporting Schools sport packages and resources as complementary to existing sport and physical education curriculum delivery. Note: The Grant cannot be used to fund elite/representative sport teams and events e.g. Primary Schools Sports Association (PSSA), Interschool Sport, School Sport, Elite pathways.
5.	Must use Site account to administer and manage Grant applications. At a minimum, deliver activities under the Program to the participant numbers identified in the approved Grant application.
6.	Spend funding on Sporting Schools Program activities and supported costs only within the approved funding period (school term). Refer to the spending fact sheet (PDF * 228 kb).
7.	Ensure activities under the Program are delivered at suitable facilities, or locations using the appropriate equipment required for the Sport package.
8.	Use an Organisation nominated coach for coach delivered Sport packages and/or nominate a teacher for teacher-delivered Sport packages. Note: Nominated Teachers must comply with the relevant Organisation’s requirements for delivery of the selected Sport package.
9.	Deliver sessions safely, apply 'duty of care' responsibilities and appropriate supervision ratios. Ensure active supervision is provided for Sport packages under the Program in addition to the coach, encouraging maximum participation, supporting behaviour management and ensuring Playing for Life principles are applied. Supervisor retains the ‘duty of care’ for the participants and ensures appropriate standards of care are implemented e.g. work, health and safety, risk management policy and procedures.
10.	Deliver Sporting Schools partner sport approved products. Deliver a Sport package with a minimum of four sessions, which applies the Playing for Life key principles; Each session must: have the same participants taking part; have a minimum of 10 participants; engage participants of all abilities; and actively engage participants for the duration of the session e.g. A recommended 45 – 60 minutes of activity.
11.	Deliver your chosen Sport package before, during or after school during the nominated funding period (school term).
12.	Comply with Sport Australia Financial declaration (Acquittal) and reporting requirements. Must use Site account to administer and manage acquittals. Must complete the acquittal process, including the settlement of invoices by the nominated due dates. Provide Sport Australia with Program delivery data by the nominated due dates. Must maintain all records and accounts detailing activities under the Program and submit to Sport Australia on request.

These tables are up to date as of 10/06/2019

* Exemptions may apply. Please contact our Client Support Centre on 1300 785 707 or visit our Help Centre for more information.

NOTE:

'Organisation' means an NSO, SSO or NSO-nominated coaching provider.
‘Coach’ means an individual (being an employee, member, contractor or volunteer of an Organisation) nominated by an Organisation to deliver activities under the Program, excluding Teachers.
‘Teacher’ means an individual (being an employee of a School that has a valid State and/or Territory teacher registration) nominated by a School to deliver activities under the Program.
'Program' means Sport Australia’s Sporting Schools program.
'Funding period' means the time period (school term) specified by Sport Australia within which a School may use a Grant to deliver activities under the Program.
'Site account' means an account for use of the Site (Sporting Schools website) by a School or Organisation that intends to participate in the Program, accessed via a registered individual username and password for an employee of the School or an employee, contractor or volunteer of the Organisation.

School terms and conditions

Introduction

1. These terms and conditions apply to all Schools registering, applying for funding or conducting activities under the Program.

2. Sport Australia may at any time by notice to the School vary these terms and conditions.

3. These terms and conditions apply without limitation to or from the User Terms and Conditions applicable to users of the Site.

Definitions

4. In these terms and conditions:

‘Acquittal’ means a financial declaration completed by a School at the end of a Funding period reconciling financial expenditure of a Grant;
‘Coach’ means an individual (being an employee, contractor or volunteer of an Organisation) nominated by an Organisation to deliver activities under the Program, excluding Teachers;
‘Funding period’ means the time period specified by Sport Australia within which a School may use a Grant to deliver activities under the Program;
‘Grant’ means funding allocated to a School by Sport Australia to support the delivery of activities under the Program;
‘NSO’ means a National Sporting Organisation accepted by Sport Australia as a partner sport in the Program;
‘NSO-nominated coaching provider’ means a coaching provider approved by an NSO to deliver activities under the Program with respect to the NSO’s sport;
‘Organisation’ means an NSO, SSO or NSO-nominated coaching provider;
‘Participant’ means an individual who takes part in Sporting Schools sessions;
‘Program’ means Sport Australia's Sporting Schools program;
‘Registration’ means the creation of a Site account for the School and verification of School details;
‘School’ means an educational establishment whose major activity is the provision of full-time primary or secondary education accepted by Sport Australia to conduct activities under the Program;
‘Site’ means the Program website;
‘Site account’ means an account for use of the Site by a School or Organisation that intends to participate in the Program, accessed via a registered individual username and password for an employee of the School or an employee, contractor or volunteer of the Organisation;
‘Sport package’ means an NSO-approved sporting product delivered under the Program over a minimum of 4 sessions;
‘SSO’ means a State Sporting Organisation approved by an NSO to deliver activities under the Program with respect to the NSO’s sport;
‘Teacher’ means an individual (being an employee of the School that has a valid State and/or Territory teacher registration) nominated by a School to deliver activities under the Program;
‘WWCC’ means a valid current Working With Children Check or equivalent clearance in the applicable State or Territory in which the Organisation delivers activities under the Program.

Acknowledgements

5. The School acknowledges and agrees that:

Sport Australia may accept or reject a School’s Registration in its absolute discretion;
Sport Australia may accept (including by making a Grant of a lesser amount than that requested) or reject a School’s funding application in its absolute discretion;
acceptance by Sport Australia of a School’s Registration or funding application or its participation in the Program imposes no obligations on Sport Australia;
it must be registered to be eligible to apply for funding to have activities under the Program delivered at its nominated location(s);
any Registration and funding is subject to the Program being funded by Sport Australia;
its status as a funded School of the Program only remains valid whilst the School is registered;
at no time will the School or its Teachers or other employees be employees, contractors, partners or agents of Sport Australia in relation to the Program; and
Organisations and Coaches are not employees, contractors, partners or agents of Sport Australia.

Grant obligations

6. If Sport Australia decides to accept a School’s funding application:

Sport Australia will send written notice to the School advising the amount of the Grant;
subject to clause 7 below, Sport Australia will pay the entire Grant directly to the bank account nominated by the School, which must be either: i. in the School’s name, which they solely control; or
ii. an account otherwise approved by Sport Australia, and be with an authorised deposit-taking institution authorised under the Banking Act 1959 (Cth) to carry on banking business in Australia;
the Grant will be made subject to these terms and conditions;
Sport Australia will not be responsible for the provision of additional funding to meet any expenditure in excess of the total amount of the Grant, regardless of the actual expenditure by the School; and
an enforceable agreement between Sport Australia and the School comprising these terms and conditions and the funding application form will take effect upon Sport Australia approving the Grant.

7. If the School is required to be registered for GST, and is not a government related entity as defined in the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 (Cth):

the Grant will be increased by the prevailing rate of GST; and
the School declares that it and Sport Australia are parties to a Recipient Created Tax Invoice (RCTI) Agreement. By doing so, the School is authorising Sport Australia to issue a tax invoice with respect to the Grant on the School’s behalf.

8. The School must:

use the Grant only for activities under the Program and for no other purpose;
conduct the activities identified in the approved funding application (including identified participant numbers) during the Funding period in accordance with these terms and conditions;
complete an Acquittal provided by Sport Australia for the Funding period, demonstrating: i. the School has conducted activities under the Program in accordance with these terms and conditions;
ii. the expenses incurred by the School to deliver the Program (which Sport Australia may reject in its sole and absolute discretion);
iii. whether there is any unspent portion of the Grant; and
iv. return the Acquittal by the set due date;
return any unused portion of the Grant or rejected expenses, when invoiced by Sport Australia after the end of the Funding period;
conduct the activities under the Program itself (and not through any third parties including any Out of School Hour Care Service), and must not transfer the Grant to any other person or organisation, unless approved in writing by Sport Australia (and any such approval may be conditional upon the return to Sport Australia of part or all of the Grant);
expend the Grant only on eligible costs as specified by Sport Australia;
maintain complete and accurate records and accounts detailing the receipt, use and expenditure of the Grant, and upon request, submit them to Sport Australia to verify expenditure as recorded on the Acquittal for the Funding period; and
provide Sport Australia, or its authorised representatives, access to the School’s records and accounts at any time during or after the Funding period for the purposes of copying the records and auditing the School’s use and expenditure of the Grant.

9. During and after the Funding period, Sport Australia reserves the right to publicise and report on the award of the Grant to the School, including publishing the School’s name and location, the amount of the Grant, and a description of the Program activities.

10. Without limitation to any other rights of Sport Australia, if Sport Australia reasonably believes, at any time during or after the Funding period, that the School:

has provided false or misleading information;
has ceased to operate;
has not performed, or will not perform, the Program for the entire duration of the Funding period; or
has otherwise breached any of its obligations set out in these terms and conditions, then Sport Australia may, by written notice, require the School to repay Sport Australia, at Sport Australia's absolute discretion, all or part of the Grant, and/or decline future funding applications submitted by the School. The amount notified becomes repayable within 30 days of any such notice.

Program bookings

11. The School acknowledges and agrees that:

the School’s Site account provides an online platform for the administration of Grants, the administration of Program delivery and access to Sport packages from Organisations;
by making a booking through its Site account, the School enters into a direct relationship with the relevant Organisation;
it will receive communications relevant to the booking request through its Site account;
individual users of the School’s Site account must comply with the User Terms and Conditions; and
Sport Australia may amend the Site and School’s Site account at any time.

12. The School must use its Site account to:

engage an Organisation or nominate a Teacher for delivery of activities under the Program; and
administer and manage Sport package booking requests, including amendments and cancellations, and keep such details accurate and current.

Delivery

13. The School must ensure that it:

offers the activities under the Program at no cost to participants;
the activities under the Program are complementary to existing sport and physical education activities;
each session has a minimum of the same 10 participants and the same participants must have an opportunity to take part in each session (4 sessions minimum) of the nominated Sport package; and
the activities are delivered before, during or after school.

14. The School must comply with all applicable child protection legislation.

15. In relation to activities under the Program delivered by its Teachers, the School must ensure that the Teachers:

are employed by the School;
have valid State and/or Territory teacher registrations;
are appropriately insured, including if delivering before or after School hours;
comply with all applicable child protection legislation;
without limitation to the above, have and maintain valid WWCCs; and
have and maintain valid industry qualifications, training and expertise to deliver the relevant activities.

16. In relation to activities under the Program delivered by Coaches, the School must ensure that the Coaches:

comply with all applicable child protection legislation;
without limitation to the above, have and maintain valid WWCCs; and
have and maintain valid industry qualifications, training and expertise to deliver the relevant activities.

17. In relation to activities under the Program delivered by Coaches:

the School must supervise the Coaches in delivering the activities; and
the School acknowledges that it will not be relieved of any of its obligations under these terms and conditions.

18. In relation to activities under the Program, the School must ensure that Coaches and Teachers delivering the activities:

comply with the relevant Organisation’s requirements for delivery of the activities;
comply with all applicable laws and regulations;
meet appropriate standards of care;
comply with the Sport Australia Anti-Doping Policy and any other applicable anti-doping policy;
comply with all applicable policies of the School, NSO and Organisation;
maintain a high standard of personal behaviour and integrity, not bring the Teacher, Coach, the NSO, the Organisation or the School into disrepute and comply with any applicable School, NSO or Organisation Coach Code of Behaviour;
without limitation to the above, follow appropriate work health and safety and risk management policies and practices;
without limitation to the above, deliver sessions safely and comply with supervision ratios in accordance with School, NSO and Organisation policies and procedures; and
use appropriate facilities and equipment.

General

19. The School must provide any information and reporting regarding its activities under the Program required by Sport Australia.

20. If requested at any time (including after the completion of its activities under the Program), the School must participate in research and evaluation undertaken by Sport Australia or its contractors in relation to the Program.

21. The School consents to receive information, including marketing and promotional material, from Sport Australia in relation to the Program.

22. The School must comply with any reasonable request or direction from Sport Australia in relation to the Program, including specified measures to deal with an event or circumstance that has, or is likely to have, an adverse effect on the health or safety of persons.

23. The School must not, without the prior written approval of Sport Australia, publish, distribute or communicate any material relating to the Program, whether developed by the School or otherwise, including any publicity materials, sponsorship messages or participant handouts intended for distribution to children, parents or other third parties.

24. The School must not, without the prior written approval of Sport Australia, use the name or logo of Sport Australia, the Australian Institute of Sport or the Program.

Personal information

25. Sport Australia collects personal information in the course of administering and promoting the Program and may disclose the information provided by the School to any or all of the following:

Organisations and Coaches for the purpose of prospective or confirmed delivery to the School of activities under the Program;
Sport Australia contractors for the purpose of Program delivery and administration; and
researchers engaged by Sport Australia for the purpose of undertaking Program research and evaluation.

Insurance and liability

26. The School will conduct activities under the Program entirely at its own risk.

27. The School acknowledges and agrees that it is:

not covered by any Sport Australia insurance and Teachers, Coaches and Organisations are not covered by any Sport Australia insurance;
responsible for enquiring as to the insurance carried by, or covering, each Teacher, Coach and Organisation in connection with the Program activities conducted at the School; and
responsible for ensuring the adequacy and validity of the insurance carried by or covering the School and Teachers.

28. The School indemnifies Sport Australia, its officers and employees against all loss, damage, claims and expenses arising out of, relating to or in connection with:

the performance of any activities under the Program by the School or its Teachers, officers, employees, agents or contractors;
any negligent, wrongful or unlawful act or omission of the School or its Teachers, officers, employees, agents or contractors in connection with the Program; or
any breach of any of these terms and conditions by the School, except to the extent that such loss, damage, claims and expenses are caused by the negligent, wrongful or unlawful acts or omissions of Sport Australia, its officers or employees.

29. The School releases Sport Australia and its officers, employees and agents from any liability arising out of, relating to or in connection with:

any loss of or damage to any property of the School or its Teachers, officers, employees, agents or contractors, or any property for which the School or its Teachers, officers, employees, agents or contractors is responsible; or
any injury or illness to, or death of, any of the School’s Teachers, officers, employees, agents or contractors, arising out of or in connection with the Program.

30. The obligations to indemnify and release set out in clauses 28 and 29 survive the expiry or termination of the School’s participation in the Program.

Termination

31. Sport Australia may at any time by notice, at its absolute discretion, terminate the participation of the School in the Program.

32. Without limitation to clause 31, where the School breaches any of these terms and conditions, Sport Australia may, at its absolute discretion, terminate the participation of the School in the Program.

Miscellaneous

33. If any of these terms and conditions is held to be invalid, unenforceable or illegal for any reason, the remaining terms and conditions will continue in full force.

34. These terms and conditions are governed by the laws of the Australian Capital Territory and the School agrees to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Australian Capital Territory.