$200 million Play Our Way Program - NOW OPEN!

By Erica Choate, Senior Advisor, Grant Office and Professional Advisory

We're thrilled that the Australian Federal Government has announced the Play Our Way Program, a groundbreaking grant initiative designed to revitalise community spaces and promote active, inclusive, and sustainable play for women and girls of all ages.

This is one of the biggest investments in womens’ sports in recent times with over $200 million dedicated to projects that encourage more women to play sport and ensure more people can cheer them on.

Offering funding and reforms, Play Our Way will enable families and communities to come together by building safe, inclusive and modern environments for women and girls to engage in and play sport.

The Play our Way grants program is an opportunity for local communities, local governments, community organisations, the not-for-profit sector and sporting organisations to propose and implement projects that reflect their unique needs and aspirations for play and recreation.

STREAM 1

Facilities: Funding from $50K - $1.5M to support modifying, upgrading, or building facilities and playing areas/spaces for sport and physical activity, specifically catering to women and girls.

Key Features:

• Focus on areas with the greatest need or unmet demand.
• Aims for inclusivity, safety, accessibility, innovation, and sustainability.
• Encourages co-contribution and consortium arrangements, especially for larger projects.
• Grants cover up to 100% of total project costs, with favourable views on additional funding contributions.
• Performance measured by availability and experience of using the facilities by women and girls

Stream 1 has an EOI stage followed by an Invitation to Apply.

NOTE: For Facility projects in small rural towns, remote communities or very remote communities as defined by the Modified Monash Model (MMM 5-78), the maximum will be $2,000,000 to reflect increased costs in rural and remote areas

STREAM 2

Funding from $50K - $1M to support modifying/developing new sustainable programs and equipment to reduce discrimination and inequality, enhancing women and girls’ participation in sport and physical activity.Key Features:

• Addresses unmet needs, promotes engagement in various sport roles, and addresses intersectional disadvantages.
• Supports innovative solutions to participation and retention barriers.
• Grants can cover up to 100% of project costs, with no co-contribution required, though it is encouraged.
• Performance indicators include improvements in organisational delivery, participant experience, quality of programs, and involvement of women and girls across all aspects of sport and physical activity.

Up to 100% funding of eligible expenditure is available across both streams.

Contact our Grant Program Office

The 'Play Our Way' grant program provides funding over three years from 2024-25 to 2026-17, allowing organisations to plan and implement comprehensive projects. 

Organisations interested in both facility development and participation enhancement can submit applications for each stream concurrently. While the Facilities stream project can commence immediately, the Participation and Equipment stream project can be scheduled to start later, aligning with the completion of the facilities upgrade. This approach ensures a strategic overlap, where new or enhanced facilities are directly utilised in subsequent participation programs, maximising the grant's impact and benefits.

The objectives of the program are to:

• Build and Upgrade Facilities: To construct and enhance sports and physical activity facilities, prioritising the needs of women and girls to ensure equitable and lasting access.
• Foster Positive Experiences: To create quality sport and physical activity participation initiatives that are modern, inclusive, safe, and tailored to the needs of women and girls, including those facing intersectional disadvantages.
• Enduring Programs and Initiatives: To establish lasting solutions that overcome barriers preventing women and girls from participating in sports and physical activities, thereby cultivating a culture of equality, respect, and inclusion.
• Address Discrimination and Inequality: To provide opportunities for women and girls to engage in, contribute to, and remain involved in all facets of sports and physical activities throughout their lives, aiming to reduce discrimination and inequality.

Projects must be completed by 30 June 2027.

Drawing on Peak’s collective knowledge delivering shovel-ready projects and securing significant funding for community, sports, and infrastructure projects will be invaluable for councils seeking to submit compelling and competitive applications.

Our team can qualify and quantify economic and social benefits in response to selection criteria, and we have substantial experience compiling supporting evidence and developing project plans to demonstrate project readiness.

Contact our Grant Program Office

Contact our Grant Program Office for assistance planning, developing and submitting your application to the Play Our Way Program.