New travel grants that will support sports participants across Victoria have been announced, with 122 grants worth more than $245,000 set up to assist athletes, teams, coaches, and officials.

These grants support athletes and teams with travel and accommodation costs associated with competing at regional, state, and national levels.

Recipients include Geelong Athletics Inc in South Geelong, scoring $2,000 to help fund junior athletes to travel to compete in 10 Athletics Victoria cross country races across the state in 2023.

North Geelong Football Club in Lara also received $2,000 for its under 14s team to attend the 33 rounds of the National Premier League season across the Western Metro region and Regional Victoria, assisting young players to be selected for regional, state, and national teams.

More than $2,000 will help Ocean Grove Life Saving Club to compete in the Australian inflatable rescue boat championships to be held in Kingscliff, New South Wales in July this year.

Grants of up to $6,000 are available for recognised state sporting associations, regional academies of sport and state sport and active recreation bodies. Victorian sport and recreation clubs can also apply for grants of up to $2,000.

Funding also supports pathway development programs and training for emerging athletes, as well as costs for training camps, competition entry and registration.

Since 2015, more than 1700 grants totalling more than $3 million have been rolled out by the program to help teams and athletes achieve their goals.

“The Athlete Pathway Program is giving grassroots sports clubs in South Barwon the support they need to keep their rising athletes on their sporting pathway,” said Member for South Barwon Darren Cheeseman.

Member for Geelong Chris Couzens said: “Geelong has a strong tradition of producing champion athletes and these grants will provide our next crop of champions the chance to follow in their footsteps.”

For further information visit sport.vic.gov.au.