Sporting clubs across Victoria have been boosted in a bit to get more women and girls in the game, celebrating their huge contribution to Victorian sport.

104 community sporting organisations have been awarded grants through the Change Our Game Community Activation Grants Program.

Grant recipients will share in more than $500,000 for events and initiatives that aim to increase participation and enhance gender equality in sport.

A variety of activities and initiatives have been funded, from the Soccer Mums program offering weekly social, non-competitive soccer to their culturally and linguistically diverse community, to a monthly women-focused coaching development program to build confidence, technical skills and leadership for women volleyball coaches in Victoria.

Broadmeadows Basketball Association will deliver the ‘No Hoopla’ program, an initiative to provide basketball for women. It aims to engage 400 women in one of Victoria’s most socially disadvantaged and culturally diverse areas in three free, weekly and flexible basketball programs for all ages and abilities.

Since the program’s inception in 2018, the Community Activation Grants has invested more than $2.4 million in community sports organisations across Victoria.

The grants are part of the Labor Government’s $18.8 million investment in the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation – the first of its kind in Australia – and the Change Our Game initiative, which is dedicated to levelling the playing field in sport.

Established in 2017, the Office delivers nation-leading policy, advocacy, research, and education in pursuit of gender equality, including the Fair Access Policy Roadmap, Balance The Board initiative,Change Our Game Women in Sports Broadcasting program, Research Grants Program, and Professional Development Scholarships.

For more information, visit changeourgame.vic.gov.au.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence

“Community sport plays a vital role in shaping our values and perceptions and driving important cultural change.”

“This continued investment cements Victoria’s leadership in supporting women and girls in sport and recreation and advancing us towards gender equality in sport.”

Quote attributable to Member for Broadmeadows Kathleen Matthews-Ward

“The Community Activation Grants are a unique opportunity to drive change and champion diversity and inclusion in sport. The Broadmeadows Basketball Association is just one of many community clubs who will benefit.”

Quote attributable to Broadmeadows Basketball Association General Manager Luke Lehmann

“Women’s basketball is growing in popularity both at the community and elite levels. We’re so excited to utilise our Change Our Game funding to ensure women in the Broadmeadows region are part of that growth and feel they can learn to play basketball in a safe and supportive environment.”

Here is the full list of successful applicants:

Stream 1: Attract and Participate

Aberfeldie Sports Club - Moonee Valley City Council

Bakhtar Community Organisation – Casey City Council

Ballarat Roller Derby League – Ballarat City Council

Balnarring Junior Football Club – Mornington Peninsula Shire Council

Beechworth Chain Gang – Indigo Shire Council

Bendigo Basketball Association Inc – Greater Bendigo City Council

Bicycle Network Inc – Melbourne City Council

Boxing Victoria – Moreland City Council

Broadmeadows Basketball Assoc Inc – Hume City Council

Camberwell Hockey Club – Boroondara City Council

Castlemaine Football and Netball Club Inc – Mount Alexander Shire Council

Castlemaine Rocky Riders Mountain Bike Club Inc – Mount Alexander Shire Council

Cheltenham Community Centre Inc – Bayside City Council

Chewton Archers – Mount Alexander Shire Council

Clifton Springs Tennis Club – Greater Geelong City Council

Corio Community Sports Club Inc – Greater Geelong City Council

Dragon City Roller Derby – Greater Bendigo City Council

Eagles Baseball Club Mildura Inc. – Mildura Rural City Council

Ferntree Gully Tennis Club – Yarra Ranges Shire Council

Flemington Colts Cricket club – Melbourne City Council

Geelong Rangers Soccer Club – Greater Geelong City Council

Gippsland Water Dragons Inc – East Gippsland Shire Council

Hamilton Golf Club – Southern Grampians Shire Council

Hampton East Brighton Football Club – Bayside City Council

Hepburn Springs Golf Club – Hepburn Shire Council

Hockey Geelong – Greater Geelong City Council

Hockey South West – Warrnambool City Council

Horsham City Rowing Club – Horsham Rural City Council

Koonung Heights Cricket Club – Boroondara City Council

La Trobe University Hockey Club – Darebin City Council

Lang Lang United Soccer Club Inc – Cardinia Shire Council

Maccabi FC Caulfield – Glen Eira City Council

Maidstone United Soccer Club – Maribyrnong City Council

Mornington Peninsula Table Tennis Association Inc – Mornington Peninsula Shire Council

Motorsport Australia – Boroondara City Council

Mount Alexander Women’s Sports Club Incorporated – Mount Alexander Shire Council

Mount View Netball Club Inc – Monash City Council

Newport Calisthenics Club – Hobsons Bay City Council

North Brunswick Youth Club – Moreland City Council

North Geelong Warriors FC – Greater Geelong City Council

Northern Ladies Badminton Association – Nillumbik Shire Council

One Ball inc – Port Phillip City Council

Pakenham Rugby League Club and Touch Association Inc. – Greater Dandenong City Council

Phoenix Weightlifting Club – Monash City Council

Rugby Victoria – Melbourne City Council

South Croydon Football Club – Maroondah City Council

South Yarra Football Netball Club – Boroondara City Council

Southwest Strength Sports Inc. – Warrnambool City Council

Squash and Racquetball Victoria – Port Phillip City Council

Sunbury School of Calisthenics Inc – Hume City Council

Tarrington Cricket Club Inc – Southern Grampians Shire Council

Thomson Football Club – Greater Geelong City Council

Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club Inc. – Surf Coast Shire Council

Victoria Samoan Netball Association Inc – Frankston City Council

Victorian Roller Derby League – Darebin City Council

Victorian Womens Rugby Development Association – Port Phillip City Council

Wangaratta Lawn Tennis Club Inc – Towong Shire Council

Warrnambool Roller Derby League inc – Warrnambool City Council

West Gippsland Cricket Association Inc – Cardinia Shire Council

Western African Cultural Association Incorporated – Wyndham City Council

Woorinen Football Netball Club Inc – Swan Hill Rural City Council

Yarra River Dragons Dragon Boat Club INC. – Melbourne City Council

You Yangs Mountain Bike (MTB) Inc. – Hobsons Bay City Council

Stream 2: Capability and Leadership 

13th Beach Boardriders Inc - Greater Geelong City Council

Alamein Soccer Club - Monash City Council

Bayside Argonauts - Bayside City Council

Burwood Cricket Club - Boroondara City Council

Cook Islands Sports Association of Victoria Inc - Frankston City Council

Craigieburn City FC - Hume City Council

East Sunbury Netball Club - Hume City Council

Ellipsis Ultimate - Boroondara City Council

Eltham Redbacks Football Club - Nillumbik Shire Council

Footscray Lacrosse Club - Maribyrnong City Council

Geelong Amateur Football & Netball Club - Greater Geelong City Council

Geelong Gaels GAA Club Incorporated - Greater Geelong City Council

Gippsland Swimming Inc. - Bass Coast Shire Council

Greater Shepparton Basketball Association - Greater Shepparton City Council

Hockey Victoria - Melbourne City Council

Keilor Park Soccer Club - Brimbank City Council

Mildura Bowls Club Inc - Mildura Rural City Council

Moonee Valley YMCA Gymnastics Club - Moonee Valley City Council

Mornington Peninsula Badminton Inc.* - Mornington Peninsula Shire Council

Mount Eliza Soccer Club - Mornington Peninsula Shire Council

Point Cook Football Club - Wyndham City Council

Rupanyup Football Netball Club - Yarriambiack Shire Council

Sunbury Basketball Association Incorporated - Hume City Council

Ultimate Victoria - Port Phillip City Council

Volleyball Victoria - Greater Dandenong City Council

VU Western Spurs Women’s Football Club Inc - Maribyrnong City Council

Wallington Cricket Club Inc - Greater Geelong City Council

Williamstown Seagulls FIDA Football Club Inc. - Maribyrnong City Council

Wodonga Heart Football Club - Wodonga City Council

Yarrawonga-Mulwala Basketball Association - Moira Shire Council

Stream 3: Celebrate and Elevate

Brunswick Juventus Football Club - Moreland City Council

Gippsland League - Baw Baw Shire Council

Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club - South Gippsland Shire Council

Middle Park Football Club Juniors - Port Phillip City Council

Port Phillip City Council - Port Phillip City Council

Proud 2 Play - Yarra City Council

South West Sport Inc - Warrnambool City Council

Surrey Park Football Club Inc. - Whitehorse City Council

Torquay Cricket & Football Club Inc - Surf Coast Shire Council

Victorian Afghan Associations Network – Greater Dandenong City Council

Victorian Metropolitan Superules Football League Inc - Hobsons Bay City Council