Applications are now open for funding grants available to sporting organisations throughout regional Victoria.
The total spend could max out at $60 million, with the funding pools divided into four revenue streams that require separate applications.
Victoria Government Community Sport Minister Ros Spence announced the initiative, commissioned under the Regional Community Sports Infrastructure Fund.
In addition to regional clubs and councils, Alpine Resorts Victoria has jurisdiction to apply for the grants as well.
The topic of infrastructure upgrades within the Shepparton area is timely, with The News launching a campaign for an upgrade to Shepparton Sports Stadium.
The Indoor Stadium and Aquatic Facilities Stream is the most lucrative of the funds, with a ceiling of $3 million to a successful club that, as the name implies, seeks upgrades to multi-purpose indoor arenas and pools.
The other three streams provide grants that could reach $1 million each, with separate participation-based $50,000 incentives available.
The other streams consist of the Community Facilities stream, which focuses on areas such as lighting upgrades and children’s play areas; the Women and Girls Facilities stream centres around additional change room facilities; and the All Abilities Infrastructure stream is a new addition to the ballot, where successful clubs would utilise the grant to improve disability access to and inside sporting facilities.
“Sport is really important to Victorians and this is especially true in our regional towns,” Spence said in a statement.
“By upgrading their facilities and removing barriers to entry, even more people will be able to get involved with their local sporting club.”
However, as always the values represented are maximum figures for any one successful grant and do not necessarily represent guarantees that approved clubs will receive the full amount.