How to apply for Telstra Footy Country Grants

In 2023, we announced with our friends at the AFL that we’d be backing footy in a big way through the Telstra Footy Country Grants program. Applications are now open. Here’s how to apply for your local AFL footy club.
Luke Hopewell · 05 February 2024 · 5 minute read

What are Telstra Footy Country Grants?

If you’re a member of a local AFL footy club, you probably know how hard it is to keep your club running and growing.

You need money for equipment, coaching, and programs. You need volunteers to help out with everything from umpiring to fundraising. You need to attract and retain players of all ages and backgrounds, especially young girls who are the future of our game.

That’s where the Telstra Footy Country Grants come in: an opportunity for footy clubs across Australia to get some extra funding and support from us and the AFL.

Clubs can apply for up to $20,000 with a total of $8 million to be distributed over the next four years. That’s a lot of money that can make a big difference to your club’s future.

The grants program opened in February 2024, and can be found on the AFL’s website.

How to write a winning grant application

We want you to put your best boot forward on this one and so we’re sharing how to write a grant application that stands out from the pack.

Here are some tips and an outline to help you craft a winning grant application for your local AFL footy club.

Remember, the grant program’s advisory board will receive hundreds of applications from clubs around the country, so you need to make yours stand out. Follow these tips and outline, and you will have a better chance of writing a winning grant application for your local AFL footy club.

Expand the sections below to learn more.

Do your research

Before you start writing, go to Telstra.com/footygrants and read the eligibility criteria, the application guidelines, and the FAQs. Make sure you understand what the grant program is looking for and what you need to provide.

What can you apply for?

You can seek funding for several key initiative areas, including growing and assisting volunteer capacity, growing and diversifying participation in your club and improving your club environment or experience.

This can include new training for staff; upgrades to scoreboards or line-markings; electronic point-of-sale systems for the tuckshop or even additional funding to subsidise participation. You’ll need to include a brief description of your project as part of the application, as well as the works required and the anticipated total cost, so be precise.

Know when to go

Applications for grants open on 5 February 2024, and there are four rounds for submission.

• Round 1: Monday 5th February to 11:59pm (AEDT) Sunday 3rd March 2024

• Round 2: Monday 4th March to 3pm (AEDT) Friday 19th April 2024

• Round 3: 3:01pm (AEDT) Friday 19th April to 3pm (AEDT) Thursday 13th June 2024

• Round 4: 3:01pm (AEDT) Thursday 13th June to 5pm (AEDT) Wednesday 7th August 2024

Application outcomes will be provided via email and you should expect to receive an update at:

• Round 1: Week of Monday 25th March 2024     

• Round 2: Week of Monday 20th May 2024       

• Round 3: Week of Monday 8th July 2024         

• Round 4: Week of Monday 2nd September 2024

 

By Luke Hopewell

Editor, tech expert and Senior Specialist Writer at Telstra Exchange

Luke Hopewell is an editor, tech expert and Senior Specialist Writer at Telstra Exchange. Luke joined Telstra in 2019 where he has had the privilege to help bring stories to life in a unique and human way. He was previously the head of editorial at Twitter Australia and the editor of cult tech site Gizmodo. For over a decade, Luke’s passion for technology has always driven him to seek out the latest gadgets and game-changers, and help others to understand how it all works. In another life he was a cyber security specialist where he sought to educate people about how to stay safe online. When he's not writing, he's getting outdoors and patting all the nice dogs he meets.