Our Goals & Focus Areas
Developing an active and healthy nation for all Australians
The positive benefits of sport can't be denied, which is why we focus on breaking down barriers so disadvantaged and marginalised people and communities can play sport.
We believe in a future where every Australian has the access to be active and can play sport, regardless of age, gender, ability, culture, language or financial circumstances.
ACTIVE KIDS
81% of kids aged between 5 and 17 do not meet physical activity guidelines of 60 minutes' moderate exercise a day.
Childhood obesity is at an all time high with around 25% of our children being overweight or obese. Physical activity in Year 6 students has fallen 30% in 6 short years.
Kids aged 5-17 are spending 2-3 hours a day in front of screens. Children who play organised sport are more likely to play sport in adolescence and are 10% more likely than their peers to be active as adults. This helps avoid chronic health problems that physical inactivity leads to including cardio vascular disease, diabetes and some cancers.
WOMEN IN SPORT
60% of women in Australia are not active enough to keep healthy.
It is known that girls and women participate in organised sport at a significantly lower rate than men. In fact, in children aged 5 to 14, 80% of boys play sport compared with 50% of girls.
Females face a number of unique barriers from participating in sport, with one of the main challenges being inadequate access to appropriate facilities, training venues and equipment. A lack of female coaches and umpires also pose a barrier, not to mention access to childcare facilities and confidence issues and a gap in pay, resources and sponsorship for women’s sport.
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
20% of Australians have some form of a disability.
15% of our population is over 65 years of age. Over 260 languages are spoken in Australia with 28.5% of our population being born overseas. Up to 11 in 100 Australians have a diverse sexual orientation, sex or gender identity. Australia has a strong and successful multicultural society of which we can be proud, however there are still a number of people who are faced with social exclusion for a number of reasons.
Sport is widely regarded as a core element of social inclusion and provides opportunities for diverse groups to feel a sense of belonging, build trust, cooperation and tolerance to create a sense of community.
SPORT FOR ALL
$3 MILLION funds and equipment granted to Australian Sport.
We are committed to helping increase participation in grassroots and community sport across Australia. We know that the benefits of community-based sports include social inclusion, a healthier lifestyle and the development of teamwork and leadership skills. We offer grant programs that develop anything to do with sport.
Our previous grant rounds have included programs that go to the development of active adults, equipment, junior participation and innovation. If you want to know more about how to help a sport fund a custom grant round, contact us today.
Australian teens rank 140 out of 146 countries for not reaching the recommended daily physical activity
MORE FUNDING
$190 MILLION for sport every year by 2030.
We will use these funds to benefit people from diverse backgrounds and abilities. We will grant money directly to grassroots clubs to fund programs that increase participation. Funds may be used for equipment and facilities, training and coaches, or holding "come and try" days.
We recognise that diverse groups of people face different barriers to being active or playing sport. Programs for women and girls need funding for gender-specific change rooms and more female administrators, coaches, umpires and other officials.
Kids need to be active from a young age, and we need to engage parents. We support programs that build a lifelong love of sport, including funding PE programs. Local clubs need funding so they can run activities and teams for young people. We will also support projects aimed at breaking down cultural and language barriers to sport.
INCREASE PARTICIPATION
50% more people playing sport.
We believe in a future where everyone is able to play sport. Our focus is on sport programs targeting women and girls, active kids and people from diverse backgrounds.
PHILANTHROPY AND SPORT
$11 BILLION is donated each year by Australians, however sport receives less than 0.5% of this.
The benefits to our society, economy and health because of sport is immeasurable which is why we have a long term target to increase sports philanthropy to 3%.