As a nation, Australia loves its Sport. It sits at the heart of our culture and identity.

Recognising that not everyone enjoys the same access to playing and participating in sport, Katie Kelly OAM PLY, Paralympian and Gold medallist (Para-triathlon) established Sport Access Foundation (SAF) in 2017.

The Foundation is a registered Australian charity, providing grants to young children and teenagers aged 7-17 years who are living with a disability. The aim is to provide them with better access to sport, through participation in a local sporting club or activity, or a competitive event. Our grants ensure many more children can participate in sporting activities that might otherwise be beyond their financial means. The grants are used to assist with costs such as transport, entry fees, specialised sporting equipment e.g. a modified wheelchair, clothing and consultation with health professionals to develop a suitable training program. 

We have established partnerships with disability sporting groups including Sport Inclusion Australia, Deaf Sports Australia, Blind Sports Australia and we collaborate with these organisations to advocate and foster the growth and development of inclusive sports across the country.

SAF’s work is based on the firm belief that participating in sport and recreation offers young children with a disability many physical and social benefits. It helps build self-esteem, connects them to like-minded peers and the community, and reduces their dependency on welfare support systems as teenagers and adults. 

The Foundation is seeking to gain corporate support to continue to offer our annual grants to young people from across Australia. We encourage corporate Australia to get in touch with us via info@sportaccessfoundation.org.au

Our goal is $500,000 is fundraised and distributed by 2027. Then to double that to $1million by 2032. We are all volunteers, and Katie oversees the day to day operations of the foundation. Your donation goes direct to the grant recipients. Operational costs are covered by our founding partner BlueScope.

tDisabilities of our Applicants (this is a sample of the type of disabilities we note in the annual applications).

Tourette’s Syndrome

Autism

Intellectual disability

Transverse Myelitis

Vision impairment – Blind, partially vision impaired, retinal dystrophy, bilateral optic atrophy

Sensory Nystagmus

Perthes Disease

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Infantile Congenital Scoliosis

Acquired Brain Injury

Arnold Chiari Malformation

Klippel Fiel Syndrome

Hearing impairment – Deaf, severe to profound hearing Loss, cochlear implant/hearing aids

Oculocutaneous Albinism

Cerebral Palsy Spastic Diplegic

Congenital Deformity of right hand

Nystagmus (involuntary movement of the eye)

Cerebral Palsy

Epilepsy and Autism

Undiagnosed severe and permanent progressive disorder of spinal cord

Kyphoscoliosis with heme-vertebrae and rib anomalies

Clubfeet and joint hypomobilit

Classic Autism & Intellectual Disability

Amputee – upper and lower body, including Bi-lateral leg amputee, Right leg through knee, below the knee

Osteogenesis imperfecta

Congenital Upper left limb difference

Spastic diplegic cerebral palsy

Down Syndrome

Cerebral Palsy, left hemisphereotomy

Bilateral Peters Anomaly

Rieger Syndrome

Usher Syndrome

Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP)

Cerebral Palsy Spastic Diplegia

Congenital Arm Abnormality- Radiohumeral Synostosis with Type 4 Ulnar Deficiency and Thumb Aplasia

Ataxia

Arthrogryposis, bilateral club feet, and HFASD.

If you have any queries or would like to know more please contact Sport Access Foundation via our email: info@sportaccessfoundation.org.au 

OUR FOUNDER

Katie Kelly OAM PLY, is Australia's first Gold Medallist in Paratriathlon (2016 Rio Paralympics). Katie also completed at Tokyo Paralympics, and won 2 World Championships (2015, 2017) You can read more about her Advocacy work via www.katiekelly.com.au