Friday, 29 June 2018

Rising sports stars in the Broadmeadows electorate are encouraged to apply for travel grants to help them take their skills to the next level.

Frank McGuire, State MP for Broadmeadows, announced that applications have opened for the Andrews Government’s 2018/19 Athlete Pathway Travel Grant Program.

The program helps aspiring Victorian athletes, teams, coaches and officials to realise their sporting potential through grants that remove the barrier of travel and accommodation costs.

The program recognises that in a country as large as Australia, athletes often have to travel significant distances, often at significant cost, to pursue their sporting dreams.

There are two categories of grants:

• state sporting associations can apply for grants of up to $6000 for teams or up to $2000 for individuals to travel to compete at national championships or trials;
• community sport and recreation organisations can apply for grants of up to $750 to help with travel and accommodation costs related to competition or training for athletes, teams, coaches and officials.

“The Athlete Pathway Travel Grant Program provide a fantastic opportunity for our Broadmeadows electorate athletes to progress from community to national representative level – it’s helping our future champions reach their goal”, Mr McGuire said.

This round will see around $275,000 allocated to more than 150 recipients across the state.

Since the grants were introduced by the Andrews Government they have supported 950 recipients to realise their sporting dreams.

Those recipients range from football to ultimate frisbee, from motor sport to underwater hockey – any sport or active recreation is eligible to apply.

Mr McGuire said, “The Andrews Government is working hard to encourage and enable all Victorians to embrace a more active and healthy lifestyle.”

The funding is part of the Andrews Government’s strong commitment to sports and active recreation, and to encourage all Victorians to get out there and get active.

That’s why we’re investing almost half a billion dollars in our 2018/19 Budget to ensure sport and active recreation goes from strength to strength.

For further information on the program visit: www.sport.vic.gov.au/grants-and-funding/our-grants/athlete-pathway-travel-grants-program.