- $15 million increase to Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund
- Application process to be streamlined for projects with a value of up to $500,000
- McGowan Government committed to developing sustainable community infrastructure with $22.5 million available each year
Community sport and recreation facilities throughout Western Australia will benefit from increased funding for upgrades, with an additional $7.5 million per year over the next two years funded in the 2023-24 State Budget.
The uplift in funding means the Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund (CSRFF) will increase to $20 million for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 financial years, up from $12.5 million per year.
As part of the revised program, the State Government will increase the maximum grant available through the fund for major projects from $2 million to $2.5 million.
The application process for projects of up to $500,000 will also be streamlined, with the existing Annual Grants category for projects between $300,000 and $500,000 to be consolidated with the Small Grants category to open up access to the scheme. This will start with the next round of CSRFF Small Grants of up to $500,000 due to open on 1 July 2023.
Successful Small Grant recipients will now also receive funding to cover up to half of their project, up to a limit of $200,000 in total funding. Previously, these grant recipients received up to a third of funding applied for.
Sport and Recreation Minister David Templeman announced the additional funding today at the recently upgraded Belmont Netball Association courts, which received $513,000 in CSRFF funding from the State Government.
The CSRFF program aims to increase participation in sport and recreation through the development of good quality, well-designed and well-utilised facilities. Clubs and local governments can apply for funding to develop and upgrade sport and recreation facilities.
Recent successful grant applications have included funding for turf and irrigation upgrades, construction of tennis courts and upgrades to changerooms.
Funding is also available to improve sports flood lighting through the Club Night Lights Program. There will be $22.5 million in combined funding available per annum through the CSRFF and the Club Night Lights Program for the next two years.
The program is administered by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries. More information is available on the department's website at http://www.dlgsc.wa.gov.au/funding/sport-and-recreation-funding/community-sporting-and-recreation-facilities-fund
As stated by Sport and Recreation Minister David Templeman:
"I am delighted that the McGowan Government has committed to a $7.5 million increase in funding for the Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund over the next two years.
"Sport, recreation and community activities help to deliver important social, health and economic benefits to local communities.
"We are committed to ensuring that local communities have access to sustainable and quality facilities now and into the future.
"This facility upgrade here in Belmont has seen the replacement of the previous courts with 12 new courts, replacement of non-compliant floodlighting and construction of one flood-lit, multi purpose court suitable for netball, basketball and other casual community use.
"Streamlining the application process will also make it simpler to apply for this funding."
As stated by Belmont MLA Cassie Rowe:
"These upgrades here at Wilson Park are just fantastic and demonstrate the value behind the CSRFF.
"We have more than 500 members who play here regularly and these upgrades - worth a total of $2.4 million - would not have been possible without the CSRFF."
