- Applications now open for the latest round of the Cook Labor Government's Community Use of School Sporting Facilities Program
- Funding cap increased from $50,000 to $100,000 per project
- Helping maximise the use of school sporting facilities and increase community participation in sport and recreation
- More than $4 million invested through the program since February 2025
The Cook Labor Government has today announced plans for a major funding injection towards school and community sporting facilities, with more than $5 million to be made available through the latest round of the Community Use of School Sporting Facilities (CUSSF) Program.
The program supports projects that develop and improve sporting facilities on public school sites so they can be used by local sporting clubs as well as students and local communities, helping maximise the use of existing infrastructure while creating more opportunities for sport and recreation participation.
The $10 million program jointly delivered by the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport and the Department of Education, encourages partnerships between schools and community sporting organisations to improve access to quality sporting facilities, including ovals, courts, and sports halls.
For the new round of the program, the funding cap has been increased from $50,000 to $100,000 and eligible infrastructure expanded to include acrylic court surfacing, synthetic surface upgrades, and indoor gym sanding and sealing.
Since launching in February 2025, the CUSSF Program has invested more than $4 million in 112 projects across Western Australia, benefiting 88 schools and 116 community sporting groups.
Funding has supported a range of projects, including playing surface upgrades, hardcourt improvements, new sporting equipment, storage facilities, security enhancements, and other infrastructure that improves access to school sporting facilities outside of school hours.
The program forms part of the Cook Labor Government's commitment to increasing participation in community sport and recreation while strengthening partnerships between schools and sporting clubs.
Public schools and eligible community sporting organisations are encouraged to work together to submit applications that demonstrate community benefit and collaboration.
More information on the grant round is available on the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport website .
As stated by Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti:
"The Community Use of School Sporting Facilities Program is supporting schools and sporting clubs to deliver great outcomes for communities across Western Australia.
"By making better use of existing school facilities, this program is creating more opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to participate in sport.
"It's been fantastic to see schools and sporting organisations working together to deliver improved facilities that make a big difference to local communities."
As stated by Education Minister Sabine Winton:
"Schools are the heart of their communities, and this program is helping them make even better use of their sporting facilities for the benefit of students and local sporting clubs.
"For our students, having access to high-quality sporting facilities supports active, healthy lifestyles and gives them more opportunities to develop confidence, teamwork, and a lifelong love of sport and recreation.
"Strong partnerships between schools and community sporting clubs also create lasting benefits for school communities, helping us maximise the use of existing facilities while strengthening the connections between our schools and the communities they serve."
