This article applies to Metropolitan and Regional schools only.
This article tells schools where they can and cannot spend grant funds.
Quick links
Where can the funding be spent?
- Sport delivery: Sporting Schools has partnered with more than 40 national sporting organisations (NSOs) and national sporting organisations for people with disability (NSODs). You must book at least one sport via our school portal (coach or teacher delivered) and have your booking confirmed by the sport.
- Supporting expenses: These are expenses that help support your delivery such as equipment or travel to a sporting venue. After you have made your sports booking, you may also purchase eligible items listed below.
Note: The examples below are not exhaustive and should be considered in conjunction with the unsupported costs. If you require clarification, please contact Sporting Schools.
When can the funding be spent?
Funding can only be spent during the approved funding period (school term) as specified in your successful grant application.
Funding can only be spent if you will be delivering a coach or teacher-delivered Sporting Schools program free of charge to students in the term funded, as per the program parameters.
Spending fact sheet
Our spending fact sheet is an easy-to-follow guide eligible spend items => here.
This information is also available below.
Sport eligibility
Sports you can deliver at your school
Sporting Schools has partnered with more than 45 key national sporting organisations (NSO/Ds) to help deliver a quality Sporting Schools experience. With their involvement, Sporting Schools offers access to national products supported by NSO-endorsed coaches that can also support your school’s curriculum.
To view our NSO partners and sports your school can deliver you can:
- visit our website
- view the table at the bottom of this article
Not all partner sports may be available for your school
In some circumstances our partner sports may not be able to provide sport services to your school. This can be due to one or more of the following reasons:
- the sport does not have a program designed for your school type (eg. the sport only caters for primary or secondary school-aged children)
- the sport does not have a program designed for the year level
- the sport does not provide coaches to a state/territory or region within a state/territory
When you receive your grant success email, you can see all available sports on our booking portal. From there you can book the sport(s) available of your choice.
What do these sports provide
Each sport has a program design specific to your student's age group. These can be viewed here (view each sport's product page). These options can be booked in our sport booking portal.
The sport may also provide equipment, teacher training and other support materials. The sport will typically discuss these with you after you've made a booking.
👉 IMPORTANT: Ensure your grant expenditure matches the program rules. More info here
Can I use non-partner sports
No, program parameters require schools to use NSO partner sports for Sporting Schools funded programs.
Costs associated with the delivery of activities that are outside the NSO partner sports are not supported e.g. martial arts (excluding karate, judo and taekwondo), Oztag, circus skills, boot camps, yoga, pilates, cheer, archery, pickleball, personal trainers, fundamental movements programs, etc.
Please visit our website for further information on supported and non-supported costs.
Inclusive programs
To access inclusive Sporting Schools programs, browse the available sports and products in the Sporting Schools portal and select options that support students of all abilities.
Many sports offer inclusive products, including programs delivered in partnership with disability sport organisations.
Eligible sports by school type
This table provides a list of partner sports and the school type(s) they support, eligible for grant spend.
| Sport name | Primary | Special primary | Secondary | Special secondary |
| Abilities Unleashed | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| American Football | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Athletics | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Australian Football | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Badminton | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Baseball | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Basketball | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Bike Riding | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Bowls | Supported | Supported | Not supported | Not supported |
| Cricket | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| DanceSport | Supported* | Supported* | Supported* | Supported* |
| Dragon Boat | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Diving | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Football | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Golf | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Gymnastics | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Handball | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| Hockey | Supported | Supported | Not supported | Not supported |
| Ice Hockey | Supported | Supported | Not supported | Not supported |
| Judo | Supported | Supported | Not supported | Not supported |
| Karate | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Lacrosse | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Netball | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Orienteering | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Paddle | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| Rowing | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Rugby League | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Rugby Union | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Sailing | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Snow Sports | Supported | Supported | Not supported | Not supported |
| Softball | Supported | Supported | Not supported | Not supported |
| Squash | Supported | Supported | Not supported | Not supported |
| Surf Lifesaving | Supported | Supported | Not supported | Not supported |
| Surfing | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Swimming | Supported | Supported | Not supported | Not supported |
| Table Tennis | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Taekwondo | Supported | Supported | Not supported | Not supported |
| Tennis | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Tenpin Bowling | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Touch Football | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Triathlon | Supported | Supported | Not supported | Not supported |
| Ultimate Frisbee | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Volleyball | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Water Polo | Supported | Supported | Supported* | Supported* |
*Available from Term 4 2026
Eligible expenses
Program delivery
You can use funding for:
- Delivery of approved Sporting Schools partner sport programs. See here
- Payments to approved providers and coaches.
- Travel costs for approved providers and coaches delivering programs.
- Payments to nominated teachers delivering teacher-delivered sport packages outside their normal paid work hours.
Equipment
You can use up to $1,650 (including GST) per grant for equipment.
Eligible equipment includes:
- Essential equipment needed to deliver the approved sport program.
- Equipment required for introductory partner sport programs.
- Modified or adapted equipment for students with disability.
- Freight and delivery costs associated with eligible equipment purchases.
Supervision
You can use funding for:
- Before-school or after-school supervision.
- Additional supervision required for activities such as swimming, surfing, sailing, or programs involving students with disability.
- Relief teachers required to release a teacher to deliver a teacher-delivered sport package.
Transport
You can use funding for:
- Transporting students to and from facilities required to deliver an approved Sporting Schools program.
Facilities
You can use funding for:
- Pool hire.
- Venue hire.
- Facility entry fees.
- Replacement of basketball backboards and rings.
- Sand replacement for long jump pits.
- Replacement nets for existing permanent sporting structures.
- Court or field line marking required for program delivery.
Program administration
You can use funding for:
- Phone calls.
- Printing and photocopying.
- Permission notes.
- Administration associated with coordinating and acquitting the program.
Up to $200 (including GST) can be claimed without evidence of expenditure.
Sport-related professional development
You can use funding for:
- Sport-specific training required by a Sporting Schools partner sport for teachers delivering a sport package.
- Relief teachers required to release a primary school teacher to complete the ASC PE Essential Skills for Primary Teachers course.
Play Well initiatives
You can use funding for:
- Local sporting club representatives attending the school to promote participation opportunities (up to $200 including GST).
- Sporting Schools book packs for primary school libraries (up to $550 including GST).
- Athletes or motivational speakers from partner sports, Olympic sports or Paralympic sports (up to $1,100 including GST).
Ineligible expenses
You cannot use funding for the following expenses.
Program delivery
Funding cannot be used for:
- Non-partner sports.
- Boot camps.
- Personal trainers.
- Fitness programs.
- Multisport programs.
- Wellbeing programs.
- Regular PE classes.
- Programs delivered during weekends or school holidays.
- Interschool sport.
- Representative sport.
- Carnivals or gala days.
- Gym memberships.
- Sporting club memberships.
- Athlete development or high-performance programs.
Equipment
Funding cannot be used for:
Uniforms and apparel
- Polo shirts.
- Jerseys.
- Shorts.
- Tracksuits.
- Jackets.
- Bags.
- School-branded apparel.
School-branded equipment
- Custom printed sporting equipment.
- Branded post pads.
Health and safety items
- First aid kits.
- Sunscreen.
- Water bottles.
- Gazebos.
- Shade shelters.
- Rescue equipment.
Prizes and incentives
- Trophies.
- Medals.
- Ribbons.
- Participation rewards.
Electronic equipment
- Speakers.
- Cameras.
- Tablets and iPads.
- GPS devices.
- Fitness trackers.
- Walkie talkies.
- Chargers and batteries.
- Ball machines.
Fitness and playground equipment
- Treadmills.
- Exercise bikes.
- Dumbbells.
- Weights.
- Resistance bands.
- Boxing equipment.
- Climbing frames.
- Scooters.
- Parachutes.
- Tug-of-war ropes.
Personal-use items
- Mouthguards.
- Shoes.
- Swimmers.
- Rash vests.
- Wetsuits.
- Socks.
Supervision
Funding cannot be used for:
- Supervision during the normal school day.
- Supervision during a staff member's normal paid work hours.
Facilities
Funding cannot be used for:
- Hire of school-owned facilities.
- Facility hire for carnivals, gala days or interschool sport.
- Permanent infrastructure such as:
- Goal posts
- Basketball towers
- Sheds
- Shelving
- Shipping containers
- Cricket pitches
- Bike racks
- Long jump pit construction
- General maintenance and upkeep of school facilities.
Transport
Funding cannot be used for:
- Travel to carnivals.
- Travel to interschool sport.
- Travel to representative sport.
- Vehicle repairs.
- Trailer maintenance.
- Vehicle bike racks.
- Hire of school-owned vehicles.
Program administration
Funding cannot be used for:
- Regular staff wages during normal work hours.
- Catering, food or refreshments.
- Working with Children checks.
- Mandatory compliance training.
- Gift cards or prepaid cards.
Sport-related professional development
Funding cannot be used for:
- Professional development not required by a partner sport.
- First aid training.
- Non-sport training.
- Professional development for non-teaching staff, coaches or students.