Sport Access Foundation 2023 Grant Recipients Announcement

Sport Access Foundation (SAF) has announced the 2023 Sport Access Foundation grant recipients, helping Aussie kids with disability to play and participate in sport.

14 Aussie kids with disability and 4 sporting clubs who provide programs to include children with a disability and/or enable children with a disability to be members of their clubs receive Sport Access Foundation grants.

The four grant categories include:

• No Barriers (aged 7-12 years) $500 x 8
• Kick Start (aged 13-17 years) $1000 x 4
• Pathway to Paralympics (aged 13-17 years) $1500 x 2
• Sporting Club Grants (all registered sporting clubs) $2000 x 4

Sport Access Foundation Founder and Director, and Paralympian Gold Medallist Katie Kelly OAM said the foundation aims to improve inclusion and access to sport and ensure no young Australian is left behind on the sporting sidelines.

"Every year we receive applications from across the country, from young Australians with disability who are seeking support to achieve their sporting goals,” Ms Kelly said.

“Their disability is not inspiring - rather it is their determination and resilience to achieve their goals, regardless of the many barriers and disablist attitudes that young people with disability experience.

“While the grants provide financial support which helps to provide opportunities, they are mostly about empowering.

“The grants ensure every young recipient knows that if they keep showing up, they will be rewarded.

“If you want to know what overcoming adversity is, or how one builds character, then you have it here among our grant recipients.

“Sport Access Foundation Honour Roll Members will not be defined by a disability, and they are determined to make a difference by leading through participation in sport to reach their potential, whatever their goals may be.”

Ms Kelly is a founding member of Griffith University’s Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability council, providing an advocacy role for one of the key pillars, Play (Sport).

In support of the Sport Access Foundation, Griffith University’s Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability beacon hosted the SAF Grant award ceremony at the Gold Coast campus on 17 November 2023.

“We are proud to host the 2023 SAF grant announcement which will help many young people with disability achieve their sporting goals,” said Inclusive Futures: Reimaging Disability Beacon Director Professor Elizabeth Kendall.

“Young people with disability are so often directed away from sport, but these scholarships and initiatives such as the Griffith Sports College make an important difference.

“Many of these young athletes will be holding our hopes for medals in the 2032 Paralympic events so we need to invest in their careers.”

Sydney 2000 Gold medal Olympian, Australian Stingers Water polo team member and Griffith Sports College Manager Naomi McCarthy said the grants are exciting and important to improving access to sport.

“At the Griffith Sports College we work hard to ensure all athletes are supported through their education while they compete in elite sport,” Ms McCarthy said.

“The Sport Access Foundation’s grants will help to ensure young people with disability can access sport and overcome barriers to improve participation - from grassroots through to high performance.”

Meet the 2023 Sport Access Foundation recipients:

For more information or to donate visit: www.sportaccessfoundation.org.au