Helping our macedon ranges sport competitions survive and thrive

(Photo taken prior to COVID-19)

Community sport in the Macedon Ranges has been given a boost thanks to a grant from the Victorian Government aimed at helping local leagues and associations ride out the coronavirus pandemic and come back ready to play.

Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas, today announced three grants have been approved in the region from the Government’s Community Sport Sector COVID-19 Short-term Survival Package.

These grants will enable Riddell District Football & Netball League, Kyneton Basketball Association and Macedon Ranges Netball Association to help them meet fixed costs to ensure they can remain operationally viable and provide a valuable boost for their clubs and membership.

It will also help them safely operate and reactivate at the other side of the coronavirus pandemic.

Since the start of the coronavirus shutdown, the community sport and active recreation sector has suffered significant revenue losses, putting sporting associations, leagues and clubs at financial risk.

The Community Sport Sector COVID-19 Short-term Survival Package is rolling out grants in four categories: grants of up to $350,000 for large state sporting associations; grants of up to $200,000 to smaller state sporting associations, regional sports assemblies and academies and other state sport and recreational bodies; grants of up to $15,000 for associations and leagues; and grants of $1,000 for individual clubs.

There are now 200 local leagues and associations across the state who have scored a share in more than $1.4 million thanks to the Victorian Government’s Community Sport Sector COVID-19 Short-term Survival Package.

The grants are part of the Government’s strong investment in supporting community sport and active recreation in these challenging times.

The Victorian Government is also investing $68 million in shovel-ready community sport and active recreation infrastructure projects across the state, to stimulate jobs and economic activity, and deliver fantastic new projects to local communities as part of the new $2.7 Building Works package.

Quotes attributable to Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas MP
"People in the Macedon Ranges love their footy, basketball and netball – and these grants are helping our associations keep their eyes towards a return to play."

"Ensuring community sport and active recreation organisations survive this crisis and come back better than ever is critical to our economic and social recovery, and to our community’s physical and mental wellbeing."