Female Australian Rules Football players

Active Club Program - Regional Drought Relief Round

Providing funding support to sport and active recreation regional clubs impacted by drought, to strengthen the programs and services they offer. Clubs can apply for up to $5,000, to continue delivering accessible and affordable opportunities for their communities to stay active.

Applications open

Key dates

Applications open: Wednesday 16 April 2025
Applications close: Midday, Wednesday 28 May 2025
Applications notified: May/June 2025
Agreements offered: May/June 2025

Guidelines and budget

Regional Drought Relief Round - Round 54

Program Guidelines

Budget: $2,000,000

To be eligible for the additional ACP Regional Drought Relief Round, applicants must:

  • be a not-for-profit active recreation or sport club or community organisation whose primary purpose is the delivery of active recreation or sport programs and services in South Australia; or
  • be a not-for-profit recreational fishing club whose primary purpose is the delivery of recreation programs and services in South Australia; and
  • be incorporated under the Associations Incorporations Act 1985 (SA), and
  • have a minimum total membership base of 20 members. Total membership can include associate, social and life membership, and
  • be operating for 12 months or longer, and
  • be physically located within one of the council areas listed in the Program Guidelines or a comparable regional or remote community.

The following organisations will be considered ineligible for ACP funding:

  • An organisation that holds a Gaming Machine Licence.
  • Organisations that have been operating for less than 12 months.
  • For profit, commercial organisations.
  • Local Councils (Local Government Authorities).
  • State associations and peak bodies receiving State Sport and Recreation Development Program funding.
  • Educational institutions.
  • Dance organisations not affiliated with DanceSport Australia or another recognised body by the Australian Sports Commission.
  • An organisation whose primary purpose is not the delivery of active recreation, sport or recreational fishing programs.
  • An organisation that has overdue Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing (ORSR) grant acquittals as at the time of funding recommendations.
  • An organisation that has a total membership base of less than 20 members.
  • An organisation that cannot demonstrate a level of financial sustainability.
  • An organisation whose primary purpose is to run one-off or yearly events.
  • An organisation who is physically located within a metropolitan community.

If you are successful, an ACP Grant can be used to cover costs associated with enabling participation or costs to address water initiatives/expenses.

For a comprehensive list with examples, please refer to the Program Guidelines.

Eligible Project Costs ✓Ineligible Project Costs ✘
Water saving or harvesting initiativesOperating costs
Energy efficiency initiativesCovering food, catering costs and catering utensils
Utility bill reliefFurniture
Sporting equipmentNon-essential technology
Fishing equipmentPrizes
Uniforms and protective gearCleaning products
Professional developmentWages
Positive menstrual health initiativesStationery
Medical trainingSubscriptions
Medical equipmentMotor vehicles
Playing venue maintenance equipment 
Club promotion 
Hardship subsidies 
Technology directly associated with
participation or club sustainability
 
Playing venue maintenance
equipment
 
White goods 
Travel and accommodation

Where an application is deemed eligible, funding recommendations will be allocated based on the eligible funding amounts.

Maximum grant amount
Less than 100 membersUp to $1,500
100 to 300 membersUp to $3,000
More than 300 membersUp to $5,000

STEP 1 – Application Screening

ORSR conducts a preliminary assessment of all applications.

  • Ensuring the applicant organisation is eligible to apply,
  • That the application has been completed in full, and all essential information has been provided (incomplete applications may be deemed ineligible).

If an application fails to pass eligibility screening the applicant will be contacted via email, using the details provided in the application. The online application form will be reopened for the applicant to update and resubmit.

If an application is not resubmitted before the first day of the Assessment by the Funding Assessment Committee, the application will be deemed withdrawn.

During the screening process, ORSR may request further information.

STEP 2 – Assessment Against Criteria

As stated above in 'Assessment Criteria'.

STEP 3 – Recommendations

Once the assessment is completed, the Chief Executive, of ORSR will provide funding recommendations to the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing for consideration. All organisations will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application.

When unforeseen circumstances occur in the delivery of your grant, grantees can seek to amend the terms or conditions, seek additional time or amend the purpose/outcome of the grant.

If you require an amendment, please contact us with your application number and we will forward an Agreement Variation Request through SmartyGrants, which will ask what you would like varied and why you need it varied, for that specific grant.

Your Agreement Variation Request will be considered, and you will be notified of the outcome of your request.