Women's Coaching and Officiating Program


This program is designed to provide financial assistance to ACT sport and active recreation clubs, associations and state sporting organisations (SSOs) to implement programs to provide accredited training for female officials and coaches at any level.

Program Guidelines

2025/26 Women's Coaching and Officiating Support Program - Funding Guidelines (933kb)

Status: Applications opened on 9 July and closing on 29 August 2025

Apply at SmartyGrants

Funding Overview

The following organisations or groups are eligible to receive funding from the WCOSP:

  1. ACT Sport and Active Recreation clubs and district associations who are affiliated with their State Sport / Active Recreation Organisation, or National Sporting Organisation; and
  2. ACT State Sport Organisations (SSOs), relevant industry organisations and any equivalent in respect to active recreation.

Please see attached guidelines for additional organisational requirements to be eligible to apply.

SSOs, clubs and associations can apply for a maximum of $10,000 and a minimum of $500 in funding to any single application under the WCOSP.

The following projects will be considered for funding:

  1. Costs associated with broad training and education programs or workshops, not reasonably delivered through a State Sport / Active Recreation Organisation, that will lead to volunteer and paid coaches and officials gaining education and formal accreditation (e.g., course payment, facilitator fees or venue hire).

    Applicants are strongly encouraged, where appropriate, to consider partnerships where programs have capacity to educate members outside of your own organisation.

  2. Innovative digital applications to enhance/deliver coach and official education and training opportunities.
  3. Innovative projects that address demonstrated barriers to women undertaking coach and official training or accreditation; or
  4. Targeted elite/high performance coach and official programs/opportunities (only where the individual recipients can be clearly identified).

Applications that meet all the general eligibility requirements will be assessed against the following criteria in meeting the objectives and outcomes of the WCOSP:

Project Need

  • Why and how has the proposed project/application been prioritised?
  • How will the project/application contribute to the achievement of identified objectives?

Project Planning

  • Who will be responsible for the management of the project and who else will be involved in the project’s successful implementation?
  • When will the project commence and be completed?
  • What are the key stages of the project?
  • How muchwill the total project cost and how much funding are you applying for?

Mandatory requirement: Provide a minimum of one quote for all costs associated with the proposed project.

  • How will your success be measured?

Please see attached funding guidelines for further assessment information

Step 1: Check your eligibility

  • Before you apply, please read the guidelines to make sure you understand all relevant requirements, including whether you are eligible to apply.
  • Applications including all support material, must be made through the online SmartyGrants portal to be considered eligible.

Step 2: Prepare your application

  • Applying for the Women’s Coaching and Officiating Support Program is a simple process using the SmartyGrants Platform.
  • An online help guide can be found here: Help Guide for Applicants (smartygrants.com.au)
  • It is recommended that applicants familiarise themselves with the online application form ahead of preparing the application and gather supporting documentation ahead of the closing date. You can download a copy of the application form prior to commencing your application.
  • It is expected that the time required to coordinate the quotes, support letters, plans, financial documents and other relevant attachments required can take in excess of 3+ hours. Sport and Recreation suggest that applicants take this into consideration when planning to submit an application.

Step 3: Submit your application

  • Complete the application by filling in each of the sections.
  • Submit the application before the closing date and time.
  • Successful submissions will be issued with a SmartyGrants system generated acknowledgement email containing a PDF copy of the application which will confirm the time the application was submitted.