Community sport clubs should start preparing for new energy and climate upgrade grants

Community sport clubs across Australia may soon have a valuable opportunity to improve their facilities, reduce energy costs and build resilience to a changing climate.

The Australian Government’s Sports Clubs Energy and Climate Upgrades program will provide $35.3 million over two grant funding rounds to help local sports clubs take climate action.

Round 1 is expected to open for applications on 1 July 2026 and close on 28 July 2026, with $17.6 million available in grant funding.

You can read more about the program here: Sports clubs energy and climate upgrades

The program, also known as Game On: Teaming Up for Climate Action, is designed to support up to 500 community sports clubs to upgrade facilities so they are more energy efficient and climate resilient.

Eligible projects may include upgrades such as energy efficient technologies, battery storage, improved shade and drainage systems, and measures that help clubs better respond to extreme weather events.

For many clubs, this is not just an environmental opportunity - It’s a practical one.

Energy bills are a real pressure point for community sport, particularly for clubs managing lighting, clubrooms, refrigeration, heating, cooling and other facility costs. For volunteer-run organisations already working hard to keep sport affordable and accessible, reducing operating costs can make a meaningful difference.

Savings from energy upgrades can be reinvested back into grassroots sport - into equipment, participation programs, facility improvements and the people who keep clubs running.

The climate resilience side matters too.

Community sport is already feeling the impact of hotter days, storms, flooding, poor air quality and changing seasonal conditions. Better shade, improved drainage, more efficient buildings and smarter energy systems can all help clubs plan for a future where extreme conditions are more common.

This is where sustainability becomes very practical, as it’s not only about long-term climate goals, but about helping clubs reduce costs, protect participants, support volunteers and keep sport running safely and reliably.

With Round 1 expected to open soon, clubs should start getting organised now.

That might mean reviewing energy bills, identifying facility pain points, speaking with local councils or facility owners, gathering quotes, discussing priorities with committees, and checking the grant guidelines when they are released.

For SEA, this program is a reminder that climate action in sport does not only happen at major events or elite venues. It also happens in clubrooms, on local grounds, in changerooms, around courts and across the community facilities that make sport possible every week.

Community clubs are often ready to do more, but they need support, funding and practical pathways to make change achievable and this program could help turn good intentions into real upgrades.

And for local sport, that matters.