SAF provides annual grants to help 7-17 year-olds with a disability play and participate in sports. The charity aims to improve inclusion to ensure no young Australian is left behind on the sporting sidelines.
Future para-sporting stars, eager young athletes, and inclusive sporting clubs are among the 2022 grantees. They are from across Australia and will share nearly twenty thousand dollars of funding.
The young recipients have diverse needs, play a wide variety of sports, and were selected by an independent expert panel from a record 120 applications.
"I'm delighted to announce the SAF grant recipients for 2022. Congratulations to the 14 remarkable athletes and four dedicated sports clubs selected. Our grants are tailored to meet the diverse needs of children and teenagers aged 7-17 with a disability to ensure relevancy in their sporting pathways."
"This year, we offered four funding categories. Over 120 applications were received, with the awarded athletes and clubs selected by an independent expert panel. SAF thanks the independent selection panel of disability and sporting experts for their time and support. The selection process is always difficult and challenging with so many worthy applicants and limited funds to distribute."
"Thank you also to our wonderful grant sponsors – BlueScope and Compeat Performance – for your continued support. It is enormously appreciated. And to the many children who applied this year but were unsuccessful, we hope to be able to support you in the future."
"SAF encourages corporate and community donations. With your help, much-needed financial support can be given to more children with a disability to pursue their sporting dreams."
"HorsePower Collie is very excited to be a successful recipient of funding from the Sport Access Foundation. This funding will allow us to purchase better jumping equipment to improve and extend the jumping skills of our riders and horses. We are very grateful and sincerely thank the Sport Access Foundation."
- Carol Brice, Riding for the Disabled Association WA (HorsePower Collie)
"We are thankful for the grant provided by the Sport Access Foundation, which will help us provide equipment, coaching and mentoring to the juniors of our organisation. Thanks, from all of us at SAWBA!"
– Aaron Blackmore, SA Wheelchair Basketball Association
"We always want our students to have social role valorisation in the community. We're so excited to be awarded a sporting club grant because we aim to take 27 students with disabilities to Gold Coast to represent South Australia in the Australian All-Star Cheerleading Federation National Championships. This grant will help make this possible!"
- Alana Giaccio, All Abilities Cheer & Dance
"I would like to thank everyone involved at Sport Access Foundation for making this grant possible. I can now look into buying a paddle that I will use on a regular basis and look forward to being able to travel in February for the Nationals in Perth. This is totally amazing."
- Cameron Jones
"Thank you, Sport Access Foundation. The grant helps us further support Abbie and get her to the competitions where she gets the opportunity to experience carnivals and to meet other Para kids. It is one step closer to her getting to her towards her dreams of representing Australia at the Paralympics."
- Connie Meet, on behalf of daughter Abbie Peet
"Judo is my whole life. Thank you for selecting me. This grant will help with the cost of entry and travel to attend my next big competition in Queensland."
- James Gittus
To view previous recipients, please click below to view our Honour Roll.
Your donation will go towards providing financial assistance and support to enable children with a disability to participate in sporting activities. Every dollar goes direct to the grant recipients to help with the cost of their sport, including modified equipment, carer costs, transport and fees.
