Who We Are
Who We Are
I acknowledge and pay respect to the land and the traditional families of the Yugambeh region of South East Queensland, including the Kombumerri, Mununjali, Wangerriburra and others, and their Elders past present and emerging.
Following the excitement of the Paris Paralympics last year, 2025 has been a year of reflection, growth, and renewed momentum for para-sport in Australia. The conversations sparked in 2024 continue to shape how we build stronger, more equitable pathways for people with disability to participate in sport at every level.
It’s been great to follow the journeys of our Honour Roll members this year, being able to follow and support them to kick new goals both on and off the field — and to welcome new faces into this supportive and growing community that reflects what the Foundation is all about.
2025 has been a big year for para sport and inclusion, with renewed national focus on how Australia supports people with disability to participate and thrive in sport at every level. Record federal investment into high performance and system reform is reshaping pathways from grassroots through to Paralympic representation, and creating more visibility for young people with disability.
This broad shift has reinforced what the Sport Access Foundation have been advocating for since day one. Highlighting that infrastructure and culture changes are essential if we want to remove barriers for children and young people in sport.
In the past 18 months, the Australian Government has committed to high levels of funding to para sport, including a dedicated Para Uplift investment of around $ 54.9 million to strengthen Paralympic programs and pathways. This uplift is supporting more classification opportunities, fit-for-purpose training environments, coaching, andperformance support for para athletes, and is designed to build depth and sustainability in the lead-up to Brisbane 2032.
Additional targeted programs like the Para Athlete Barriers Fund are also providing direct grants (up to $4,000 per athlete) to help cover travel, equipment, and support costs that have historically priced many athletes with disability out of competition.
Alongside funding, the national high-performance system is evolving through new parasport “uplift” initiatives and elite training hubs anchored in the Australian Institute of Sport and partner environments. These hubs are giving more para athletes access to integrated sports science, coaching and recovery support that was previously only available to a small number of athletes in specific programs. These changes send a clear message to young Australians with a disability: it is showcasing there are now more visible and supported pathways that can take athletes from local clubs to high performance. Para-athletes are beginning to take centre stage in how Australia plans and invests in future sporting success.
Beyond high performance, there has been a continued push to embed inclusion of children with disability in mainstream sport policies, school sport and community participation programs. National initiatives promoting inclusive coaching, modified formats and disability-aware club environments are helping more children with disability feel welcome and supported in their local sporting communities. Evidence from recent Australian participation research and sector programs underscores what our families tell us every day: that sport can be a powerful driver of confidence, friendships and wellbeing when barriers are removed. Sport AccessFoundation’s grants, advocacy and partnerships continue to sit right in the middle of this movement, topping up what systems like the NDIS and mainstream sport cannot yet fully provide.
This year, we continued with focus areas in the Strategy Plan 2023-2025, with the fivekey pillars outlining SAF’s priorities being:
Thank you to our 2025 Independent Panel for your time and dedication in helping us with the challenging and rewarding task of selection the final recipients.
BlueScope our founding partner provides significant resources for the foundation to develop and cement its position as a leading children’s sporting charity in Australian sport.
Thank you to our partners for their continued support.
Thank you to our fellow industry partners who collaborate with us and share insights to improve how we work:
Thank you to everyone who applied in 2025; the number and quality of applications showed a clear and growing demand for better access to sport for children and young people with disability. To parents and carers, your ongoing feedback about the practical barriers you face, and the time you spend explaining needs to clubs, schools and providers, continues to inform how Sport Access Foundation shapes its grants and advocacy.
To this year’s successful recipients, congratulations on being added to the Sport Access Foundation Honour Roll. Your participation in the program helps build a clearer picture of what works on the ground and where support is still needed to make sport more accessible.
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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.
