Football and tennis clubs big winners from council grants

Shepparton East FNC will add the grant it has received to $46,000 it has raised to fund a new electronic scoreboard at its home ground at Central Park Recreation Reserve.

The Kialla Park tennis club has raised $50,000 of its own to add to the council grant for a program upgrading two courts, by making them safe and preparing them for synthetic grass.

Shepparton Field and Game is another club to benefit from the grants with $15,000 to purchase new sport equipment.

The motion noting the successful applicants was supported by councillors unopposed, with praise for the organisations and the work they do.

Cr Seema Abdullah told the meeting though that a lack of applications from clubs and organisations promoting the participation of women and girls in sport indicated more could be done to promote the grants to that sector.

“What I notice is there have not been many applications under the category of women and girls and as we know, this funding program provides five categories for funding, which includes major facility development, minor facility development, sports aid, women and girls and junior and youth participation so I was again a bit disappointed that not many applications came under the category of women and girls,” she said.

“Surely there is a big need. I’m sure there is a big appetite, also, to increase opportunities for women and girls in sports, so why is it we are not hearing from these groups?”

Our Sporting Future Funding - Round two recipients

Total: $61,897

Our Sporting Future Funding - Round three recipients

Total: $45,000