SUNSHINE COAST SPORTS BURSARY - PLAY IT FORWARD
Purpose
The purpose of the "Play It Forward" Sunshine Coast Sports Bursary Program is to provide financial support for young athletes experiencing financial hardship in the Sunshine Coast Region to enable participation. They are specifically intended for young people who are unlikely to be able to participate without this financial support.
The bursaries are designed to help cover costs associated with participating in community sports for expenses such as registrations, equipment, and travel.
For financial year 2024/2025, the program offers a total of 50 x $500 bursaries to be issued over a three-phase approach.
How to apply
Before applying, please read and understand these guidelines including the eligibility and terms and conditions.
Only one application should be submitted per athlete for a given financial year.
All applications for a "Play It Forward" Sunshine Coast Sports Bursary should be completed online via the application form (scroll down).
To complete the application form, you will need to have the following information available:
- The applicant’s personal details
- The registered name of the applicant's sports club or association
- Information about "WHY" this funding will benefit the applicant i.e. what financial hardship you are going through and how this money will help you participate
- "HOW" the applicant intends to spend this bursary (e.g. fees, uniform, travel)
Eligibility
This bursary is specifically intended to support individuals whose financial situation is preventing or limiting their ability to participate in community sport.
To be eligible to receive a $500 "Play It Forward" Bursary you must:
- Be experiencing financial hardship which is a barrier to your participation.
- Be under 25 years old
- Be part of a registered community sports club or association on the Sunshine Coast
Application & Bursary Approval Process
All applications for the "Play It Forward" bursaries program must be submitted via the online Sunshine Coast Sports application form.
This initiative intends to offer 50 x $500 bursaries over a phased approach. Application submission deadlines are below.
Sunshine Coast Sports will assess all applications according to the eligibility criteria, placing particular emphasis on the financial hardship criteria.
The selection of the successful applicants will be at the discretion of the Panel and approved by the Sunshine Coast Board.
Application Submission Deadlines
Specific to Phase Two of applications:
Applications Open: Monday 12 May 2025
Closing Date: Sunday 25 May 2025, 21:00 hours
Bursary Recipients announced: Week of 2 June 2025.
The dates for Phase Three bursaries will be confirmed at a later date.
Terms and Conditions
Sunshine Coast Sports reserves the right to change these terms and conditions.
Sunshine Coast Sports may accept or reject an application to the "Play It Forward" bursary program at any time.
Sunshine Coast Sports reserves the rights to contact your registered community sports club and/or parent or guardian to validate eligibility.
Sunshine Coast Sports will make a single bank transfer payment to the successful applicant.
The applicant declares and warrants, at the date of agreeing to these terms and conditions, that they:
- Fulfil the Eligibility Criteria for receipt of the Sunshine Coast Sports Bursary
- If the applicant is under 18 years of age, this application must be submitted by a parent or guardian and terms and conditions must be accepted
Bursary Program - Application Questions
We’re here to help! As questions come in about the "Play It Forward" Bursary, we’ll post answers here so everyone can benefit from the information. If you’re unsure about anything, just reach out—your question might help someone else too.
1. What does financial hardship mean?
Financial hardship can be described through examples of circumstances that limit someone's ability to afford participation in sport. Here are a few examples of what might constitute financial difficulty in this context:
- Inability to afford club registration or membership fees possibly as a result of living in a low-income household.
-Recent changes in family circumstances (e.g. job loss, illness, separation) that affect disposable income.
- Balancing school, work, or caregiving responsibilities that impact earning potential.