Councils Sport and Recreation team is here to assist allocated and leased sports clubs to continue providing the community with clubs and spaces that encourage enjoyment, contribute to a healthier lifestyle and a more balanced life and promote social connection and cultural appreciation in your local community.
For more assistance at your club, please contact the Sport and Recreation team at recreation@cgd.vic.gov.au
Preparation for Fair Access in 2026
The City of Greater Dandenong has prioritised health and wellbeing as a focus area for the community in its Imagine 2030 Community Plan. With this in mind, the Make Your Move Physical Activity Strategy was implemented in 2020 to help guide key areas of focus. Actions identified as part of the strategy aim to address low levels of physical activity participation, particularly in women and girls.
In August 2022, the Fair Access Policy Roadmap was released by Sport and Recreation Victoria in partnership with VicHealth aiming to develop a state-wide foundation to improve the access to, and use of, community sports infrastructure for women and girls. Council as a result, drafted and implemented the Make Your Move Gender Equity Guide to assist community clubs through this policy roadmap all with the aim to help improve sport related opportunities for everyone in the community.
In December 2023, Council’s Sporting Grounds and Pavilions Allocation Policy was updated to include enhanced support for gender equity, in line with the Victorian Government’s Fair Access Policy, and a commitment to creating opportunities for junior sports participation. These changes will mean there will be some additional requirements built into the sportsground and pavilion application process, including a Gender Impact Assessment, Gender Equity Action Plan and a Club Questionnaire.
Council is committed to working in partnership with community sports clubs and are available for support and guidance throughout this process.
A step-by-step process to achieve implementation of the Fair Access Policy requirements may include:
- Learn about gender equity through training and development workshops/resources.
- Undertake an assessment at the club, a gender impact assessment template can be used for this (as per below)
- Meet as a committee, review the assessment findings and any other current plans/processes in place attributable to inclusive environments.
- Engage support to draft plans and guidelines
- Adopt plans and use these to make change!
Seasonal application requirements
- Make Your Move Gender Equity Guide
- MYM Gender Impact Assessment - please contact the Sport and Recreation team for updated copy (2026)
- Club Questionnaire - Stage 1 Eligibility Criteria
Grant Funding Opportunities
Education Resources for Sporting Clubs
Sport Development Modules
COVID-19 and the post-pandemic world has impacted the sporting sector in unprecedented ways. Grassroots sporting clubs are seeing old challenges, amplified. It is likely clubs will find it more difficult to attract participants and volunteers, pay-off debt levels, attract sponsors, pay league and associated playing fees to field teams, as well as associated hire and facility costs.
In order to support return-to-play, Council has put together a number of sport development modules to address some of the gaps within our sporting clubs and community. Click on the links below to access these modules.
Module One - Club Development - Overview for Clubs - 65KB
Module Two - Succession Planning for Clubs - 75KB
Module Three - Marketing for Clubs - 71KB
Module Four - Community Engagement for Clubs - 160KB
Monash Health - Healthy Sports Clubs
The City of Greater Dandenong is proud to partner with Monash Health in bringing the Healthy Sports Club initiative to life. This initiative is evidence based, facilitated by local support providers and aimed at increasing opportunities for sports clubs to inform and educate themselves on creating safe and welcoming spaces for all to participate.
Healthy Sports Clubs is a free initiative that provides expert, local-level health and wellbeing support to City of Greater Dandenong clubs.
“Healthy Sports Club has been really great in providing health knowledge and support to the members of our club’s community. It has been great to have support to work through these areas that otherwise would not necessarily be possible as a volunteer.”
Healthy Sports Clubs is a is a free initiative run by Monash Health supporting sports clubs and associations in the City of Greater Dandenong, City of Casey and Cardinia Shire Council to achieve change. By creating healthier, family-friendly cultures, clubs and associations become true champions of community wellbeing.
For a quick introduction to Healthy Sports Clubs, hear from a participating club in this short Q&A video.
For more information and to see the list of registered clubs, visit the Healthy Sports Club website.
