Up to $100,000 for Your Sports Club: The 'Game On' Energy Grants Explained

If your local footy, cricket, netball or bowls club is staring down rising power bills, there's some genuinely good news. The Australian Government has launched Game On: Teaming Up for Climate Action — a $35.3 million program that helps community sports clubs cut their energy costs with solar, battery storage, LED lighting and more.

Run by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), the program offers one-off grants of up to $100,000 per club. With the first round opening in June 2026, now is the time to get your project sorted so you can apply with a costed, ready-to-go plan.

What is the Game On program?

Game On is a three-year program running from 2026–27 to 2028–29, delivering $35.3 million across two competitive funding rounds. It is designed to support up to 500 community sports clubs to upgrade their facilities so they are more energy efficient, cheaper to run and more climate resilient.

The idea is simple: community clubs are at the heart of Australian towns and suburbs, but clubrooms, change rooms and floodlit grounds are expensive to power. Helping clubs electrify and generate their own clean energy frees up money that can go back into the sport — and the community.

What can the grant pay for?

Eligible activities focus on improving energy efficiency across a club’s facilities, equipment and buildings — including installing renewable and efficient technologies. In practice, that covers exactly the kind of work we do every day:

• Solar PV systems to generate clean power on-site and slash daytime bills
• Battery storage so clubs can use their solar after dark — ideal for night training and weekend games
• LED lighting upgrades, including energy-hungry sports field floodlights
• Heating, cooling and HVAC upgrades for clubrooms and function spaces
• Energy audits to pinpoint where a club is losing money before you spend a cent on hardware

A typical winning project might combine several of these — for example, an energy audit followed by a solar-and-battery system and an LED floodlight upgrade. Bundling measures like this often delivers the biggest, fastest savings.

Who can apply?

The program targets community sports clubs and their facilities. Encouragingly, groups of clubs can also apply together — so neighbouring clubs that share a ground or precinct can pool a single, stronger application. Full eligibility criteria and the application process are set out in the draft grant opportunity guidelines published on GrantConnect, and we’d always recommend reading those carefully before you apply.

Key dates — don’t leave it late

Round 1 is expected to open for applications on 11 June 2026 and close on 8 July 2026, with around $17.6 million available. That is a short window. Competitive grant rounds reward clubs that walk in with a clear scope of works and a proper quote — not a rough idea. The clubs that win funding are almost always the ones that prepared early.

How Solar Plus Electrical can help

We’re SAA-accredited electricians and solar installers working across Melbourne, regional Victoria and NSW — and we work with exactly the kind of solar, battery, EV and electrical upgrades this grant is built for. We can help your club:

• Assess your site and current energy use to find the highest-impact upgrades
• Design a solar, battery and lighting solution sized to your club’s actual needs
• Provide the detailed, itemised quote and system specs your grant application needs
• Install and commission the system once your funding is approved

Get your project costed before the round opens — a ready-to-go quote is the difference between a strong application and a missed deadline.

— Solar Plus Electrical

If your club is thinking about applying for a Game On grant, talk to us early. We’ll help you put together a solar and energy plan that’s ready to attach to your application — so when the round opens, you’re set to go. Reach out for a free, no-obligation chat about your club’s options.