Up to $500,000 is available from VicHealth Innovation Challenge to Victorian councils and sporting bodies to increase levels of physical activity.
VicHealth Innovation Challenge: Physical Activity
VicHealth Innovation Challenge: Physical Activity is available to Victorian councils and sporting bodies to increase levels of physical activity, specifically for those who are less active and who experience the greatest barriers to participation, through innovative initiatives. The funding is designed to test leading edge ideas which have the potential of establishing long lasting physical activity habits in individuals, and to benefit Victorian organisations into the future.
VicHealth has chosen two key focus areas:
- More sport for everyone
- More women and girls physically active
Background
VicHealth is a pioneer in health promotion – the process of enabling people to increase control over and improve their health. The primary focus of VicHealth is promoting good health and preventing chronic disease. VicHealth’s current activities align with the VicHealth Action Agenda for Health Promotion, which prioritises five areas for their work.
The Action Agenda is VicHealth’s strategic plan to 2023, with 10-year goals and 3-year priorities on the following strategic imperatives:
- Promote healthy eating
- Encourage regular physical activity
- Prevent tobacco use
- Prevent harm from alcohol
- Improve mental wellbeing.
The VicHealth Innovation Challenge: Physical Activity will fund innovative ideas that create opportunities for less active Victorians, and those experiencing the greatest barriers to participation, to engage in physical activity, focusing on women, girls and under-represented groups. Population groups under-represented in sport and physical activity include people with a low socioeconomic status, culturally and linguistically diverse people, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, people with disability, people living in remote, regional and rural areas and the LGBTI+ people.
Objectives
In 2019–20, the VicHealth Innovation Challenge: Physical Activity (The Challenge) will call on Local Government and sport bodies to address either of the following areas:
- More sport for everyone
- More women and girls physically active
Funding
Up to $500,000 is available for local Victorian councils and sporting organisations over an 18-month period.
Eligible Projects
Focus area 1: More sport for everyone
VicHealth is looking for physical activity and sport opportunities that are socially and culturally accessible to individuals who are more likely to experience disadvantage, to help overcome barriers to participation. Organisations could create new accessible and equitable programs that are available to under-represented groups, optimise the use of local facilities, improve equipment access, develop culturally appropriate marketing and are welcoming and inclusive.
To be successful in this focus area, it will be important to develop local partnerships with organisations who understand the demographic, so look to connect with primary-care providers, community groups or local government, to support your project.
Focus area 2: More women and girls physically active
VicHealth is looking for ideas, concepts and innovations to tackle the fear of judgement barrier blocking women and girls from being active.
The challenge is to create contemporary, workable, tailored opportunities for women and girls to participate in physical activity. To find pathways that secure a vision that makes physical activity a valued component of everyday life, for all women and girls.
Eligible Applicants
Organisations meeting the below requirement are eligible to apply.
To be considered for investment, all applicants must have fully acquitted all requirements of any previous grants awarded under VicHealth funding (to the satisfaction of VicHealth).
Criteria for focus area 1 (more sport for everyone):
- Sporting organisations recognised as a State Sporting Association (SSA) under the classification provided by Sport and Recreation Victoria or a National Sporting Organisation (NSO) recognised by Sport Australia.
- Victorian Disability State Sporting Bodies (DSSBs), recognised by Sport and Recreation Victoria
- Victorian Regional Sporting Assemblies (RSAs)
- Local sporting clubs/associations affiliated to a recognised SSA
- Elite sporting teams
- Victorian local councils
Note: SSAs, NSOs, RSAs and elite sporting teams are required to meet and maintain VicHealth’s requirement of 40 per cent female representation on their sporting organisation’s Board.
Criteria for focus area 2 (more women and girls active):
- Victorian local councils only
Timing
Applications close 18 April 2019.
