Support

The National Schools Grant program is designed to help schools facilitate AFL programs. It aims to:

• Equip and empower schools to run quality AFL programs
• Help provide a fair and equitable opportunity for AFL programming in all schools
• Remove barriers that prevent involvement in programs or competitions

What's Available?

CRT Cover: Full day ($450) and half day ($250) CRT Cover relief grants available to allow teachers to either attend an AFL Professional Learning session or competition day.

Uniform/Apparel: Subsidy of $500 available to help cover the cost of a new set of guernseys/jumpers for school teams, and the purchase of appropriate playing uniforms that are made specifically for girls.

Event Attendance Support: $300 per team, per competition, to support teams to participate in competition or event days.

Goal Post Padding: Subsidy of $500 available to help cover the cost of goal post padding for school oval goal posts.

'AFL Starter' Equipment Pack: Base-level AFL equipment pack available to both primary and secondary schools.

GST/Remittance: Please note that these grants are classed as a gift and as such there are no GST implications. If your school requires a remittance for payment, please reach out to our Customer Service team via schools@afl.com.au and our finance team can provide a remittance advice after payment has been made. 

Please note that applications for AFL Schools Grants are facilitated via an external platform called SmartyGrants. In order to submit an application you will need to create an account on the SmartyGrants platform - this account is completely independent from your AFL Schools Membership/AFL iD account details.

NSW Government Schools only:

When prompted for Bank Account details during the application process, please input the following mock bank account details – Account Name ‘School name’, BSB ‘082 100’ & Account Number ‘12345678’. If successful, grant funds will be distributed by the NSW Dept of Education on behalf of the AFL.

Tasmanian Government Schools only:

When prompted for Bank Account details during the application process, please input the following mock bank account details – Account Name ‘School name’, BSB ‘082 100’ & Account Number ‘12345678’. If successful, we will be in touch to facilitate payment via invoice.

GST/Remittance: Please note that these grants are classed as a gift and as such there no GST is attached. Remittance advice will be issued on payment.

Our growth shows we need access to one new field every week for the next five years to meet participation demands.

As we look Towards 2030, the AFL wants to work with forward thinking school leaders, Education Departments or other landowners who want to help their communities deliver better sporting facilities and create more opportunities for communities to be healthy and active.

If you would like to discuss an innovative idea or partnership opportunity at your site please contact bnground@afl.com.au.

To support the games growth, we look to innovative solutions to create more football venues and strengthen existing playing fields. To learn more about Facility Management and Development in the AFL click below.

Did you know that schools can potentially be rewarded for engaging with AFL Schools Programs?

We recognise that teachers play a crucial role in exposing their students to our Programs, so we want to make sure that schools that are heavily engaged in our Programs are rewarded accordingly. To achieve this, we have created three tiers of Membership that schools can aspire to reach:

1) Hall of Fame

2) Best on Ground

3) Rising Star

Upon meeting requirements to reach each level, schools will become eligible to receive relevant rewards for each level relating to priority access to Grants, Ticket offers and player appearances, and also State/Territory and local AFL Club incentives where applicable.

To join as an AFL Schools Member simply fill out your details on the home page and one of our team members will be in touch to confirm your membership.

All teachers who were previously registered as a Schools Ambassador will be automatically rolled over to our new AFL Schools Membership Program and no action is required your end to make this happen.

In short, yes! Where relevant, all resources have been adapted and aligned to the new Australian Curriculum 9.0, Victorian Curriculum Foundation - 10, and NSW curriculum.

No! Our membership model is free, and all of our resources can be accessed free of charge.

To book an AFL staff delivered practical incursion at your school, please visit the Book a Program page on the website.

If you'd like to have an AFL Sporting Schools Program run at your School, please follow these steps:
- Visit www.sportaus.gov.au/schools/schools/funding to apply for funding or find out more information
- If successful in your funding application, select "AFL" as your chosen sport
- One of our AFL staff members will be in touch to finalise your booking details

Please check out the AFL Schools Shop which is fully equipped with all equipment required to run a high quality AFL program in your school. In addition, we will be implementing a grants program in 2023 - stay tuned for further details.

Yes - please check out our Professional Learning offering which aims to empower teachers to deliver our game confidently, and we have also created a 'What is AFL' resource in our Teacher Resources section which has a similar intention.

We intend to provide teachers with content that supports learning in the classroom. The lessons and instructional models include effective teaching methodologies based on such documentation as the Practice Principles for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

We have engaged with authors who have had educational experiences in schools, some of whom have been teachers.

In addition, informed by educational authorities nationally and state-based educational bodies, we refer to ACARA, VCAA, NSW’s DoE, Vic DET to ensure our resources are curriculum-aligned. Furthermore, the materials and the intended application focusing on pedagogy, are drawn from the current evidenced-based works such as the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO), New Pedagogies for Deep Learning Community of Practice and other initiatives. Our practical approaches incorporate Coaching Professional Learning and AusKick Curriculum.

The methodology applied to support teachers to cater for the differing needs and abilities of students is the CHANGE IT Approach which has been developed in partnership with the Australian Sports Commission’s Active After-school Communities (AASC) program and the Schools Network.

We have a strong network of regional development staff that service all States and Territories via our incursion programming. Reach out to us via the Contact Us Link below and your query will be directed to your relevant State or Territory staff member who will be in touch.

Our competition structure varies in every State and Territory, so please get in touch via the Contact Us Page in the link below and your local staff member will be in touch to advise on the best option for your school.