12 January, 2026
Kym Cheeseman
Victoria, Melbourne- Basketball Victoria is excited to announce the seven successful associations of the Play Our Way (POW) Association Grants. This is the second round of POW grants and will help support the associations to activate initiatives that strengthen participation, leadership and confidence for women and girls across their community.
This round of funding highlights the diverse, community-led approaches being delivered by associations to remove barriers and create inclusive environments where women and girls can participate, lead and thrive, focusing on programs, on and off the court. Each grant is worth $2000 and will support a range of different initiatives as highlighted by the association in their grant application, including; playing, coaching and officiating development, leadership pathways and confidence-building initiatives, dependent on the needs of their individual community.
Basketball Victoria Women and Girls Participation Manager, Leah Swain, said the outcomes reflect the power of collaborative and association-driven solutions, “These grants are enabling associations to respond to local needs with practical programs that build confidence, capability and leadership for women and girls. By helping to support these associations it demonstrates what’s possible when we work collaboratively to remove barriers.”
The seven successful associations and their funded programs are:
- Surf Coast Basketball Association – Women and Girls Coaching and Leadership Course
- Port Fairy Basketball Association – All Girls Ford Aussie Hoops Program
- Maryborough Basketball Association – Women and Girls Coaching Development Course
- St Arnaud Basketball Association – All Girls/Women’s Beginner Referee Program
- Darebin Basketball Association – Female Athlete, Coach and Referee Confidence and Leadership Development Program
- Mornington District Basketball Association – B-All-In Program Expansion
- Melbourne Central Basketball Association – Women and Girls Coach Mentoring Program
Round Three funding opportunities will open in May 2026, so keep an eye out for more information.
Basketball Victoria congratulates all successful associations and looks forward to seeing the positive impact these initiatives will have in strengthening opportunities for women and girls across the state.
For more information about our women and girls programs, click below.
