The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and the Australian Government have announced the delivery of more than $1.15 million in grants to 11 national sporting organisations (NSOs), to improve sporting infrastructure.

The grants are part of the AIS’s $2.5 million Small NSO Infrastructure Grant program focused on boosting Australia’s sporting infrastructure in preparation of future Olympic Games.

The 11 NSOs set to receive grants in the current round are:

• Artistic Swimming for training equipment for the National Training Centre in Perth, including underwater camera
• Boxing Australia for software for online coaching tools for pathway athletes, and strength and conditioning equipment
• Diving Australia for training equipment for the Brisbane Podium Centre, including air bag for soft landing training
• Fencing Australia for training equipment for the National Training Centres in Sydney and Melbourne, including video technology, fencing dummies, and strength and conditioning equipment
• Judo Australia for specialist training and competition mats for five full mat areas
• Skate Australia for video technology and associated IT infrastructure
• Snow Australia for rubberised flooring and gym equipment for the National Snowsports Training Centre in Jindabyne
• Softball Australia for video technology and analysis software/hardware
• Surfing Australia for video technology and analysis software/hardware
• Volleyball Australia for portable solution office space at the Beach courts in Brisbane
• Wheelchair Rugby for video technology and analysis software/hardware

Discussing the grants supporting sports infrastructure, Australian Sports Minister, Richard Colbeck, said the program is focused on ensuring all Olympic, Paralympic, and Commonwealth Games sports have the best opportunity to succeed.

“This program is aimed at some sports with smaller AIS-funding budgets, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have big aspirations to grow and take on the world’s best,” Colbeck said.

“We saw recently how Australia’s Winter Olympic team collected a record four medals in Beijing.

“Skate Australia and Surfing Australia got medals in their Olympic debuts in Tokyo last year.

“These are sports that are going to benefit from this grants program.

“With these latest grants, the AIS Small NSO Infrastructure Grant program has now committed more than $2.1 million to 20 National Sporting Organisations,” he said.

AIS director for sport strategy and investment, Alex Newton, said: “Supported by the Australian Government, the AIS recently committed $257 million in long-term funding to Olympic and Paralympic sports in preparation for the 2024 Paris Games.

“That gives sports greater clarity and certainty to plan ahead.

“In addition, initiatives like the AIS Small NSO Infrastructure Grant program give us the opportunity to consult with sports to identify targeted projects that will build their high performance sporting environments.

“We have been delighted with the projects we have been able to fund so far, and with one grant round left in April, we encourage any small NSO who has an infrastructure project to get in touch with us,” Newton said.

On the incoming funding for his organisation off the back of a record medal haul at the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, Snow Australia CEO, Michael Kennedy, said the grants will help in the completion of the $11.5 million upgraded National Snowsports Training Centre (NSTC) project.

“With the project now underway, Snow Australia is delighted to receive support from the AIS by way of a funding grant for key high performance infrastructure components for the NSTC Building,” Kennedy said.

“The funding will deliver specialised high performance flooring throughout the high performance spaces in the building along with funding to purchase new gym equipment to fit out the expanded gym space.

“We are grateful for the support of the AIS at this critical initial stage of the project development and look forward to a great partnership from an NSTC perspective for many years to come,” he said.