It's Game On: The $35 Million Solar Play for Local Sporting Clubs
For our local community sports clubs, energy bills are quietly turning into the toughest opponent on the schedule and there's a $35.3 million federal program that most committees haven't heard about yet.
A Massive Funding Pipeline for Local Clubs
Between driving high-draw field floodlights, keeping canteen refrigeration running 24/7, powering hot water systems for post-game showers, and cooling clubrooms, running a grassroots club has never been more expensive. That's why we want to make sure our local community knows about Game On: Teaming Up for Climate Action, a $35.3 million federal program that funds solar and energy upgrades for up to 500 community sports clubs nationwide, administered by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW). If your club's committee wants to know how to capture this funding and pair it with standard federal solar incentives, here's the playbook.
The Reality Check: What Happened to Round 1?
Round 1 opened on 1 July 2026 with a $17.6 million funding pool. Because thousands of cash-strapped clubs rushed the portal, the government brought the deadline forward and closed applications early, at 9:00pm AEST on 13 July 2026. The entire first round was snapped up in under two weeks by clubs that had their engineering quotes and council approvals ready to lodge on day one.
The good news: Round 2 is locked in, expected to open in early 2027. The key to winning Round 2 is starting the technical preparation now so your club can submit the moment the portal opens.
What Does the Grant Cover?
The Game On program provides one-off grants of between $25,000 and $100,000 per eligible club, with the grant able to cover up to 100% of eligible project expenditure. This means many smaller upgrades can be fully funded with no out-of-pocket contribution required. The scope goes well beyond a few solar panels on a pavilion roof, and can include:
Rooftop solar PV systems: Sized to eliminate daylight power costs across clubrooms and canteens.
Battery storage: To store midday generation for evening training sessions and night games.
Facility electrification: Such as replacing gas hot water systems with commercial heat pumps and upgrading clubhouse heating and cooling.
Infrastructure fixes: Such as structural roof remediation or switchboard upgrades needed to make an installation safe and viable.
Larger regional facilities with rooftop capacity between 30kW and 200kW may also be eligible for a separate state incentive, Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates (VEECs), see our guide to commercial solar VEECs for how the two can work together.
Stacking Game On with Federal STCs
A common question from local committees is whether accepting a direct grant prevents them from claiming standard solar rebates. It doesn't. When CBR designs a system for a community facility, the upfront hardware price is already discounted by the federal Small-scale Technology Certificate (STC) scheme. Applying for a Game On grant is applying to have the remaining eligible cost covered on top of that existing rebate, not instead of it.
Is Your Club Eligible?
To prepare for the Round 2 pool, your organisation will generally need:
Not-for-profit sports club status with a valid Australian Business Number (ABN)*
Affiliation with a recognised state or national sporting organisation (e.g. AFL, Football Victoria/NSW, Netball Australia), and
Evidence of the project site's facility ownership or your authority to carry out works there (clubs don't need to own the site outright, but must be able to demonstrate this).
Exact documentation requirements, including whether a formal lease or council sign-off is needed for council-leased reserves, will depend on the specific Round 2 Grant Opportunity Guidelines, which haven't been published yet.
Get Game-Day Ready Before the Round 2 Buzzer
Round 1 proved that wait-and-see committees get left behind. To put your club at the front of the queue for early 2027, map out the technical compliance paperwork now. Book a free preliminary assessment with our team, and we'll put together audit-ready commercial solar system designs, electrical load assessments, and fixed compliance quotes matched to the grant's assessment criteria.
Ready to start? Get in touch with our team today or email us at info@cbrsolar.com.
*Note: Sole traders, partnerships and unincorporated associations are not eligible entity types under this program.