dsr.wa.gov.au Athlete Travel Subsidy Scheme Australia : Department of Sport & Recreation

Name of the Organization : Department of Sport & Recreation Government of Western Australia
Type of Facility : Athlete Travel Subsidy Scheme
State : Western Australia
Country : Australia

Website : http://www.dsr.wa.gov.au/funding/individuals/athlete-travel-subsidy-scheme
Application Guideline : https://www.statusin.org/uploads/25101-athletesubsidy.docx

Athlete Travel Subsidy Scheme :

** The Athlete Travel Subsidy Scheme (ATSS) is an initiative supporting athletes who have progressed into the high performance pathway of their chosen sport and are pursuing regional, state and national representation.

Related : Smart Service Queensland Taxi Subsidy Scheme : www.statusin.org/24985.html

** Eligible athletes can receive funding for out-of-pocket travel and accommodation expenses directly related to competitions and programs in accordance with the performance level categories and eligibility criteria outlined in the application guidelines.

Athlete Eligibility :
Applications can be submitted by individual athletes who must :
** Be selected and competing in one of the four performance categories
** Be attending a recognised event that is part of their sport’s State or National pathway
** Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
** Be aged 13*–21 years at the commencement date of the event they are participating in
** Permanently reside in Western Australia
** Be a current registered member of a club or association that is affiliated with a SSA that is deemed eligible by the Department (refer Appendix 2 for a list of eligible SSAs).

Note :
** 13 and under age group events/competitions are not eligible for support, even if an athlete has turned 13 years of age prior to the event/competition start date.

What will be funded :
** A subsidy must be used to offset out-of-pocket travel and accommodation costs only associated with involvement in one of the performance categories.
** Funding will be for either retrospective or future travel occurring within the eligible dates for the event.
** Funding is allocated against the applicant’s out-of-pocket amount and will not exceed the specified maximum funding limits.
** In cases where the number of applications exceeds the budget, eligible athletes will receive lower funding, and in extreme cases some eligible athletes may not receive any subsidy.

Note :
** out-of-pocket expenses refer to travel/accommodation costs less any other financial support e.g. Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS), Local Sporting Champions, local government grants, etc.

What will not be funded :
A subsidy cannot be used to offset costs associated with the following :
** Meals
** Team uniforms
** Sporting equipment
** Medical/physiotherapy expenses unless the above costs are included within a contribution levy required to be paid by the athlete to a NSO/SSA/RSA
** Travel to Country Week not forming part of a SSA formal selection process
** Travel to school/university/touring team events
** Travel to events where the athlete has chosen to represent WA or a region in an event they have qualified or nominated for and has not been selected by the NSO/SSA/RSA

** Travel costs incurred by athletes competing in sports not deemed eligible by the Department
** Travel costs incurred by athletes competing in State representation teams, talent squads and/or training squads not selected/endorsed by the NSO/SSA/RSA
** Travel costs incurred by athletes competing at events/competitions which do not form part of, or contribute to, the recognised NSO/SSA pathway
** Expenses for family members attending the event with the athlete.

Assessment criteria :
** Athletes who meet all points in the section above and are selected* to represent their region or Western Australia in SSA/NSO sanctioned state or national talent championships/events will be eligible to apply for funding.

** Selection refers to a process whereby clearly defined performance criteria are applied to select only the highest performing athletes onto a squad/team, within the athlete development pathway controlled by the recognised SSA/NSO, and no element of chance is applied to that selection process.

** Where applicable, athletes must achieve advertised entry standards.
** The sport’s pathway is determined by those events and competitions that complement the progression of the athlete towards national representation with the recognised peak organisation for the sporting activity in Australia.
** It refers specifically to what is recognised by the SSA and the NSO as the milestone events that it is critical for athletes to participate in, in order to progress along that pathway.

What is the application process?
** Applicants should read and understand the application guidelines before commencing the application process.
** Applicants should direct any initial queries to their local Department office, their SSA or via the travel subsidy enquiry email address.
** Applications can only be made online during open application periods.

** Applications must be submitted using the online application form available via the DSR website and all sections must be completed (refer Appendix 1 for all application information required).
** In submitting the application, the athlete makes a commitment to the Department to comply with the terms and conditions applicable to ATSS.

** Athletes will be eligible to apply for funding more than once per financial year in the same sport, provided any subsequent application is not in the same performance category.
** Payments are made to the nominated bank account stated within the application form, via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) after the round has closed and all applications have been assessed, validated by the SSA and processed.
** All applications must be lodged with the Department by midnight on the published closing date. No late applications will be accepted.

How will applications be processed :
Statewide assessment :
** The Department will contact the SSA to validate that the information relating to the athlete’s performance level and travel costs is accurate, and to confirm the team/event is integrated into the recognised pathway for that sport.
** The Department will assess applications based on the eligibility criteria and performance categories funding framework.

** Subsidy amounts are subject to the number of eligible applications received and allocated budget per round.
** Minimum funding thresholds will be applied and be determined by the Department, below which no subsidy will be paid.
** The assessment decision is final and no appeal regarding a decision will be entered into.