Behind every changeroom, lighting tower or high-performance centre lies a bigger challenge—convincing stakeholders it’s worth investing in. Here’s how to turn sporting need into capital reality.
Vision is Cheap Capital Isn’t
Every club, council and sporting body has a wish list. Better fields. Bigger pavilions. Modern lighting. More changerooms. But turning that list into funded infrastructure requires more than ambition—it requires a compelling investment case.
In today’s competitive environment, grants and funding are no longer allocated on goodwill alone. They require evidence, alignment, and return on investment.
At Xsentia, we’ve helped shape the business cases and funding strategies behind some of Australia’s most impactful sports infrastructure projects—from community field upgrades to elite training precincts. This article outlines what works, what doesn’t, and how to move from kick-off to capital.
Investment Starts with Outcomes
Funding bodies—from state governments to local councils—aren’t just backing projects. They’re backing outcomes.
That means your proposal must address:
- Participation uplift (especially for underrepresented groups)
- Community benefit and equitable access
- Economic stimulus and local job creation
- Health and wellbeing outcomes
- Legacy and sustainability
- Alignment with government strategies and policies (e.g. Active Victoria, Fair Access Policy)
If your project only talks about “needing more space” or “keeping up with growth”, you’re missing the point.
We build investment narratives around what the facility enables—not just what it replaces.
The Business Case Framework
At Xsentia, we structure business cases into five strategic pillars:
| Pillar | Key Questions Answered |
|---|---|
| 1. Strategic Justification | Why this project? Why now? What policy or need does it address? |
| 2. Service Need & Gap Analysis | What is the current state? Who’s missing out? What are the pain points? |
| 3. Options Assessment | What alternatives were considered? Why is this the preferred solution? |
| 4. Economic & Social Benefits | What’s the return on investment—in jobs, access, health, tourism, inclusion? |
| 5. Implementation & Risk | How will the project be delivered? By who? Over what timeframe? At what cost? |
This approach aligns with Treasury business case guidelines in Victoria, NSW and QLD—and is scalable for smaller community grant submissions.
Data That Unlocks Dollars
Without data, a proposal is just opinion.
We help clients gather and use the following evidence types:
- Participation data (e.g. from AusPlay, local club records, school sport figures)
- Demographic analysis (growth areas, CALD communities, gender splits)
- Facility audits (distance to nearest like-facility, utilisation rates)
- Economic multipliers (construction job creation, events-based tourism revenue)
- Community surveys (backing from residents, members, local schools)
- Gap mapping (where demand exists but infrastructure doesn’t)
We often combine ABS data, council strategic plans, and sporting code benchmarks to build credible, tailored arguments.
Aligning to Government Priorities
Government agencies aren’t just funding sport—they’re funding aligned policy outcomes.
To compete for funding, projects must align with documents like:
- Active Victoria Strategy
- Fair Access Policy (Vic)
- Sport 2030 (Federal)
- Women in Sport strategies
- Local Council Plans / Precinct Masterplans
- Tourism or Major Event strategies (for higher-tier venues)
For example, a precinct with inclusive changerooms, female-friendly lighting, and multipurpose programming ticks boxes across health, gender equity, local jobs, and community resilience.
That’s why every business case we prepare includes an alignment matrix—a clear one-pager showing where the project delivers against priority areas.
Making Infrastructure Fundable
Not all infrastructure is equal in the eyes of funders. To attract investment, your project must demonstrate:
- Readiness – Planning, land access and approvals underway
- Feasibility – Costings backed by quantity surveyors or contractors
- Partnerships – Contributions from multiple sources (e.g. local, state, sport)
- Equity – Broad access, shared use, gender-inclusive outcomes
- Scalability – Staged delivery or future-ready planning
- Governance – A clear delivery model, risk management, and maintenance plan
These elements make your ask investable. It’s not just a great idea—it’s a bankable plan.
Case Example: AFL Club Facility Funding
In 2023, we supported multiple AFL-affiliated clubs in preparing investment strategies for facility upgrades.
Challenges included:
- A mismatch between club growth and facility capacity
- Ageing infrastructure with limited female access
- Complex ownership structures between councils, leagues and clubs
Our solution included:
- A staged investment model (Stage 1: compliance + equity, Stage 2: amenity uplift, Stage 3: performance/expansion)
- A funding matrix aligned with AFL, Council and State Government priorities
- Data-led business case, including future participation projections and precinct co-benefits (shared use with schools, walking groups, allied health, etc.)
Outcome: Successful co-funding submissions and multi-party MOU for delivery.
Multi-Partner Investment Models
Rarely does one party fund a project alone. Strong proposals show skin in the game from others.
Consider this model:
| Partner | Contribution | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Council | $1.5M | Landowner, community mandate |
| State Gov | $2M | Equity, health, participation uplift |
| Club/Sporting Body | $0.5M (cash/in-kind) | Usage, identity, branding |
| Federal Grant or Philanthropy | $1M | Regional/economic uplift |
| Tenant (e.g. allied health or café) | Fit-out cost | Activation and revenue generation |
We often help structure and draft MOU templates to capture roles, responsibilities and shared milestones across stakeholders.
From Vision to Shovel-Ready
Funding applications increasingly favour projects that are shovel-ready within 12–18 months. That means:
- Concept designs are complete
- Costings are market tested
- Land tenure is secured
- Planning and building approvals are in motion
- Stakeholder and community engagement is documented
- Governance structures are in place for delivery
We work with project partners to get them ready—including timelines, risk registers, and delivery phase planning.
Being shovel-ready doesn’t just boost your chance of funding—it accelerates impact.
Common Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
| Mistake | Why It Fails | What To Do Instead |
|---|---|---|
| “We just want to upgrade our rooms” | No clear strategic or community outcome | Link to access, equity and participation |
| “Everyone says this is a good idea” | Anecdotal, no data | Use sport, ABS, and survey evidence |
| “We’ll figure out operations later” | High delivery risk | Define roles, risks, and life-cycle maintenance early |
| “We only have a concept sketch” | Not shovel-ready | Progress to QS-backed costings and approvals |
| “We’ll write the submission ourselves” | Lack of strategic framing | Partner with experts for business case preparation |
Funding is competitive. Your case needs to be better than good—it needs to be bulletproof.
Final Thought: Build the Case Before You Build the Facility
In sport, performance starts long before match day. The same is true in infrastructure. If you want to deliver better places, you need to tell better stories.
That means:
- Linking dreams to data
- Aligning passion with policy
- Backing vision with evidence
- Turning “we need this” into “we can deliver this”
At Xsentia, we don’t just build infrastructure. We help our partners build the case for it.
Suggested Images
- Community sport being played adjacent to construction or upgraded facilities
- Sample business case cover pages or data dashboards
- Club volunteers reviewing plans
- A council chamber or public meeting discussing funding
- Completed changerooms or precincts with diverse users
