Seaford Football Netball Club and Wandong Netball Club have been named the July recipients of the 2026 Woolworths Netball Grant, with both grassroots clubs set to use the $2,000 funding to support initiatives that will benefit their players and wider communities.
Based in the Mornington Peninsula FNL, Seaford FNC has four senior netball teams and an 17&U team, alongside its football department. The club prides itself on the people who have worked over many years to create a warm, welcoming and fun environment, encouraging its members to be the best version of themselves both on and off the court.
The club was thrilled to be selected for the grant, describing it as recognition of the work being done within its community.
“It was a really special moment for our club to be backed in by the Woolworths Netball Grant support,” Seaford FNC said.
“We felt honoured to have been selected and proud that the work we aim to do is recognised by people outside of our community.”
The grant will support Seaford’s ongoing commitment to inclusion and reconciliation, with the funding going towards featuring Indigenous artwork on its 2027 netball uniforms.
Commissioned by the club earlier this year, the artwork was created by Indigenous artist Bayley Mifsud and is inspired by Seaford’s club culture and community. The artwork represents the connection between sport, community and Country, with two meeting places symbolising the football and netball departments, waterways acknowledging Traditional Country and figures representing the wider community.
Following the success of the club’s Pride Round celebrations in 2025, Seaford Director of Netball Iris Bentley has made celebrating Reconciliation Round a priority, with the artwork providing another way for the club to embed inclusion and connection into its culture.
“The grant not only allows us to firstly update our uniforms, it serves as an opportunity to have the artwork and story embedded into our culture,” the club said.
“We hope this commitment helps be a demonstrator of the culture we nurture at Seaford Netball. That all are welcome, and that our community allows you to thrive just the way you are.”
Meanwhile, Wandong Netball Club has been bringing people together through netball in regional Victoria since 1975. The volunteer-run club currently has more than 130 players across NetSetGO and junior competitions, supported by a dedicated team of coaches, team managers, umpires and committee members.
The club’s strong sense of community is at the heart of what makes Wandong special, with a focus on ensuring every player feels welcome, develops their skills and enjoys being part of the game.
Wandong was “absolutely thrilled and incredibly grateful” to learn it had been selected for the grant, with the funding providing valuable support at a time when cost-of-living pressures are affecting families.
“As a volunteer-run grassroots club, every dollar makes a real difference, so receiving this support was both exciting and reassuring,” Wandong Netball Club said.
The $2,000 grant will be used to subsidise NetSetGO registrations, helping make it easier for young children to experience netball, while also providing fresh fruit for players throughout the season to promote healthy eating and wellbeing.
“By helping reduce participation costs and providing healthy snacks for our players, this funding removes some of those financial barriers while supporting the health and wellbeing of our members.”
For both clubs, the Woolworths Netball Grant provides an opportunity to invest directly into initiatives that strengthen their communities and create positive experiences for their members.
“Support from organisations like Woolworths helps clubs remain affordable, attract new participants and create healthier, more inclusive sporting environments,” Wandong said.
With Seaford using its grant to strengthen its commitment to inclusion and reconciliation, and Wandong supporting participation and healthy habits, both clubs are demonstrating the lasting impact grassroots netball can have across Victorian communities.
