The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) will allocate up to $1.5 million a year for the AIS national sporting organisation (NSO) Competitive Innovation Fund ($6 million over the next four years) from 2012/13.

The fund has been established to encourage innovation in high performance sport including a greater commitment to investment in coaching related activities, sport specific projects and technology initiatives.

The funding will support competitive bids from NSOs, as well as other organisations through a NSO (including state institutes and academies of sport).

Expressions of interest must provide evidence of an innovative project or initiative that will have a positive impact on sport performance aligned with Australia’s Winning Edge.

The Competitive Innovation Fund is positioned to consider investments in the following categories, aligned to Australia’s Winning Edge outcomes:

• coaching related initiatives
• sport specific projects  
• technology innovation. 

Scope of funding

As a guide, projects up to $250,000 will be considered. Only in exceptional circumstances will projects exceeding this amount be considered.

Areas where investment from the Competitive Innovation Fund may be supported

Coaching

• Projects to facilitate greater integration between groups of high performance personnel.
• Projects that expose developing coaches to best-practice, develop their use and integration of support teams in science and technology and support professional growth in their sport in Australia and internationally.
• Enable cross-sport coaching and high performance collaboration.
  

Sport specific projects

• Projects which are innovative in nature and typically new to the sport. These projects must have a clear alignment with Australia’s Winning Edge outcomes; and would be regarded as being outside of the Australia’s Winning Edge investment allocation.
• Projects that are seen as cutting edge in terms of approach, but may have had limited or no previous opportunity to be pursued for implementation and/or trial.

Technology innovation

• Technology related activities that are innovative, are able to demonstrate a positive performance impact and which may be ‘outside’ the scope of existing resources.
• System impacting technology related projects that have a multi-sport and/or multi-medal application.
• Projects that demonstrate a clear impact on enhancing the quality of the coaching and/or athlete experience, creating competitive advantages in on-field performance.

Assessment criteria

1. The project has the potential to contribute to the performance of coaches and athletes.
2. The project will provide a clear Australia’s Winning Edge performance related return on investment.
3. The project will enhance collaboration potentially within the NSO, across sporting bodies, the corporate sector, researchers and key support industries.
4. The project has clearly defined deliverables including names and roles of the project team.
5. The innovation project will research and integrate global best practice both in sport and related fields.

In addition:

1. Partner co-investment will be expected as part of the application process.
2. Projects that can demonstrate an impact across two or more sports will be highly regarded.
3. The project will produce something new for Australian sport that will significantly impact on the achievement of Australia’s Winning Edge targets.

Selection Panel

Expressions of interest will be considered by a Selection Panel convened by the AIS.

How to apply

Complete and submit your application form by 31 May 2013.

For more information or to apply emai ais@ausport.gov.au