Grants & Herron Scholarships

To encourage the sport of Rugby in the State of New South Wales and elsewhere at a grassroots level of Rugby

The Rugby Club Foundation continues to deliver on its vision of ‘Sharing the Spirit of the Game’ through financial grants and Herron Scholarships.

Grant Applications

Through its strategic vision of “Sharing the Spirit of the Game’’ The Rugby Club Foundation is pursuing its primary object of supporting grassroots Rugby by way of a financial grants program. In the 2022-2023 Financial year the Foundation provided over $500,000 in grants to grassroots Rugby programs.

The 2023 - 2024 Grants window has now closed.

The 2024 - 2025 Grants window is due to open in October 2024.

Applicants are encouraged to visit the Foundation’s Grants Guidelines page for information on what aspects of a program may be considered for funding.

2025 Applications must be submitted using our online form (which will be available on this page once the window has opened) and include, but need not be limited to, the following details:

• The project/program requiring financial assistance,

• An outline of how this project/program will encourage and/or grow the sport of Rugby,

• The financial amount sought to assist in funding the project/program, along with a budget outlining the expenses to be incurred,

• Confirmation of the ability to dollar match the Foundation’s contribution (this is a requirement to receive any funding from The Rugby Club Foundation),

• Project/Program Reporting including how you will measure the success of your initiative and be able to tangibly demonstrate the impact of your project/program. For example, growth in participation numbers or number of qualified officials comparing before the program with after the program,

Please note that grants in this round will be capped at $20,000 + GST, hence a total of $22,000 inc GST. If your club/association is not registered for GST, the maximum amount that can be applied for is $20,000.

The Foundation is open to considering multi-year commitments. Applications seeking financial support across more than one year, must outline the annual funding sought and the number of years over which the project/program will run.

*Please note requirements & details may change from time to time between grant windows.

Sir Leslie Herron Rugby Scholarship Nominations

The aim of the scholarship is “to further the recipients involvement in the game through self-improvement” this may be via education, career development, apprenticeship programs or rugby objectives and is contingent on continued involvement in the game. Scholarship value is $1,500 a year to each recipient for two years

Two Rugby Scholarships are awarded on an annual basis, one to a nominee of the Sydney Junior Rugby Union, and the other to a nominee of the New South Wales Country Junior Rugby Union, the duration of each scholarship is two years.

Nominations have closed for 2024, applicants will be notified of the outcome in February 2024.

Nominations can include players, match officials and coaches aged 16 – 18. Nominations made via governing union will comprise of a resume and covering letter outlining how the scholarship will further the applicants involvement in the game through self-development and are due to their governing union.

The Sydney Junior Rugby Union and the New South Wales Country Junior Rugby Union are each invited to submit up to three candidates for the respective scholarships.

Please contact the Foundation’s office with Scholarship enquiries via the below button.

Grant & Scholarship Stories

Click the images to read the stories

History of the Herron Scholarship

Sir Leslie Herron

The Honourable Sir Leslie James Herron K.B.E., C.M.G., K.St.J. was born on 22 May 1902. Educated at Sydney Grammar School and at the University of Sydney, he graduated in Law in 1924 and was admitted to the Bar on 28 August 1925. He took Silk in 1939, pursuing a successful career in common law cases and as a leading advocate in jury trials. He was an acting Judge of the District Court of New South Wales for a time before being elevated to the Supreme Court Bench on 19 February 1941. Leslie Herron was appointed Chief Justice of New South Wales on 25 October 1962. On attaining his 70th birthday in 1972, he was obliged to resign his office as Chief Justice after a judicial tenure spanning 31 years. He continued as Lieutenant Governor and was Administrator of the State of New South Wales at the time of his death on 3 May 1973. Leslie Herron was elected as the first President of The Rugby Club and held that office from 1945 to 1952 inclusive. At various times, he held office as Chairman or President of the Australian and New South Wales Rugby Unions and he represented Australia on the International Rugby Board.

Sir Leslie Herron Scholarships History

In 2004, the Board of Directors of The Rugby Club decided that there could be no more fitting way in which to demonstrate the Club's commitment to "grassroots Rugby" than to establish scholarships for the benefit of Junior Rugby participants. The Board also concluded that there could be no more worthy person associated with those Rugby Scholarships than Sir Leslie Herron. Sir Leslie Herron's family graciously consented to the naming of the scholarships as The Sir Leslie Herron Rugby Scholarships.

From the outset, two Rugby Scholarships were awarded on an annual basis and the duration of each scholarship was two years. Each scholarship was named The Sir Leslie Herron Rugby Scholarship with one scholarship being awarded to a nominee of the Sydney Junior Rugby Union, and the other to a nominee of the New South Wales Country Junior Rugby Union. The scholarships were awarded during the period 2004 to 2008 inclusive.

the Rugby Club Foundation

The Primary Object of the Foundation is to encourage the sport of Rugby in the State of New South Wales and elsewhere at a grassroots level. The Board of Directors of the Foundation has resolved that one of the ways we can continue to demonstrate the Foundation’s commitment to grassroots Rugby is to revive the Sir Leslie Herron Rugby Scholarships for the benefit of Junior Rugby participants.

Sir Leslie Herron Scholarship Grant Recipients

“citizenship, scholarship, and a contribution to Rugby”

Sydney

2023 - Leilani Taufa
2022 - Oscar Morgan
2021 - Liam Andrews
2020 - Ally Bullman
2007 - Daniel Alley
2006 - Tom Heslop
2005 - Mitchell Greenway
2004 - Robert Temaipi

Other Grants & Fundraising Opportunities

The information and opportunities below whilst not run by the Foundation may be of assistance.