WIMMERA sporting clubs could miss out on vital funding if the state government cuts a country areas grants program.
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The future of the Country Football Netball Program, which has injected hundreds of thousands of dollars into Wimmera grounds, is in doubt, with the government refusing to say whether it will fund the program in next month's budget.
Taylors Lake Football Netball Club president Brad Dwyer said his club received a $41,600 grant last year to upgrade netball court lights at Dock Lake Reserve.
He said the club would not have been able to afford the upgrade without the grant.
"To run a club nowadays takes a lot of hard work," he said.
"If we were to see that funding go you would see clubs and communities go - that's how important this is."
Mr Dwyer said it was a fantastic program that had many community benefits.
"It means the girls will be able to see the netball which is hard to see at training because the lighting is inadequate," he said.
Mr Dwyer said the upgrade had not started yet.
He said any move to cut the grants program would be a massive backwards step.
Minyip-Murtoa president Andy Delahunty said he would be devastated to see the program wind up.
"Last year the football netball program put $80,000 into our lighting project. That wouldn't have gone ahead without that funding," he said.
"Prior to that we got $80,000 for the building of change rooms at Murtoa, which ended up costing $270,000."
Mr Delahunty said neither project would have gone ahead without the grants.
"It's just the lifeblood of country towns that are looking to improve their facilities and I think it's money well spent," he said.
Victorian Sport Minister John Eren did not answer questions about the future of the program, responding through a statement.
"Regional Victorian families can rest assured the Andrews Labor government is committed to honouring its pre-election promise to upgrade community sport and recreation facilities across the state for all Victorians," he said.
Member for Lowan Emma Kealy said the program had helped Wimmera sporting clubs upgrade their lighting and netball courts.
She said Pimpinio and Laharum were among the Wimmera clubs looking to upgrade their facilities.
"This is a program that these clubs would be applying to and if it's cancelled it would be devastating for our area," she said.
"It's another example of the Andrews Labor government neglecting rural and regional Victoria."
Prior to November's election, Labor committed $100 million across four years for a statewide fund for sporting clubs.
The promise included $10 million specifically for women's clubs.