SportWest, in collaboration with researchers from The University of Western Australia (UWA), has launched the True Sport Prioritisation Framework - a strategic tool designed to guide decision-making and investment in future True Sport initiatives across Western Australia.
Why a Prioritisation Framework?
With community sport continuing to thrive in WA, SportWest anticipates a growing number of potential projects under the True Sport banner. To ensure resources are directed toward initiatives that deliver the greatest impact and are feasible to implement, the Framework provides a transparent, evidence-based approach to prioritisation.
Drawing on global best practice, academic literature, and extensive stakeholder consultation, the Framework helps SportWest assess candidate initiatives based on two key dimensions:
- Impact Assessment: Evaluating the significance, reach, and transformative potential of a project.
- Feasibility Assessment: Determining whether a project is deliverable, appropriately designed, and sustainable.
Six Criteria for Smarter Decision-Making
The Framework outlines six decision-making criteria, grouped into two categories:
Impact Assessment
- Industry & Community Need: Addresses a significant challenge or opportunity within Western Australia's sporting sector, aligning with SportWest’s mission and priorities.
- Transformational Purpose & Outcomes: Designed to deliver measurable, meaningful change across community, sector, system, or policy levels, with clearly defined objectives and beneficiaries.
- All-Sport Approach & Reach: Provides broad benefit across multiple sports and communities, including priority populations, ensuring widespread relevance and adoption.
Feasibility Assessment
- Developed for Industry, by Industry: Built through meaningful engagement with stakeholders, incorporating bottom-up input and ongoing collaboration throughout the initiative’s lifecycle.
- Appropriate & Deliverable: Realistically scoped and resourced, with a clear implementation plan and strong confidence in successful delivery and adoption.
- Sustainability Pathway: Includes strategies for long-term maintenance, capacity building, and scalability, fostering lasting impact and partnerships.
Each initiative is scored against these criteria, with a detailed matrix guiding whether a project should be prioritised, reviewed, or abstained from.
Supporting Confident, Consistent Decisions
The Framework is accompanied by a practical scoring tool and workflow guide to support SportWest’s internal processes. It encourages stakeholder engagement, evidence gathering, and clear documentation- ensuring decisions are well-informed and aligned with strategic goals.
“SportWest are fortunate to partner with UWA, whose expertise we draw on to formally evaluate the True Sport program during each funding cycle. Their involvement highlights the extraordinary impact True Sport is having across the Western Australian sporting community. Collaborating with UWA and going a step further to develop the Future Initiatives Framework has provided SportWest with a clear roadmap and practical guidelines to ensure True Sport continues to be impactful, inclusive, sustainable, and aligned with our strategic direction.” - Jasmine Cappellucci, True Sport Manager, SportWest.
A strategic framework summary document has also been developed to assist SportWest in communicating the Framework to partners and stakeholders.
Built on Collaboration and Expertise
The Framework was developed by UWA’s School of Human Sciences, led by Professor Michael Rosenberg, Professor Ben Jackson, and Dr Claire Willis. Their combined expertise in health promotion, evaluation, and stakeholder engagement has shaped a robust, user-friendly tool tailored to the needs of WA’s sporting community.
Looking Ahead
As True Sport continues to evolve, this Framework will serve as a cornerstone for strategic planning - ensuring initiatives are impactful, inclusive, and sustainable. It reflects SportWest’s commitment to supporting the health, wellbeing, and development of sport in Western Australia.
