Funding

We cannot supply you with pots of money; nor do we have the magic formula to guarantee successful applications. What we can do is offer guidance on where to look for funding and advice on some of the key principles to consider when submitting a funding application.

Key Principles

• There is no secret formula to funding or grant applications
• Try to match the grant to your project's need
• Clearly identify your project and its outcomes
• Identify how much money you need
• Be clear and to the point
• Plan the application process with the whole club

Planning Your Project

• When form-filling, be clear about your project giving a brief description
• Clearly identify the outcomes of your project
• How will you deliver your project? Establish an action plan with timescales
• Demonstrate sustainability - how will your project continue after the money has been spent?
• Identify any risks which might jeopardise the project if funding is given
• Look at how to minimise those risks
• Preparation and planning will help to minimise paperwork
• Most importantly - read the guidance notes which accompany the application forms

NEW - Please find the SASSOT Advice for Grants document which details help on requirements for funding, preparing and writing a funding proposal and essential tips and tactics for a sucessful application.

Key Funding Streams - Please clink on the relevant link of interest;

• SASSOT funding
• Sport England funding
• Funding for organisations, groups and clubs
• Fundraising for organisations, groups and clubs
• Funding for individuals / performance athletes
• Sport specific funding
• Local Funding
• Grantfinder Search tool

1.   Sport Across Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent

• Sports Club Accreditation Funding
  Aimed to increase the number of sports clubs being accredited or re-accredited with Clubmark/NGB accreditation and which can also be used for clubs to achieve a higher level of their current accreditation if appropriate. Up to £600 of funding is available to sports clubs who require financial assistance to achieve and pass their accreditation criteria which now includes coach qualifications. All sports clubs benefiting from the funding must be based within Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent to qualify and commit to achieving accreditation within 9 months.
  

2.    Sport England

Funding sport in the community

Sport England is committed to the creation of a world-leading community sport system. This means focusing our investment on organisations and projects that will grow and sustain participation in grassroots sport and create opportunities for people to excel at their chosen sport.

In addition to our investment in key partners to deliver specific objectives, we are launching funding programmes open to a wide range of organisations. These include sports clubs, voluntary or community organisations, local authorities, schools, colleges and universities.

The current funding programmes are:

• Iconic Facilities Fund 
  Sport England are investing £30m over the next three years in innovative, large-scale, multi-sport facilities' projects that are regionally significant for at least two sports and can demonstrate long-term financial viability.
  
  
• Inspired Facilities Fund
  The Inspired Facilities programme will focus on upgrading, extending and modernising up to a thousand local sports clubs and facilities with grants available from £25,000 - £150,000. Projects will range from building modernisations and extensions, sports equipment and lighting through to sustainability improvements that reduce carbon footprints and running costs.
  
  

• Protecting Playing Fields
  Through this programme, Sport England intend to fund up to 300 projects for playing field improvements that will contribute to both retaining and increasing participants in sport across England at the local level.

  The programme will fund capital projects that create, develop and improve playing fields for sporting and community use and offer long term protection of the site for sport. Projects are likely to involve the construction of new pitches or improvement of existing ones that need leveling or drainage works.

Funding for Organisations, Groups and Clubs

• Barclays Spaces for Sport
  Helps to revitalise local communities through developing facilities and providing coaching kit and equipment. Their commitment includes expert guidance on sustainability to ensure local people benefit from the space well into the future and have the know-how and support to run it themselves. We're also helping teams by giving them the kit they need to practice in and we're helping communities come together to work towards a common goal.
  
  
• Big Lottery Fund
  Hands out half the good causes money from the National Lottery. They are committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need through these funding streams;
   
  (1) Awards for All England
  Awards for All England is a simple small grants scheme making awards of between £300 and £10,000. The Awards for All programme aims to help improve local communities and the lives of people most in need. To do this they want to fund projects that meet one or more of the following outcomes:
  • People have better chances in life - with better access to training and development to improve their life skills.
  • Stronger communities - with more active citizens working together to tackle their problems.
  • Improved rural and urban environments - which communities are better able to access and enjoy.
  • Healthier and more active people and communities.
    
  
  (2) Reaching Communities
  The Reaching Communities programme has two strands:
   - Reaching Communities - funding from £10,000 to £500,000 for revenue projects and/or smaller capital projects up to £50,000
   - Reaching Communities buildings - funding of between £100,000 and £500,000 for large capital projects
  Reaching Communities funds projects that help people and communities most in need. Projects can be new or existing, or be the core work of your organisation.
  
  
• Boost Charitable Trust
  The trust aims to Build On Over-looked Sporting Talent. All of its activities, are
  designed to 'champion the disabled and disadvantaged and to inspire them to overcome their challenges through the power of sport'. Grants are categorised
  into small awards (£500 or less) and large awards (over £500).
  
  
• Cash 4 Clubs - Sports Grants Scheme
  CASH 4 CLUBS is a scheme that gives money to grassroots sport. Any sports club that is registered with its sports' National Governing body or local authority can apply. They do not restrict entries to certain sports or certain activities. You might be looking for funding to help with coaching of young kids or you may be after a grant to help buy a new boat or help renovate your current facilities.
  The Cash 4 Clubs scheme has given out sports grants to many deserving causes and is committed to finding yet more sports clubs to help in the future. With awards of £250, £500 and £1,000 available, Cash 4 Clubs is giving away real money that can help your club.
  
  
• Caudwell Children Enable Sport Programme
  The Caudwell Trust is inviting applications for the Enable Sport Programme. This will provide specifically designed sports equipment to enable disabled children and young people to participate in sport. Applications must be made on behalf of a particular child who must be 18 years of age or under at the time of application. 
  
  
• Coalfields Regeneration
  A key agency promoting and achieving social and economic regeneration in the coalfields of England, Scotland and Wales.  They run two grant programmes:  Bridging the Gap - for requests between £500 - £10,000 and Main grants - for requests between £10,000 and £300,000. The fund has enough funding to support activities up to the 31st March 2013. Applications can be submitted at any time.
  
  
• Community Amateur Sports Clubs
  CASC can assist which providing tax breaks for clubs. To be eligible the club must be properly constituted as a not-for-profit organisation, with no provision for payment to members during the life of the club or upon dissolution. It can be either unincorporated (ie an association of members with unlimited liability) or incorporated as a company limited by guarantee (not shares).
  
  
• Ford Britain Trust
  

  Car manufacturer Ford have been running their Ford Britain Trust for a number of years and now run two grant programmes;

  Small Grants offers up to £250, available 4 times a year. Large Grants offers amounts from £250 to £3000 twice a year.

  All the information you need, including the application form can be found on the website.

  
  
• Lord Taveners Foundation
  Funding is available to encourage UK-based young people with disabilities to participate in sporting activities with the provision of manual sports wheelchairs, specially adapted minibuses and the support of the game of cricket at grass roots level. Who is eligible? Must cater for young people under 25 with special needs. Deadline: The Foundation meets quarterly to review applications.
  
  
• Peter Harrison Foundation The foundation has an Opportunities Through Sport Programme aimed at assisting sports activities or projects for disabled or disadvantaged individuals.
  
  
• The People's Postcode Trust Fund

  People's Postcode Trust welcomes innovative and entrepreneurial project proposals which bring a direct benefit to the local community in which the group operates. Awards up to £10,000.

  Examples of projects include: helping people of all ages to take part in community sport projects and purchase of sports equipment to improve standards and involve more people.
  
  

• Sir Steve Redgrave Fund

  Aims to use the power of sport and sporting activity to bring about positive change in the lives of disadvantaged children, young people and their communities. Funding is for: community groups, small charities and schools.
  
  

• SITA Enhancing Communities Programme  

  Under the Sita Trust's Enhancing Communities Programme grants of up to £50,000 are available to not for profit organisations and community groups for projects that make physical improvements to community facilities. There are now 70 new qualifying SITA UK waste treatment sites included in the programme. SITA will accept applications from projects which are within 3 miles of qualifying SITA UK waste processing sites.

  The next closing date for applications is 10am on the 19th March 2012 for the Core Fund.
  
  

• sported.
  The charity sported. has both funding and Business Mentors available for groups across Staffordshire who are delivering community sports projects. They are keen to receive applications from organisations delivering community sports activities across Staffordshire.
  
  

• The Co-operative Community Fund
  Midlands Co-operative Society Limited is committed to serving its local communities - every time you shop at one of our trading outlets, you are helping us to help you. This year we will be putting 1% of our trading profit back into the community. We will be making cash awards from £100 up to £5,000 and will be judging applications every three months. Applications to the Community Fund can only be submitted online. Grants between £100 and £2,000 are available. If you are a newly formed group (less than three months) the maximum you can apply for is £500.
  
  

• Torch Trophy Trust 
  The aim of the Torch Trophy Trust Bursary is to help volunteers improve their skills as coaches or officials if they are unable to do so without funding. The Bursaries provide financial support for those wishing to undertake training. A Torch Trophy Trust Bursary is awarded to enable individuals or groups to enhance their knowledge in order to assist their club, organisation or community to develop their chosen sport, by making grants of up to £1000.  
  
  

• UnLtd Sport Relief
  Funded by Comic Relief and provide opportunities for young people aged 11 - 21 years to bring communities together, to help promote understanding and solve problems through sport, arts and recreational activities. 3 categories of funds are available, up to £1,000, up to £5,000 and up to £10,000.
  
  
• Waitrose Community Matters
  Each month, Waitrose branches around the country will distribute £1,000 between three local projects, through its 'community matters' giving initiative.Through this scheme, Waitrose will allocate £1,000 a month to each of its 190 branches to distribute amongst three local community projects as chosen by its customers and employees. To be considered for a donation, why not get in touch with your local Waitrose branch, http://www.waitrose.com/content/waitrose/en/bf_home/bf.html, and pick up a nomination form from the Customer Service Welcome Desk.

Fundraising for organisations, groups and clubs

• Bag4Sport
  B4S is a social enterprise that supports colleges, sports clubs, schools, youth clubs, communities and charities by turning unwanted clothing into useful cash.
  50 full bags could earn a sports club £200 and B4S will pay a further 2% on top for donations over a tonne.
  
  

• ClubDraw

  ClubDraw helps clubs in every sport, large or small, to raise those all-important funds. Any club can join the ClubDraw network to offer their supporters chances to win weekly cash and amazing 'Prizes That Money Can't Buy' - all while helping to raise funds for good causes in their club or community.
  It's a great way to support a club while having the fun and excitement of a guaranteed weekly prize draw! Whatever your sport, whatever the size of your club, you can raise money with your own localised lottery.
  
  
• ClubNet
  Clubs register for free and as a member you are able to raise money, save money and access support e.g. place an advert on your clubs website and earn up to £150 per year.
  
  
• easyfundraising
  easyfundraising is a shopping directory listing some of your favourite online stores including Argos, Next, Amazon, Debenhams, John Lewis, Toys R Us, HMV, and over 600 other top name stores. Whenever you shop with any one of them using the links provided on the easyfundraising site, you'll generate a free donation for NAYBC of up to 15% off the purchase price every time!
  It really is that simple! It doesn't cost a penny more to shop and raise funds in this way. In fact you can even SAVE MONEY as many retailers give exclusive discounts, special offers and even 'e-vouchers' when you shop through the easyfundraising site.
  
  
• Fundrazor
  Provides you with a stress free approach to raising valuable funds. Fundrazor's vision is to become your most important fundraising partner. They want to help you by giving you great fundraising ideas.

  There teaming up with leading entertainment partners and venues across the UK to supply you with unbeatable ticket offers for fundraising groups. All the tickets are cut-price. The tickets you buy can all be sold on to family and friends for the full price and all the money you raise you keep! You choose your fundraising events and they supply you with the tickets. For further information please visit http://www.fundrazor.com/ where you will be able to register and open an account.
  

• Reciproc8™
  A recycling company that focuses upon the recycling of mobile phones, inkjet cartridges and toners. Through the schemes sports clubs, schools and community projects can gain FREE products and experiences for Sport. The range of rewards and further information on the schemes is available at www.reciproc8.co.uk or call 0845 194 8288. Setting up a scheme is easy, it's done on-line and only takes a couple of minutes. 
  
  

• SportSupporter

  If you're looking for an easy and no hassle way of raising funds to support your club then check out SportSupporter.co.uk. It has been set up to help raise money for sports clubs/teams at no additional cost to anyone involved. By using SportSupporter.co.uk you can shop at hundreds of online stores, while raising money for your club/team at the same time.

  
  
• Team Donations
  Team Donations provides an online alternative to more traditional methods of fundraising. They recognise that most organisations continually need funds for maintenance and the general upkeep of their facilities, as well as for tours and tournaments. Through their donation platform you can raise funds for your sports club through a safe & secure network where your privacy is protected through RBS Worldpay.
  By simply creating a fundraising page and sending your link to friends and family, you can effectively receive donations from anywhere and anyone with minimal stress and no out of pocket expenses that you may incur through other fundraising activities.
  

Funding for Individuals / Performance Athletes

• ASDA Sporting Chance
  ASDA Sporting Chance will be allocating everyone of their stores with two budding young local athletes. Through SportsAid, they will provide each one of these young sportsmen and women with a grant every year until 2013. In addition, each of their stores will be supporting their local athletes on a community level by carrying out fundraising activities to raise additional money for things like training, equipment and travel.
  
  

• BOA Gold / Silver Passport
  BOA Passport Holders can access the National Sport Centres on a free of charge basis for training. The BOA will negotiate, on behalf of the BOA Passport Holders, with local sports centres to help gain free of charge access to training facilities for the athletes supplementary training. Athletes will have been nominated to the BOA by their NGB.
  
  

• Dickie Bird Foundation

  A new foundation which has the vision of assisting young people under 18 years of age to participate, to the best of their ability, in the sport of their choice, irrespective of their social circumstances, culture or ethnicity. Funds individuals not groups. Grants are likely to range from £500 to £5,000.
  
  

• OCS Young Sports Person Awards
  OCS Young Sports Person Awards give out over £35,000 to up and coming young sports people to help with training, travelling and competing.
  
  

• Ron Pickering Memorial Fund  
  This is open to individuals aged 15  - 23 years throughout Great Britain who are medallists in athletics from their National Schools AA, AAA U17, and U20 or U23 Championships or in the top six of the appropriate UK ranking lists. They must also have the attitude and dedication, which will ensure the growth and protection of sport. Grant aid is available to support training and equipment with all applications judged on merit. 
  
  

• Sports Aid
  This is open to amateur sports people aged 12 -16 years in the United Kingdom who are competing in various able-bodied and disabled sports, who are members of national squads and have been nominated by their National Governing Body of Sport.  There is no age restriction for disabled athletes. Grant aid ranges from  £250 - £500 and is available to support travel, training and equipment as preparation for competition in major international competitions.     
  
  

• Staffordshire County Council Young People's Sports Performance Grants Scheme

  Young People born between 01.09.88 and 31.08.99 (check for 2011-12) who live in Staffordshire or attend a Staffordshire school. Aiming to compete at 2012 Olympic or Paralympic Games or aiming for future Olympics, Paralympics and major international competitions in an Olympic, Paralympic or Sport England priority sport. Member of NGB Development or Performance Squad. You can apply for up to £500.
  
  

• Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme
  The Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme, or TASS as it is better known, is a Government funded programme that represents a unique partnership between talented young athletes, National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGB's) and the Higher (University) and Further (college/school) Education sector. TASS aims to help its athletes to balance academic life with training and competition as a performance athlete.
  
  

• The Arthur J C Kendall Memorial Fund
  The Arthur JC Kendall Memorial Fund aims to encourage, promote and develop participation in athletics as a means of promoting physical health in the young of the communitiy. Applications or beneficiaries must, therefore, be under the age of 21 years.
  

Sport Specific Funding

• Football Foundation 
  The Football Foundation is the UK's largest sports' charity. Funded by the Premier League, The Football Association and the Government, the Foundation directs £40m every year into grass roots sport.
  
  
• National Hockey Foundation
  The Foundation aims to encourage the development and growth of hockey by providing capital and operational funding to the sport through clubs and educational establishments in England and by support to England Hockey's youth development activities. Who is eligible? Organisations/charities/companies How much can you bid for? There is no maximum amount awarded, although the Foundation is unlikely to award grants for less than £10,000 or more than £75,000. Deadline: Applications can be made at any time.
  
  
• Rugby Football Foundation - Groundmatch Grants
  Grants for amateur rugby clubs in order to encourage the recruitment and retention of rugby players in England. Who is eligible? Rugby Union club at level five and below in the English Clubs Rugby Union Championship (ie the leagues). How much can you bid for? The minimum grant available is £1,500 and the maximum is £5,000. Deadline: Applications can be made at any time and will be assessed at regular intervals.
  

Local Funding

• Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Local Authority Funding Schemes
  There are a number of sports grant and funding schemes run by the local authorities within Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent for clubs and athletes. Please click here to find further details.
  

If you need any further guidance try your Local Authority sport's development team, your sport's National Governing Body officer or contact Chris Turner at Sport Across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.

NEW!!

Can't find what you are looking for?

Sport Across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent can offer clubs & organisation that are based within Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent a new service by searching GRANTfinder to find specific funding providers for your project.

Simply download the SASSOT Grantfinder Project Search form, complete it with the details of the project you want funding for and return it back to Chris Turner, Club Development Manager on cturner@staffordbc.gov.uk

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