This page is a list of organisations who will consider funding sports based activities.
Use the list of green links below to see information about an individual funder,
You can also see our fact-sheets on how to develop and implement fundraising strategies.
Funders index: Sports
- Arthur J C Kendall Memorial Fund
- Cash for Clubs
- Cricket Foundation
- Dickie Bird Foundation
- Football Foundation
- McDonalds Kickstart Grants
- Peter Harrison: Opportunities Through Sport
- Richard Overall Trust
- Rowing Foundation
- Sport England
- Swimathon Foundation
- The Lord Taverners Disability Sports Programme
- Youth Sports Trust
Arthur J C Kendall Memorial Fund
Aims to encourage, promote and develop participation in athletics as a means of
promoting physical health in the youth (under 21) of the community and to ensure
where possible that poverty shall not be a restricting factor in such an involvement.
FFI: http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/PrintReport.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=327356&ReportType=BW
Cash for Clubs
Cash 4 Clubs is a sports funding scheme which gives clubs a unique chance to apply for grants to improve facilities, purchase new equipment, gain coaching qualifications, and generally invest in the sustainability of their club. Since 2008 over £200,000 has been given out in grants to 294 community sports clubs across the UK. It’s a flexible, no-fuss way to get some help for your club or team.
The Cash 4 Clubs scheme is funded by Betfair and is supported by SportsAid, the charity for sports people. Betfair and SportsAid have worked in partnership for a number of years and both organisations understand the importance of community sport in promoting an active lifestyle and stimulating local pride.
How to apply: Grants are awarded twice a year and range from £250-1,000. Application forms are available on their website, usually in Autumn each year. Contact Email: cash4clubs@betfair.com or visit Website: http://www.cash-4-clubs.com
Cricket Foundation
The Cricket Foundation is an independent charity that raises funds to deliver its two cricket programmes: the schools’ cricket programme, ‘Chance to Shine’, and inner-city cricket programme, ‘StreetChance’.
FFI: visit: http://www.chancetoshine.org
Dickie Bird Foundation
The Foundation offer grants to assist young people under 18 yrs on receipt of their application, to participate in the sport of their choice, to the best of their ability, irrespective of their background, social circumstances, culture or ethnicity and to ensure that, in doing so, they improve their chances both inside and outside sport. Children, who, through no fault of their own, are disadvantaged, underprivileged, or due to the financial situation of their family/guardians or carers are unable to follow or continue in the sport of their choice, can get help from them.
Their grants are to help with the cost of clothing and equipment for them to take part or continue in their chosen sport, they also make a small contribution towards travel expenses within the UK.
How to apply: Please visit www.thedickiebirdfoundation.co.uk
Football Foundation
Will fund numerous schemes including:
- Premier League and the FA facilities Fund – for refurbishment of grassroots facilities
- Premier League and the FA facilities Fund small grants scheme – up to £10,000 for the provision of capital items or to refurbish existing facilities
- Respect – respect packs and barriers available
How to apply: visit their website for updated information on the above schemes, www.footballfoundation.org.uk
McDonalds Kickstart Grants Community Football
McDonald’s have created a grant scheme for everyone who’s involved in community football. They support grassroots clubs by distributing football kits; supporting volunteers, arranging kick about sessions, celebrating football and supporting accredited clubs.
FFi visit: http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/ukhome/Sport/Football.html
Peter Harrison Opportunities through Sport
This Programme is a nationwide one and applications are accepted from charities throughout the United Kingdom.
The Trustees wish to support sporting activities or projects which provide opportunities for people who are disabled or otherwise disadvantaged to fulfil their potential and to develop other personal and life skills.
Grants will often be “one off” grants for capital projects. We will, however, also consider revenue funding for a new project or if funding is key to the continuing success or survival of an established project.
The Trustees welcome applications for the following types of project:
- Projects which provide a focus for skills development and confidence building through the medium of sport
- Projects that have a strong training and/or educational theme within the sporting activity
- Projects that provide sporting equipment or facilities for disabled or disadvantaged people
- Projects with a high degree of community involvement
- Projects that help to engage children or young people at risk of crime, truancy or addiction
For more information please visit: http://www.peterharrisonfoundation.org/opportunities-through-sport
Richard Overall Trust
Created in memory of Richard who had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy to help other
disabled children and young people enjoy and participate in sport. It provides
funding for specialist sports equipment, training, sports clothes, transport and
tickets to sporting events. See http://www.richardoveralltrust.co.uk/
Rowing Foundation
The Rowing Foundation is a registered charity. Its purpose is to promote the participation in rowing of young people (those under 18 or still in full time education) and the disabled of all ages.
The Foundation gives grants of £500-£3,000 to help organisations and clubs involved in on water elements of the sport of Rowing who are individually affiliated to British Rowing (other than via their governing body) and whose requirements may be too small or who may be otherwise ineligible for an approach to the National Lottery or other similar sources of funds.
Funds are limited and statistically the Foundation favours giving grants for equipment that will be used on the water and exclusively for juniors and the disabled of all ages.
FFI: www.therowingfoundation.org.uk
Sport England
Sport England is committed to the creation of a world-leading community sport environment. 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 funding programmes are:
- Small Grants- open all year
- Community Asset Fund
- Volunteering Potentials Fund
- Volunteering Opportunity Fund
- Helping the Active Stay Active
For more information please visit: http://www.sportengland.org/funding/our-different-funds
Swimathon Foundation
The Swimathon Foundation offers grants to organisations which intend to encourage more people to enjoy swimming or and improve accessibility for people who want to swim in the UK. Grants of between £300 and £2,500 are available to eligible organisations such as: swimming pools, community groups and organisations, charities, swimming clubs, older people’s organisations, youth groups, sports clubs, scout troops and healthy living groups.
Applicants must have the support of a pool participating in Swimathon. The sponsored swims take place every April. Activities supported may include the following:
- Fundraising events, galas or family fun days at a pool.
- Community pool ‘open days’.
- Extra floats for a swimming club to improve swimmers’ development.
- Transport costs to take an elderly group to a pool.
- Entrance fees for a scout group to a swimming pool.
- Club scuba diving equipment to allow more people to try the sport.
- Costs for an extra staff member to supervise a swimming trip so that more children can attend.
For further information http://www.swimathonfoundation.org
The Lord Taverners – Disability Sports Programmes
We support sporting and recreational activities for young people with disabilities and special needs:
- Supplying specially adapted minibuses and sports wheelchairs, giving young people vital transportation and access to sport and recreation
- Creating new pathways for their participation, development and competition in sport
- Providing play, sports and sensory equipment
For further information please contact: Nicky Pemberton Head of Foundation Tel: 020 7821 2808 Fax: 020 7821 2829 or visit the website at www.lordstaverners.org/charity/support-and-funding/special-needs.htm.
Youth Sports Trust
The renewed package of school sport funding includes £150 million in each of the next two years to deliver PE and sport in primary schools. This will be ring fenced funding – allocated directly to primary schools across England effective from September 2013.
To help you to maximise your primary school sport funding, we have put together a comprehensive guide on what to consider before making your investment decisions and details of how the Youth Sport Trust can support you.
For more information please visit: http://www.youthsporttrust.org/how-we-can-help/primary-school-sport-funding.aspx
