You have a great idea and you need some money to help make it happen. Applying for funding can be daunting, especially if you have not done it before. Here are 10 tips to help you and your club stand out from the other applications and give yourself the best chance to be successful.
1 .Always check first that your club / organisation fits the criteria.
2. Make sure your club objectives fit with the organisation of the funder criteria.
3. Always keep the aims of the funder at the heart of your application i.e—if you aim to increase participation, demonstrate how you are going to do this.
4. Enlist the support of NGB Officer and / or local Sports Development Officer—preferably at the start of the process.
5. Projects need to be sustainable and usually completed within 12 months so describe how you will do this. There is nothing wrong with charging participants.
6. Focus on what the grant will enable you to do, not what you are doing already.
7. Make your application stand out: Often funding applications are judged through a competitive process, so be innovative!
8. Demonstrate there is a need for your project, there is no point trying to grow a club if there isn't the demand. Consider doing some research.
9. You wont get funding if your project has already started. Leave plenty of time between submitting the application and the proposed start date.
10. Find a grant to fit your project aim, not the other way round!
Below is a list of funding streams for revenue (coaching fees, facility cost and equipment) and capital projects (building work):
- Sport England Small Grants - Revenue
- Awards for All - Revenue and Capital
- Your County Sports Partnerhsip will also have updated lists of funding opportunties available.
- Active Notts
- Active Derbyshire
- Leicestershire & Rutland Sport
- Active Lincolnshire
- Northampton Sport