Sports and Community Facilities Funding

Sport England invests in projects and organisations that help people get active. Its current strategy, Uniting the Movement, focuses on reducing inequalities in physical activity and connecting sport to wider social issues. Two current flagship grant programmes are directly accessible to community sports organisations:

The Community Asset Fund offers grants of up to £15,000 to grassroots sports clubs and community organisations for projects that protect, improve, or better use community sport and physical activity assets. This can include repairs to changing facilities, resurfacing courts, improving equipment storage, or upgrading lighting on outdoor pitches. Eligible organisations include constituted sports clubs, community groups, schools (where community access is guaranteed), and parish councils.

The Active Together programme provides £50,000 to £300,000 for more substantial projects that will meaningfully improve sport and physical activity participation among under-served communities. Projects at this level typically require co-investment from the applicant or from other funders and need to demonstrate long-term sustainability. Sport England expects Active Together applicants to show clear evidence of community need, strong governance, and a credible delivery track record.

Sport England also funds National Governing Bodies and other system partners at a strategic level, which in turn flows down as programme support and smaller grants to affiliated clubs. Many sporting opportunities for clubs come through their NGB rather than directly from Sport England.

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes Lottery money across the UK to support communities, including through sport and physical activity. Its Awards for All programme is one of the most accessible grant schemes in the UK, offering grants of £300 to £10,000 for community sport and activity projects. Awards for All is open to constituted community groups, including sports clubs, and has a relatively simple application process with decisions typically within 12 weeks.

For larger ambitions, the National Lottery Community Fund's Reaching Communities programme funds projects of £10,000 and above that bring about lasting change in communities. Sport and physical activity projects that address inequality, isolation, or health disparities are well-suited to this fund. Reaching Communities applications are assessed over several months, and applicants are encouraged to contact their local Fund office before applying.

The Football Foundation is also lottery-funded (alongside the Premier League and The FA) and is the UK's largest sports charity focused on football facilities. It provides grants for grass-roots football facilities including 3G artificial pitches, changing rooms, and clubhouses. Grants from the Football Foundation's Grassroots Facilities Programme typically range from £10,000 to £50,000 for equipment and smaller facility improvements, with larger capital grants available for significant new builds. Applications must show planning permission is secured and that the facility will serve the wider community.

UK Sport is the lead agency for high-performance sport investment in the UK, funded by the National Lottery and government. Its focus is on Olympic and Paralympic success, and its grants flow primarily to National Governing Bodies (NGBs) rather than directly to clubs or individual athletes. However, the performance pathway it funds has significant implications for clubs and athletes involved in talent development.

UK Sport's World Class Programme funds athletes at podium (medal potential in the next Olympic Games), podium potential (medal potential in the Games after next), and talent (developing athletes with long-term medal potential) levels. Funding is channelled through the relevant NGB and typically covers training costs, coaching, medical support, and competition expenses. Athletes do not usually apply directly — selection is managed by the NGB's performance staff.

UK Sport also funds the National Lottery Athlete Performance Award (APA), which provides direct financial support to elite athletes to cover their personal living and training costs. Award values vary by programme level, ranging from approximately £10,000 to over £28,000 per year. Eligibility is determined by UK Sport in conjunction with the NGB, based on the athlete's position within the World Class Programme.

National Governing Bodies (NGBs) receive significant investment from Sport England (for participation and development) and UK Sport (for performance) and redistribute much of this as grants, subsidies, and support to affiliated clubs and athletes. For most community sports clubs, the NGB grant route is more accessible than applying directly to Sport England.

England Athletics provides affiliated clubs with access to coaching qualification subsidies, event delivery grants, and facility improvement grants. Club affiliation is required, but the process is straightforward and the annual affiliation fee is modest. The Football Association (FA) distributes facilities and equipment grants through its regional structures, and FA-affiliated clubs can access the Football Foundation through the FA's project management support.

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) offers club development grants through its Rugby Ready framework, covering equipment, volunteer development, and small facility improvements for affiliated clubs at all levels. Swim England, British Cycling, Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), and England Netball all operate similar affiliate grant programmes — typically ranging from £500 to £5,000 for equipment or coach education, with larger capital grants available for facility-owning clubs with the strongest cases.

If your club is affiliated to a recognised NGB, contact the NGB's club development or funding team before applying elsewhere — they will be able to advise on what support is available and help you prepare a competitive application. Many NGBs also offer free or subsidised application writing support for smaller clubs.