Disability Sport Funding

At Beijing in 2008, the British Paralympic team was very successful. The 42 gold, 29 silver, and 31 bronze medals prove the skill and commitment of disabled UK athletes.

As with all athletes, however, disabled sports people often rely on grants to help them realise their potential. Government agencies, local bodies, and charities supply this much-needed funding.

UK Sport

UK Sport is the body the government has set up to invest in talented athletes. The purpose is to improve British success in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

UK Sport manages a lottery-funded scheme that extends twenty years into the future. The scheme allows the organisers of disability sport to bid for grants to offset the cost of holding major events. UK Sport also invites athletes to make personal applications.

Funding for individual disabled athletes starts at £1,000. The highest awards – up to £8 million – go to the National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of key sports and apply over four years.

UK Sport operates two grant schemes. Within these are set programmes and criteria. A disabled athlete or disability sport NGB must meet these before receiving a grant award. UK Sport has further details.

TASS

TASS is the UK’s Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme. The scheme’s aim is to help athletes make the transition from grass roots sport to the world sporting stage.

To receive a grant, a disabled athlete must have the nomination of his or her sport’s NGB or a higher educational institute. In addition, athletes must hold a British passport; be in some form of education; and be able to take a place in the national team.

TASS grants apply from 30th September each year to the beginning of October the following year. A successful grant applicant must sign a contract and adhere to its terms and conditions.

Sports with TASS-supported athletes include disability cricket; disability powerlifting; disability swimming; wheelchair basketball; and wheelchair tennis.

Local Schemes

UK Sport and TASS are national schemes. There are also local programmes run by a variety of organisations. Their general purpose is to provide grants to support athletes from a given area.

One example of such a locally-based scheme is in the south-west of the country. It offers athletes the chance to apply for cash funding to assist with training, travelling and equipment. Athletes also receive a free pass to certain sports and leisure centres in the area; free legal advice if necessary; and access to high performance facilities at a local university.

To qualify, athletes must live in the area; be involved with a nationally-recognised sport; and have a proven need for financial support. With this particular scheme, disabled athletes must fall within a 12-35 age range.

A good starting point for learning about such disability sport grants is to contact the local council.

Charities

There are charities around the UK that support athletes with grants and advice. These charities do not discriminate between able-bodied and disabled sports people. It’s therefore worth asking to see their terms and conditions for grant awards. The sports and leisure department of the local council may have contact details.

BPA

A charity that works nationally and for the benefit of disabled athletes is the British Paralympic Association (BPA). The BPA funds and manages the teams of the British Paralympic Games, and will answer enquiries about entering Paralympic sport.