There are grants available in all different forms, from equipment to scholarships, so it is worth checking out what you are eligible for. This sum of money is given to cover part of the costs involved in the sports project and in the majority of cases doesn't have to be paid back providing all the conditions are adhered to.
Grants Available & Where To Find Them
There are a variety of grants available from a range of sources, such as the government, the European Union, local authorities and agencies and even charitable organisations. The Community Investment Fund is the National Lottery funding available from the nine regions of Sport England (formerly Sports Council for England).
Sport England funds projects that help people get involved in sport and physical activity. The money received can be put towards refurbishment costs, the building of new facilities, or used to develop activities that improve help and education within local communities.
There is, however, a very complex application process for this form of funding, and the final decision is made by the Sport England Board. This is mainly because of the large amount of money being given, the minimum grant being £10,000.
Sports England is also committed to developing sports nationwide, and as a result of this, there is a national investment grant available to those who are eligible. The national investment is designed to inject funding into sports that are governed nationally, subject to a business plan, and have other investment partners.
Stages of Application
If you are thinking of applying for one of the grants from Sport England, then you should be prepared for a process that is broken down into two stages. The firstly stage is known as the Enquiry Stage, which looks into how the project conforms with Sport England's main goals.
At this stage you will be required to provide information about your project so that it can be compared to the criteria and objectives. Your project can be rejected at this stage if it does not meet these criteria. However, if it is accepted, then it will go on to stage two - the Full Application.
At this stage you will have a personal adviser that is there to help you through the process. They are also there to help with establishing key relationships with other bodies within the local area, such as the Community Sports Network.
SportsAid
SportsAid has a key role in the development of sports in the UK. As a registered charity for sports people, their aim is to help young athletes to succeed in their chosen sport on a professional basis. They are the first charity to offer this form of service to Britain's young sports people and, in particular, offer a helping hand to those families that find it financially difficult to support their child's sporting talent.
The main difference SportsAid has over scholarship schemes and national training schemes is that it doesn't go talent spotting. Instead, a persons mentor, coach or peers can nominate them for the award.
So, lets get down to business. Whilst SportsAid do offer some financial help, they don't have enough funds to allow the athletes to go full-time in there chosen sport. What they offer is a way to ease the financial pressure parents or legal guardians are facing when they have to provide their youngster with equipment or entry to various competitions.
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