30 March 2011

The build up to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games has inspired us to bring you a round up of some of the latest initiatives from Sport England...

Places People Play
Places People Play is a 2012 Olympic and Paralympic legacy sports programme which is to be delivered by Sport England. There are three parts to the programme:

Places...

• Inspired Facilities - upgrading sports facilities across the country. Clubs, community and voluntary sector groups and councils will be able to apply for grants of between £25,000 and £150,000 to modernise, extend or modify sporting facilities. £50 million of National Lottery money will be available to improve up to 1000 sports facilities from Summer 2011.

To help with the design of the Inspired Facilities programme, Sport England is consulting on the facility developments that community sports clubs and organisations need. You can read more about the funding programme and access the consultation survey at: http://tinyurl.com/6gcvtl5

• Protecting Playing Fields - £10 million of National Lottery funding will be made available to improve pitches and playing fields, and to bring disused ones back into use. The first of five rounds running until 2014/15 will launch in late Spring 2011

• Iconic Facilities - an enhanced version of the previous Sustainable Facilities fund, Iconic Facilities will distribute funding in three rounds until 2012. The first funding round has now closed with the second and third rounds opening in Autumn 2011 and 2012. This fund will support innovative large-scale, multi-sport facility projects that are regionally significant for at least two sports.

People...

• Sport Makers - recruiting, training and deploying 40,000 sports volunteers to organise and lead grassroots sporting activities. Anyone over 16 can become a sports leader. This programme will run from Autumn 2011 for two years, with £4 million of National Lottery funding.

Play...

• Gold Challenge - an independent initiative to motivate people to take up some of the Olympic and Paralympic sports whilst also raising money for charity. Gold Challenge is a self-funding programme, but £4 million of National Lottery Funding will be made available to Sport England for them to invest in the sports delivery system if sports are unable to cope with the increased demand. Charities can also contact Gold Challenge if they wish to be considered as one of the charity partners which will benefit from the challenge. Gold Challenge will run until 31 December 2012.
Website: http://tinyurl.com/64ntgt9

• Sportivate - a nationwide campaign to help 14 - 25 year olds receive six weeks of coaching in the sport of their choice and to guide them into regular sports participation in their community. In South Yorkshire, Sportivate is being led by South Yorkshire Sport. Groups can apply for match funding for the following project costs:

• Staffing to deliver projects
• Volunteers to help run projects
• CRB Checks
• Resources and materials
• Hire of facilities
• Transport of participants or coaches
• Marketing and publicity
• Training/coach education courses (to run or sustain the project)
• Capital purchases of equipment to support project delivery.
Funding is available for Community and Flagship projects (flagship projects must cover a wider geographical area and involve a number of partners).

Before applying you must speak to South Yorkshire Sport about your application.

Deadline: 26 April 2011
Contact: Helen Cund, South Yorkshire Sport
Telephone: 0114 223 5672
Email: helen.cund@sysport.co.uk
Website: http://www.sysport.co.uk/sportivate

You can find out more about Places People Play at: http://tinyurl.com/3yxtlof

Other programmes from Sport England
Other programmes from Sport England include the Sportsmatch programme, which has re-opened for applications for projects starting after 1 April 2011.

Sportsmatch makes match funded awards to not-for-profit organisations running projects at a community level which grow or sustain participation in sport. Funding which the group has raised from eligible sponsors will be matched pound for pound, up to a maximum of £100,000.

Deadline: 19 September 2011

Website: http://www.sportengland.org/funding/sportsmatch.aspx

And finally, don't forget that Sport England runs a Small Grants scheme, for community sports projects. Grants from £300 - £10,000 are available for new or additional activities such as a sports club expanding its age range by being able to buy extra team kit or pay additional coaching fees, or youth clubs working together with local sports clubs to get more young people playing sport. Total projects cost should not exceed £50,000.
Website: http://www.sportengland.org/funding/small_grants.aspx

You can find details of all the Sport England funding programmes and consultations on their website.

Contact: Sport England
Telephone: 0845 8508 508
Email: funding@sportengland.org
Website: http://www.sportengland.org