Football Foundation kicks off ‘biggest ever’ year of support for England’s grassroots clubs
Melanie May | 10 January 2024 | News
Following a record-breaking 2023 that saw it deliver £76 million to improve grassroots facilities across England, the Football Foundation has kicked off what it expects to be its biggest ever year of support.
With funding from the Premier League, The FA and Government, it will be offering advice and funding opportunities for everything from new goalposts, to floodlights, grass pitches that can be used all year round, and community spaces.
For example, grants of up to £25,000 are available for the purchase of portable floodlights; new and replacement goalposts; and secure storage containers. Other opportunities include a defibrillator fund, an energy support funding programme, and the Premier League Stadium Fund, which awards capital grants to clubs to support improvement of their stadium facilities for players, supporters and officials.
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Information on funding and advice is available on the Foundation’s website.
The Football Foundation will also be launching a range of new programmes over the next 12 months, including:
- Opening the first Football Foundation PlayZone – small-sided pitches designed by and for the local communities in which they’re located.
- Delivering new Hubs that enable people to play all-year round.
- Harnessing the power of the Lionesses by providing women and girls with equal access to opportunities to play.
Robert Sullivan, CEO of the Football Foundation said:
“This year, the Football Foundation will provide more great places to play than ever before.
“Good quality facilities not only have a transformative impact on physical and mental wellbeing, but also play an important role in bringing people together and strengthening local communities from the roots up.
“Thanks to the support we receive from our partners at the Premier League, The FA and Government, the Football Foundation is ready to deliver the facility improvements that every community needs and deserves.”
So far, since its creation in 2000, the Foundation has invested more than £1 billion to improve grassroots facilities across the country – including 1,100 3G football turf pitches, 12,000 grass pitches and 1,400 changing rooms. This has attracted an additional £1.3 billion of partnership funding – totalling over £2 billion investment in grassroots football so far.
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.