Aims/priorities: This is an access grant which aims to help improve access to football for all. The funding is for groups that are running football activities for one or more of the following underrepresented groups: women and girls, young people with disabilities, young people from racially diverse communities, young people from the LGBTQ+ community and young people from lower socio-economic groups.
Who can apply? To be eligible, applicants must:
- Operate in an area of high deprivation and support the hardest to reach young people facing multiple disadvantage. Only organisations located in or supporting young people from IMD areas 1-3 are eligible to apply. (Please note that disability football applications from groups that sit outside of IMD areas 1-3 will be considered.)
- Be already delivering football activities to young people under the age of 25, or you are wanting to start with support from the Access grant.
- Be delivering services directly to beneficiaries from one or more of the priority groups as follows; women and girls, young people with disabilities, from racially diverse communities, from the LGBTQ+ community and from lower socio-economic groups.
Deep Impact grants are for existing grantees, who have already received a £500 access grant from the Barclays Community Football Fund in 2022 or 2023. They can apply for further funding to develop and grow their football activities for those hardest to reach young people. Alternatively, some organisations will be contacted directly to apply.
Grant amount: Community sports groups can apply to receive:
- £1,000 Access Grants to spend on increasing underrepresented young people’s access to play.
- Up to £5,000 Deep Impact grants for existing fund recipients.
- Coaching grants to get more women qualified to coach girls’ football at a grassroots level.
- Access to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training and resources.
- Exclusive opportunities to apply for Premier League and Barclays FA Women’s Super League tickets, mascot opportunities and exclusive promotional experiences.
Application process: There will be two funding rounds in 2024:
- Round one opens Monday 12 February and closes Friday 12 April 2024.
- Round two opens Monday 15 July and closes Sunday 15 September 2024.
The FAQs, application guidance, and online application form can be found on the Sported website.
Groups who are not a Sported member or existing grantee will need to create an account to start their application.
Please note it is anticipated that the fund will be 'extremely popular' and thus applications may close earlier than the deadline. Groups should apply early to avoid disappointment.
Deadline: Friday 12 April 2024.
Contact information: Email: barclaysfootball@sported.org.uk