Why did you change your approach to investment?
The new approach to investment is a response to the reality that there are currently not enough people taking part in sport for us to achieve the Vision for Sport. There are too many stubborn participation gaps and not enough diversity within our offer.
We know that traditionally we haven’t met the needs of all the many different communities in Wales and that a significant shift in how we all do and think about things was required to make the scale of progress that is needed.
The latest rounds of the School Sport Survey and Sport & Active Lifestyle Survey show areas of massive opportunity, but there was no way that these could be realised without changing the way that we resource the sector.
The new approach has been developed following engagement with partners and key stakeholders, building on the feedback and collective research of different investment models from across the world.
Why are there different versions of the approach for different partners?
Our investment approach operates by utilising national data where available and a set of principles linked to the Vision for Sport where not, to determine how we distribute our investment among partners.
We use a data-driven approach to determining investment with partners for whom we hold national level statistics and performance data. This data-driven approach to investment allows us to listen to what the people of Wales are telling us they want to do, using data to inform how much we invest into individual partners and placing greater significance on race, gender, disability and deprivation.
Where we cannot obtain national level statistics for a partner, we use a principles-driven approach to determining a level of investment. Utilising a set of principles that define the foundations for creating a more inclusive sport system, this principles-driven approach to investment distributes funding among organisations who support the development of opportunities for under-represented groups and use their insight and expertise to strategically support other organisations in the sector.
What about new partners?
The Sport Wales strategy commits us to working with a broader and more diverse range of partners in order to create an active nation where everyone has the opportunity to take part. The principles-driven framework provides a clear and consistent approach to assessing how new partners could make an impact against the Vision for Sport and what level of funding should therefore be invested.
Can a partner appeal the process you have used to allocate funding?
Partners will be able to appeal the process used to arrive at an investment decision, but not the outcome. Sport Wales’ appeals process can be found here.
How will you be monitoring the impact of the new approach to investment?
Ultimately, we would like to see a shift in the overall participation data within the School Sport Survey and National Survey for Wales. Analysis of this data will also be able to inform us if we are making a difference across the underserved communities that we are trying to reach. This will be a long-term outcome, and one that will be measured every few years.
For more regular monitoring, the accountability element of the new approach to investment enables us to explore, deliver and learn with our partners to ensure we can maximise the impact on the Vision for Sport in Wales with the resource available.
The approach encourages a safe space where partners are supported to give an honest account of their actions and to prioritise collection of insight, information and data which is useful to help them learn and improve (rather than to satisfy us as a funder) and in turn supports us with demonstrating progress against the stubborn inequalities that exist. We should expect to hear more about the work that partners are doing within the equality, diversity and inclusion space, and the impact that this is having on underserved communities. This may be a combination of qualitative and quantitative information, but with a focus on learning to improve rather that set targets or KPIs that may detract from meeting the needs of the communities of Wales.
What impact do you believe that new approach will achieve?
We believe the new approach will put the sector in the best position for creating a marked difference in levels of participation, particularly in areas where we know there are inequalities, for example in areas of deprivation, among ethnic minority people, people with disabilities, and women and girls.
The new approach will support partners to focus time and effort, and funding on the right things, using data and insight to inform this and to really understand the needs of the communities that they serve. We should see more capable and diverse organisations who are well run, well led and strive for continuous improvement. It should also encourage greater opportunities for collaboration between partners to achieve common goals.
Does anyone lose out through the new approach?
Traditionally we haven’t met the needs of all the many different communities in Wales; there are too many stubborn participation gaps and not enough diversity within our offer. A significant shift in how we do and think about things was required to make the scale of progress that is needed. To support this the new approach to investment sees a redistribution of available investment across a core group of partners.
The new approach prioritises those groups who we know are participating less than average and often come up against more barriers to taking part. This will mean that we have had to take the difficult decision to invest less in some partners, but this allows us to invest more where it is really needed, with those who can support those groups who are taking part less, and to ensure that all communities are served.
Any reduction in funding in this sense, is the result of the need to redistribute to ensure that opportunities are provided to the many different communities in Wales in equitable measure.
Where can I go for more information about partner investment?
If you are a current funded partner, please contact your Relationship Manager about investment. If you are a new prospective partner, please contact [javascript protected email address]
What other forms of investment are available from Sport Wales?
We invest Welsh Government and National Lottery funding into multiple types of organisations in Wales. More information about national organisation investment and community club funding can be found here.