Funding available to help grassroots sport’s revival

As grassroots sport continues its revival in Wales following the pandemic, sports clubs are being reminded that they can access funding to help them get more people active. 

Sport Wales is currently offering two types of funding support for clubs and community organisations that provide physical activities. 

Applications can be made to Sport Wales’ Be Active Wales Fund by clubs that are looking to upskill volunteers, buy new equipment, or fund innovative ideas they may have for using technology to engage with more participants. 

Clubs can also apply to the Be Active Wales Fund with proposals to improve their on-field facilities, such as pitches and floodlights. Meanwhile, Sport Wales’ ‘A Place for Sport Fund’ is available for clubs looking to make ‘off-field’ improvements such as upgrades to changing rooms and clubhouses.

Using Welsh Government money and re-purposed funds from the National Lottery, Be Active Wales Fund grants vary from £300 up to a maximum £50,000. 

Among the clubs to have benefited recently from the Be Active Wales Fund are Undy Athletic FC in Monmouthshire who used a £8,409 grant to create an additional full-size pitch, giving two new competitive girls’ teams somewhere to play their matches. 

In Cardiff, the Llanishen Junior Badminton Club successfully applied for £350 they needed in order to train another coach to help cope with a 50% surge in new players joining the club.

Volunteers at Malpas Cricket Club were thrilled with their new ride-on mower bought thanks to the Be Active Wales Fund as well as new drying sponges which enabled more matches to go ahead.

Community groups can apply for funding too. The Llay Miners Welfare Institute in Wrexham were able to resurface their community MUGA (multi-use games court) and also install an overhead net thanks to a £26,612 grant.

Brian Davies, Sport Wales’ Interim CEO, said: “Since the Be Active Wales Fund was initially set up last summer to help clubs survive and adapt to Covid guidelines, awards totalling over £5.1m have been made to 1,308 clubs. 

“As grassroots activities continue to help communities get back into sport, we want to remind clubs and community organisations that the Be Active Wales Fund is there to support you. 

“Last month, we also launched a second fund – A Place for Sport – in partnership with CrowdfunderTM. We’re really excited about this new funding approach which aims to not only help clubs to upgrade their facilities but to also improve their community links and fundraising skills as well. I’d urge clubs to visit our website to find out more.”