Lottery Sports Fund
The advent of the national lottery has made available significant amount of funding available for a wide number of sports throughout the UK. There are a number of funding schemes both for capital and revenue projects and their criteria and application process can often be confusing. In general there are capital awards available for clubs through the Community Capital Projects Fund (for larger schemes) and Awards for All (for smaller schemes) and revenue awards available through the Active Sports Programme.

Active Sports Programme
It has been recognised that the future of rugby depends on the recruitment and encouragement of young players and developing their involvement and skills. Sport England’s Active Sports programme is fully committed to making this happen.

What is Active Sports?

• Active Sports is a five-year development programme aimed at helping young people to get more from their involvement in sport. It is a coordinated England-wide programme delivered at local level with local clubs at its heart.
• As well as national governing bodies and local clubs, Active Sports will involve the full commitment of local authorities, education services and schools.

How it works

• Guided by the Active Sports Manager and Rugby Development Officer, Rugby Action groups will be set up to find out what their local area needs to make Active Sports work. There will be a range of services to help rugby with its development including training for coaches, volunteers and clubs, ensuring that activities are of the highest standard.
• Once all plans for rugby and its services have been worked out, an application is made to the Sport England Lottery Fund for the resources needed to turn the plans into activities for young people.

The Benefits of Active Sports
The Active Sports programme will bring significant Lottery funding to rugby union which will help to provide:

• More coaches, better quality coaching and more coaching opportunities for young people to improve their performance
• Increased and easier access to rugby, giving people opportunities to compete and develop their skills and sustaining their interest
• More opportunities for young people to join clubs and compete in junior sections.

Community Capital Projects Fund
Aimed at increasing participation in community sport the Community Projects fund is for local projects that everyone can access. Capital awards for grants of over £5,000 that will support community provision for all are available. Many rugby clubs have already benefited from this scheme. In most cases new facilities have been built or old ones upgraded.

This fund can offer a large source of funding for a number of schemes, however it is reliant upon clubs providing partnership funding in support and by way of a financial contribution and commitment to a project. It is extremely unlikely that the Sport England Lottery Panel would provide a 100% funding towards any scheme. The level of funding that any one club would receive would be based on each individual application and the extent of the ‘financial need’ of the club. A normal rule of thumb is that the Sport England Lottery Fund sees itself as the funder of last resort and clubs should explore all avenues for partnership funding to contribute to an application. An initiative under the Community Capital Fund which allows for higher levels of grant funding is the Priority Areas Initiative.

Sport England hopes that sport will help to play a key role in areas of acute socio-economic deprivation and this initiative offers enhanced funding of up to a maximum of 90% to applications from deprived areas. A full list of Priority Areas can be obtained by calling the lottery helpline. (See further contacts for number.)

As well as the issue of partnership funding, there are a number of key criteria set out by Sport England in order for clubs to be eligible for funding and grants are given on the basis of projects addressing the Priorities set out in the Lottery Strategy for the Community Projects Fund. These are:

• Projects that benefit young people, especially where they link up with schools (such as after-school clubs) to provide clear pathways from school sport into lifelong enjoyment

• Projects from areas of high socio-economic deprivation or those encouraging participation by sections of the community that are under-represented. At least 50% of the capital fund will be invested in the areas of highest deprivation
• Projects that encourage a partnership approach and thus achieve best value. This means putting greater emphasis on shared facilities and schemes that consolidate activities on a single site by the merging of clubs and developing more projects where sports share facilities with other community activities.

Meeting the priorities of the Lottery Fund, as a major potential investor in rugby facilities, can only increase the chances of success for rugby applications. It is worth noting, however, the principles that underpin these priorities include:

• Local projects will respond to local priorities
• Improving and upgrading existing facilities will be as important as building new ones
• Sport England will strive to ensure equality of access for all
• Sports facilities will be of the highest quality.

Funding can be a Lottery
Due to the volume of applications, Lottery funding can be difficult to come by and the Sport England Lottery Panel have to make a number of difficult decisions which are based around the principles and priorities previously highlighted. It is also important that as well as trying to meet Sport England’s funding criteria and priorities clubs need to meet certain technical specifications in the design of new buildings and facilities (see 1.1 Clubhouse Design and Site Layout). Sport England publishes a series of technical ‘Guidance Notes’ which are essential reading for any club, and its professional advisers, in the planning of a new or refurbished building. The Sport England Lottery Panel will look to apply the criteria set out in the guidance notes as part of the assessment criteria for all schemes seeking a grant.

Awards for All
The Awards for All fund is available for projects which require grants of £500 up to £5000. These can include the purchase of equipment, small facility improvements or even for revenue purposes such as coaching for taster sessions. Projects require no partnership funding, however they should aim to fit into some of the schemes priorities. These include funding for smaller organisations (income under £15,000), schemes that promote access for all, projects involving schools or school links, projects that increase numbers of participants or improve the skills of coaches and other volunteers.

Foundation for Sports and the Arts
FSA supports grant aid that will create or maintain facilities and opportunities for the general public. They would prefer to support projects where they are the lead funders but in some cases they will contribute to the cost of capital projects where a club is also seeking lottery funding. There is no predetermined level of assistance.

New Opportunities Fund
The New Opportunities Fund is a new Lottery Distributor created to distribute grants to health, education and environment projects across the UK. By working in partnership with other organisations, including other Lottery Distributors, the New Opportunities Fund intends to support sustainable projects that will:

• Improve the quality of life for people throughout the UK
• Address the needs of those who are most disadvantaged in society
• Encourage community participation
• Complement relevant local and national strategies and programmes.

RFU Loan Scheme
The RFU makes loans to affiliated rugby clubs. The purpose of the loan is normally in connection with the acquisition, improvement and repair of premises associated with the playing of rugby. However loans may be made for other purposes which the union considers to be in the best interests of the game. The maximum loan will not exceed £25,000 with a repayment period of up to 10 years. Application forms are available from Twickenham.

Further Contacts

Information on Active Sports, Awards For All or Community Capital Fund – call the Lottery Helpline on (0345) 649649.
Website: www.awardsforall.org.uk

Application form for RFU loans may be obtained from:

Twickenham Services, Rugby House, Rugby Road, Twickenham TW1 1DS

ISS - Sportsmatch (see sponsorship section)
Tel: 020 7828 7099
Website: www.sportsmatch.co.uk

Foundation for Sports and the Arts
The Foundation for Sports & The Arts, PO Box 20, Liverpool, L13 1HB
Tel: 0151 259 5505
Contact: Gratton Endicott, Secretary to the Trustees

New Opportunities Fund
Tel: 0845 0000 120
Alternatively visit their website for further information: www.nof.org.uk