BE NEWS: Additional Funding Available

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Bowls England is urging clubs to get their applications in before it is too late for additional funding which is available from Sport England and the government for sports clubs who have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Sport England has opened a £16.5m ‘Return to Play’ Fund, in addition to regular funding streams, which have been affected by the ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis.

There are three parts to this new fund – Small Grants and the Community Asset Fund, which have been adapted from pre-coronavirus funds, and Active Together crowdfunding, which has been extended – with all three now focusing on a safe return to play and narrowing the inequalities gap in sport and physical activity.

The new funding opportunities start from £300 to cover the costs incurred by having to deliver activity in smaller groups than normal, or having the correct hygiene and safety equipment, up to £50,000 to cover the costs incurred by converting existing space to meet social distancing guidelines, or improving a facility’s ventilation.

Active Together is a crowdfunding initiative that can match fund, up to £10,000, successful Crowdfunder campaigns from a total pot of £1.5m. With expert advice and guidance to support you, this will help local clubs and organisations to run their own crowdfunding campaigns, such as Boroughbridge Bowls Club in Yorkshire who raised over £1,000 in just five days.

For more information and to use Sport England’s simple fund chooser tool to find out which of the funds your club may be eligible to apply for, check out the Sport England website. We know that applying for funding for the first time can seem a little daunting, but the Sport England website will guide you to the appropriate fund and explain exactly what you need to do.

Businesses that are required to close during this national lockdown period, including sports facilities, are also eligible for grants from the government of up to £3,000 per month. The Local Restrictions Support Grant supports businesses that have been required to close due to temporary local restrictions.

For more information, visit the government’s eligibility criteria on its website. These grants are paid through local authorities, so we also suggest making contact with your local council to ask them how you can apply.

You can also check out the dedicated funding webpage on our website which outlines just some of the additional financial support that is available from a wide range of sources.