Small development and equipment grants

Sports clubs and members receive their Support for Sport funding

If your sports club or community organisation is fully constituted, you can apply to us for funding of up to £1,000 per year.

We also offer an one-off equipment grant of up to £250 for new clubs or new sections within existing clubs, for example, a youth or ladies' section.

How to apply

Applications for small development grants must be made at least six weeks before your event or activity and before the 24th of each month to be considered at our next meeting.

For example, your application needs to be with us by May 24 to be considered at the beginning of June.

Download the small development grants guidance notes (PDF - 304KB)
Download the small development grants application form (Word - 889KB)

If your application is successful, you will be asked to fill out a small development
grant report form to assess the success of your event or activity.

Categories

Small development grants are available in six areas:

Club development training*

This grant is aimed at clubs who hope to improve themselves by gaining awards such as Sports Equity, Coach Profile or Coaching Young Performers.

Training of coaches*

This grant offers support to clubs who wish to train new or existing coaches in any area of benefit to them.
It covers all levels of accredited sports-specific coaching, first aid and fitness qualifications and child protection training.

Kick start grant*

A kick start grant is open to clubs who are only starting up or who are launching a new section within their club.
Funding may be available to help out with initial start-up costs, such as facility hire and coaching.
Clubs who apply for a kick start grant may also be eligible for a one-off equipment grant of £250.

Please note that clubs who already have their own facilities can only apply for facility hire for outreach programmes.

Try-it event*

Try-it grants are open to clubs who are planning to hold events to promote their club and attract more members.
However, funding will only be offered to programmes which are held in addition to normal club training sessions.
The grant awarded covers costs such as facility hire (only if the event is being held outside a club’s own facilities), coaching expenses and marketing and officials' costs.

Sports festival/development event*

This grant is open to clubs who are organising events which will provide new competitive opportunities for juniors or beginners or which will raise the profile of their club.
Costs eligible for cover include facility hire (if the event is taking place outside club premises), trophies and certificates and officials’ costs.

* Please note that 75 per cent of eligible project costs will be offered, up to a maximum of £1,000 (this does not apply to equipment grants).

Equipment grant

Clubs, or new sections within clubs, which have been established within the last three years, are eligible for a one-off payment of £250 towards the purchase of new training equipment.

For all the above areas, ineligible costs include travel expenses outside Belfast, clothing costs, catering and alcohol, non-club-based activities, leagues, and church and school-based programmes.