Applications are now open for the latest tranche of funding available through the Irish Football Association/Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Grassroots Facilities Investment Fund.
In January 2026 the UK Government announced it is to invest a further £85m in the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, including £2.775m earmarked for facility improvements in Northern Ireland via the Irish FA/DCMS fund.
The new tranche of funding for 2026-27 follows on from a £100 million investment in 2025-26 to support projects across the whole of the UK.
The Irish FA/DCMS Fund aims to enable grassroots football clubs, local authorities, schools and football-focused sports community/charitable organisations in Northern Ireland to improve and refurbish facilities so that grassroots football clubs and communities have a high quality pitch to play on, thereby helping to create a better grassroots football infrastructure foundation.
Applications for funding are now open with a closing date of Wednesday 18 March 2026 12 noon for submissions.
The 2026-27 funding guidance notes can be accessed in the link below:
Click to download PDF of Guidance Notes
All applicants to the Irish FA/DCMS Grassroots Facilities Fund 2026-27 must register on the submittable platform to apply to the scheme. You may access the application form and associated documents using the links below:
All applicants must have a valid email address in order to register on the portal. Once registered, they will be asked to confirm that they meet the eligibility requirements through a series of eligibility questions.
This automated screening process ensures that the Irish FA/DCMS Grassroots Facilities Fund 2026-27 is appropriate for their project, and applicants should read each question carefully. Projects that successfully pass the automated eligibility screening will then gain access to the Application Form. All applicants must upload evidence of eligibility when submitting their application.
The system also allows applicants to save and return to their form, invite collaborators, and track the progress of their application. Please note that only the submission owner (the individual who first creates the application) can submit the completed form. Once submitted, ownership can be transferred to another person if required.
The Irish FA/DCMS Grassroots Facilities Investment Fund previously allocated £3m of funding in Northern Ireland for the 2025-26 financial year funding 8 artificial grass pitch projects and £3.66m in the 2024-25 financial year, funding 17 artificial grass pitch projects.
Irish FA Chief Executive Patrick Nelson said: “There’s a shortage of football pitches and facilities in Northern Ireland and we look forward to working with the UK Government to tackle that shortage.
“Through this latest £2.775 million DCMS investment we will strive, along with our partners, to create and improve facilities from the grassroots level upwards, increasing participation and ensuring football is for all.”
The minimum award available will be £100,000, with a maximum award of up to £500,000. See full Guidance Notes for details on match funding requirements.
Funding will be directed towards large capital projects primarily focusing on the installation of quality natural grass pitches, certified artificial grass pitches (AGPs) or Multi-Use Games Areas (MUGAs). All projects must have a pitch proposal at its core and associated infrastructure will be considered as part of the overall proposal.
The main objectives of the Irish FA/DCMS Grassroots Facilities Investment Fund are:
● Improves the capital infrastructure to support the delivery of grassroots football activities across Northern Ireland;
● Delivers a sustained increase in participation in sport and physical activity across Northern Ireland, improving the mental and physical health of participants;
● Increases the number of multi-sport facilities in Northern Ireland to deliver a sustained increase in participation in non-football sports;
● Reduces the postcode lottery for quality facilities by directing investment to disadvantaged or areas of deprivation and delivers a sustained increase in participation and physical inactivity in these areas;
● Delivers improved access to sport facilities for women and girls to deliver a sustained increase in participation;
● Delivers improved access for under-represented groups to deliver a sustained increase in participation;
● Delivers ‘value for money’ investment in facilities by securing partner match funding.
Successful projects must be completed by 31 March 2027. Failure to complete by 31 March 2027 may result in the withdrawal of any award.
Application forms and all required supporting documentation must be submitted online via the dedicated application platform by 12 noon on Wednesday 18 March 2026.
If you have any questions in relation to the eligibility criteria or the process, please email dcmsfunding@cooperationireland.org.
For any technical questions about the platform, please visit Submittable Applicant Support.
Please note that completing a funding application is time consuming and requires detailed research and preparation. Submission of an application does not guarantee funding.