The Irish Football Association (Irish FA) / Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) Grassroots Facilities Investment Fund 2023-25 aims to allow grassroots football clubs, local authorities, schools and football-focused sports community / charitable organisations in Northern Ireland (NI) 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 are now open with a closing date for submission of 12 noon on Thursday 4 May 2023.
In 2021-22 and 2022-23 the Grassroots Facilities Investment Fund supported 54 small capital projects improving grassroots facilities throughout NI.
The 2023-25 grassroots facilities capital funding will focus on delivering quality pitches and improving existing pitches that are not fit-for-purpose, as well as addressing the deficit in pitch supply throughout NI.
£2 million of capital funding has been secured for 2023-24, with a further £3.59 million of capital funding to be delivered in 2024/25. The minimum award available in this tranche of funding will be £100,000 with a maximum award of up to £400,000.
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 the core and associated infrastructure will be considered as part of the overall proposal.
Funding applications for 2023-24 and 2024-25 will be opened in one application call. This is to commit funding and successfully deliver larger capital projects within the timeline available, over the next two financial years.
Successful projects must be completed by 31 March 2024 and / or 31 March 2025, subject to any phasing plan associated with your proposed scheme. Failure to complete the works in any phase year(s), as outlined in your application, by 31 March may result in the withdrawal of any award.
The Irish FA will maintain a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) log to help potential applicants get answers or clarification to their queries. If, after reading the FAQ log, the potential applicant still has funding queries or is seeking further clarification, they should direct these queries to dcms.funding@irishfa.com
Application forms and required supporting documentation must be uploaded and submitted electronically via the online application platform. The link to access the application process is below along with guidance notes and associated documentation.
Applicants are reminded that funding applications are time-consuming, require significant related research and preparation, and of course come with no guarantee of success. Before you decide to proceed and complete your application, please read the guidance notes carefully to confirm that your project can meet the programme objectives.
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N.B. Applicants are asked to note that access to the application and upload folder will be provided via an email link and subsequent verification code. Applicants should allow 5-10 minutes for the necessary emails to be generated and to arrive separately into your inbox (please also check your junk email folder).