Funding to Transform the Lives of Young People in Disadvantaged Areas through Sport

Open to local groups based in Greater Manchester, Greater London, West Midlands, or Oxfordshire

The Angus Irvin Playing Fields Fund offers grants, mostly from £2,500 to £5,000, to local community groups and sports clubs (with priority given to sports clubs) who are based in Greater Manchester, Oxfordshire, Greater London, or the West Midlands Combined Authority and who are based in or serving a borough or ward within the top 20% Indices of Multiple Deprivation.

The funding is intended to improve the lives of children and young people, enabling them to access the transformative benefits of inclusive community sport.

Applications can be made for grants towards some or all the following types of projects with the intention of growing capacity to reach more young people:

• The development and improvement of playing fields and other facilities.
• The delivery of projects and programmes to prevent youth crime and anti-social behaviour.
• The development and training of volunteers including the provision of qualifications.
• The development of long-term sustainability, for example marketing and finance expertise.
• The organising, coaching and other key operational costs of running sports activities.

Activities must focus on including young people (age 5 years to 18 years old) who otherwise be excluded from sport such as:

• Disadvantaged young people.
• Women and girls.
• Young people from minority ethnic communities.
• Young offenders and those at risk of offending.

The funders are looking for projects that provide a competitive cost per new participant from within the designated target groups and that have a commitment to long-term sustainability.

Applications are considered four times a year (January, April, July and October).