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A Guide to applying for Sports Grants

a football in the centre of a pitch
With a €250 million Fund available in Sports Capital and Equipment Grants to be announced this year, it is important to acknowledge the importance of getting your club ready to apply for the next round of these Grants.   Applications have strict criteria and strict processes.  Some applications are instantly rejected because the criteria was not met, which for a Sports Club is devastating. Parents and sports participants expect high standards from their local sports clubs.    With an increase in  competition for participants coming from different sports clubs know they have to invest in order to give their members the best possible experience in order to promote their sports.  This means providing access to quality playing and training facilities and the latest technologies in sports equipment. In order to provide such facilities, club fundraising is never enough and clubs need to seek government support to pay for capital expenditure. 

Sports capital grants in Ireland

In Ireland, the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport administers the Sports Capital Programme, which is partially funded by the National Lottery. The sports capital grant programme aims to allocate funds to sports clubs for the enhancement or renovation of sports and physical recreation facilities, such as playing fields, training grounds, lighting installations, artificial turf fields, and clubhouses, as well as the acquisition of sports equipment like fitness gear, defibrillators, and maintenance machinery. The goals of the initiative are to support voluntary and community organisations, National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of sports, and other entities in creating top-notch, easily accessible, and secure facilities in appropriate areas throughout the country; to give priority to the requirements of underprivileged areas/groups; and to promote the sharing of facilities among various organisations. For some sports, competing on an international stage is not possible without the facilities to ensure their athletes have the best chance possible to train.

Preparing an application for a sports capital grant

Before applying for a sports capital grant, do as much research and preparation as possible to give your application the best chance of succeeding. Here are some areas to consider looking at before you apply: 
  1. Grant Committee
Form a team specifically dedicated to seeking out and applying for grants for the organisation or Club. Members of this group should possess skills in grant writing, paperwork management, and building relationships with community partners. By establishing a focused committee, the rest of the Club can concentrate on fundraising efforts, providing support, and raising awareness for the club and of course coaching.
  1. Scoring and assessment
In the evaluation process of grant applications, a specific scoring method is utilized, with the criteria and their importance potentially varying annually. It is crucial to properly address each criterion to ensure a thorough evaluation. Various criteria are assigned different levels of significance, and factors like having planning permission for construction projects, past funding from capital sports grants, and the club’s ability to generate funds independently from government assistance are also considered. Clubs are required to raise a minimum of 5% of the total project costs, while local authorities must raise at least 30%. Clubs that have already exceeded the 5% minimum fundraising requirement will receive favorable consideration during the application assessment..
  1. Know the deadlines
Every Sports Capital Programme has specific deadlines for registration and submission of completed applications. For the most up-to-date deadlines, refer to the appropriate government website. It is important to note that starting work on a project before obtaining formal approval, including signing contracts for the work, makes the project ineligible for funding according to the programme’s terms and conditions.
  1. Get familiar with relevant documentation
When applying for a sports capital grant, it is crucial to gather paperwork from various sources and ensure that all documentation adheres to DTTAS templates, addressing all relevant questions. Failure to do so may impact the application’s success. Certain documents, such as proof of ownership or site access and a professional quotation for project costs, are mandatory. Approval from the sport’s National Governing Body is required for regional grant applications. While evidence of planning permission or an ongoing application is not obligatory, they can strengthen an application (refer to scoring criteria for specifics).
  1. Got questions? Ask the right people
For enquiries relating to sports capital grant applications for your country, contact your local authority from the list of telephone numbers on this page. Alternatively, you could contact the Sports Capital Programmes Unit of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS). Contact email for the Sports Capital Programmes Unit is sportscapitalprogrammes@dttas.gov.ie. There is also a YouTube video from the department explaining how to apply for a sports capital grant. 
  1. Register to apply
Before applying, your club must have registered to apply for a sports capital grant at here. According to this, the only way to apply for a sports capital grant is through the Online Sports CApital Register (OSCAR) system. 

How to apply

Refer to the latest guidance from the Department of Transport, Tourism, and Sport for instructions on applying for a grant. The DTTAS advises against having the same application open in multiple browser windows simultaneously. Meanwhile, the LGFA guide suggests saving your application form regularly to prevent data loss due to website timeouts. For a historical record of payments made through the Sports Capital programme since 2011, click here. Please note that the sports capital grant application process is subject to variations and may differ based on your location. It is recommended to consult the most recent official government documentation to ensure your application is in line with the current requirements.
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