Sport England’s Community Emergency Fund is being topped up by an additional £15 million of National Lottery money to meet the demand from organisations delivering community sport and physical activity.
The initial £20m fund, also supported by The National Lottery, was launched at the end of March as a rapid response to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the ensuing social distancing guidelines and the stay at home order, and their impact on sport and exercise.
It provides awards from £300-£10,000 to clubs and community organisations to help them with their immediate financial distress, and was part of an up to £195m package of support from to the sport and physical activity sector, with this additional £15m taking the package up to £210m.
The fund, which is part of £600m The National Lottery is committing across the UK during the coronavirus crisis, has already helped thousands of organisations by covering costs such as rent, insurance and utility bills – as well as some staff costs and maintenance of pitches and facilities.
This extra £15m is available immediately to help meet the demand of the existing applications and those likely to be submitted in the coming days.
The fund will then be paused at 11.59pm on Thursday 14 May, to enable assessors to process all remaining applications as soon as possible.
Sport England swill then reflect on the fund’s impact and consider what ongoing support clubs and community groups will need as restrictions are eased in the future.
More than 8,000 submissions have been made to the fund so far, with more than £16.7m having been awarded and more than 100 staff from across our organisation involved in assessing the applications as quickly as possible.
The Community Emergency Fund was just one of many ways we’re supporting the sector and all of those who deliver sport and activity, through this crisis.
In addition to the fund, Sport England is also providing support through:
- £5m sector support fund - Supporting a further 12 key partners in immediate financial need, with a £5m Sector Support Fund.
- £20m Tackling Inequalities Fund - This fund aims to minimise the impact of coronavirus on the activity levels of people from under-represented groups, ensuring that the participation gaps don’t widen during this period.
- £115m funding rollover for partners – Sport England is rolling over current funding into 2021/22 to give long term certainty to more than 100 well-established partners who play a vital role in the delivery of sport and physical activity in England.
- Practical advice for projects and organisations - Launching a new online hub that’s collating tools, advice and guidance to help the sector navigate the wide range of challenges its facing – from taking services online, to developing skills for the future.
- Join the Movement - A nationwide campaign with TV, radio and online advertising to encourage people to #StayInWorkOut by getting active in or around their home, and share their great ways of doing so.
- Pitch Preparation Fund – Sport England has worked with the Premier League, The FA and government, through the Football Foundation, to give financial support to those struggling to maintain their football pitches across the country.
