The money will help Sport England partners, clubs and community organisations cope with the short and long-term impact of the pandemic.
Sport England are making up to £195 million of funding available to help the sport and physical activity sector through the ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis.
The package, which is a combination of National Lottery and government funding is made up of the following;
£20m Community Emergency Fund
Immediately opened for clubs and community organisations to bid into. Grants between £300 and £10,000 are available. This aims to deliver immediate funding to those most in need and builds on the success of similar previous funds such as the Flood Relief Fund. It's specifically targeted at organisations, including those not currently supported by Sport England, who have a role in supporting the nation to be active but who are experiencing short-term financial hardship or the ceasing of operations due to the impact of coronavirus.
The types of organisations eligible include local sports clubs forced to close at short notice but who are facing ongoing costs around maintenance and utility bills, and voluntary and community sector organisations who deliver or enable sport and physical activity.
A specific example might be a grant to support a local boxing club who pay costs for their facility when no activity is taking place, or a grant to support a league who have paid for equipment to run a competition which has now been cancelled.
£5m Sector Partner Fund
Sport England will work with sector partners, for example, the network of Active Partnerships and National Governing Bodies, on bespoke measures that may be needed for any instances of immediate financial distress. This may include, supporting a National Governing Body where they've had to cancel an event which would have generated vital income for the organisation.
£55m sector stimulation
Sport England believe financial support will be needed to support and stimulate the sector while restrictions are being lifted, and that organisations will need help getting back to business and back to delivery. We also want to make sure we can quickly adapt to changes in the way society operates and that we can quickly accelerate good ideas where they emerge.
Support may also be needed to re-engage front line staff, coaches and other volunteers to be ready to respond as activity habits return or change. Details on how Sport England propose to use this funding to support the sector for issues like this will be set out in the coming weeks.
£115m funding rollover for key partners
This will be for identified selected partners who have funding commitments that end on or before March 2021. It will be administered through a 'light-touch approach' that does not add extra burden at this challenging time. This will result in the certainty of funding for well over 100 partners for the next two years and will allow these organisations to focus on the longer-term response to the enormous challenge that the sector now faces.
The partners likely to be included here are established governing bodies, Active Partnerships and wider sector partners who play a pivotal role in getting and keeping the nation active. Sport England will connect with the relevant partners over the coming weeks.
Information supplied by Sport England. Click here to find out more.