Grass pitch drainage

You don’t have to be a football club to apply to the Football Foundation, however grassroots football must be an integral part of your offer.

Applicants will need to complete a PitchPower inspection for all their pitches that’ll be improved using the machinery/equipment before they can apply. Further details on PitchPower can be found here or please speak to your County FA.

Where the works involve the installation of a piped drainage system, the project should be professionally designed and managed by a suitably qualified sports pitch consultant. Organisations such as the Grounds Management Association (GMA), Sports and Play Construction Association (SAPCA) and The Register of Independent Professional Turfgrass Agronomists (RIPTA) all hold lists of experts in sports pitch construction. Fees for this service can be included within your grant application.

Where a piped drainage installation is discharging into a ditch or other watercourse, permission from the Environment Agency or your local authority may be required. If so, this must be in place before your application is submitted.

We’ll also require written confirmation of the landlord's consent to undertake the proposed works, unless you own the facility, or the landlord is included as a joint applicant.

We’re not able to fund works deemed as ‘routine maintenance’. For enhanced annual pitch improvement works, separate grants are available.

As a result of the works, it’ll be expected that grass pitches will be maintained to achieve the GMA’s ‘Good’ pitch quality standard and you’ll be required to continue to submit pitch data through PitchPower annually. Details of the Grounds Management Association Pitch Grading  Framework can be found here.
 

Tenure requirements

We’ll ask you to demonstrate that you have the required ownership, by either freehold, or uninterruptable leasehold from the date of grant offer for a varying period, for a length of time dependent on the grant amount:

• Up to £25,000 – 5 years
• £25,001 up to £100,000 – 10 years

Document requirements

To ensure your application is processed you should include the following documents:

• Photographs of the pitches, indicating the problem to be resolved via the proposed works
• PitchPower Assessment Report
• Where a piped drainage installation is being proposed, a feasibility study and specification of works from a qualified agronomist or sports pitch consultant
• Plans / drawings / specification / schedule of works
• Two like-for-like quotations from an experienced contractor, based upon the specification
• Evidence of partnership funding
• Environment Agency / local authority approval (if applicable) / Landlord consent to the works

Once your application and supporting documentation have been submitted, you’ll receive a confirmation email. Your application will be assessed by our Grant Management Team who’ll contact you to discuss your application if they have any queries.

Assessment will typically take around two weeks. You’ll then receive a notification by email that your decision letter (and any associated terms and conditions) is available for download from your Football Foundation account.