Grow the Game
Delivered by the Football Foundation and funded by The FA, Grow the Game provides clubs with funding for the creation of new teams.
Grow the Game 2020
The FA is working with stakeholders across the game to assess the impact of the virus and take various steps to support the welfare of clubs, players, staff and volunteers. As a result, the unfortunate but necessary decision has been taken to close the application window for this year’s Grow the Game scheme.
If your application has been successful, you will have already been informed and funding will be with you in due course. If you have not received a formal grant offer as of today, unfortunately, you will not be receiving any funding on this occasion.
Funds from this year’s scheme will be re-purposed to support grassroots football during this challenging period. We understand this will be a disappointment to many of you and we're sorry that we can't help as we would like to on this occasion.
In the meantime, the health and well-being of the football community remains of paramount importance. The FA and Football Foundation continue to follow the latest government advice in relation to COVID-19 and we would recommend that everyone follows the same approach.
Grant eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Football clubs
- Youth clubs with a football programme
- Futsal clubs
- Community groups/centres/clubs
- Charitable organisations
- Parish Councils
- Sports Associations
- Local Authorities
- Multi-Sports clubs
- Companies limited by guarantee
- Professional Club Community Schemes
- Industrial and provident societies
- Unincorporated not-for-profit organisations
- University and College Teams playing in FA affiliated community leagues
- Professional Community Trusts from Welsh Premier clubs or Welsh clubs associated to English leagues
Who is not eligible?
- Individuals
- Profit making organisations
- Leagues
- Educational establishments
- University teams playing in BUCS, Intramural, or non-FA affiliated leagues
- College Teams playing in AOC, Intramural, or non-FA affiliated leagues
- Groups wishing to apply for charitable status
- Organisations seeking retrospective funding for costs that have already been made or are due before an offer of a grant has been awarded
About the grant
All teams within the project must be affiliated for the upcoming season (2020/21).
Grow the Game provides funding to contribute towards a combination of the following essential costs:
- Facility hire
- Referees fees
- DBS checks
- Affiliation fees
- League entry
- Promotion and publicity
- FA coaching courses
- Additional courses
- Football kit/equipment through a bespoke voucher
Please note: grant awards are limited to two teams per application
Kit and Equipment voucher
A £350 Nike Kit and Equipment voucher* is available for each new team being created.
*Please note, this is not in addition to the £1,500 grant.