Things to Note

If you’re a Football Club applying for a Football Foundation grant, you must be the Chair, Secretary or Treasurer of that Club to submit an application and co-sign the required forms. We’ll verify that you hold one of these roles, when you set up an account with us.  

We ask that you speak with your Football Foundation Technical Project Manager before proceeding with a grant application.

Criteria

• 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.
• We’ll require a condition survey or inspection report from a suitably qualified recommending the scope of works to be undertaken.
• 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.

Documents Required

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

• You’ll need to demonstrate that you have the required ownership, by either freehold, or uninterruptible leasehold from the date of grant offer for a varying period. If you’re applying for a grant up to £25,000, it will need to be 5 years and for a grant over £25,000 and up to £100,000, it will need to be 10 years.
• Photographs of the pitches, indicating the problem to be resolved via the proposed works
• Condition survey or inspection report from suitably qualified sports pitch consultant recommending the scope of works be undertaken
• 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