How to Apply

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.  

To manage high demand and ensure all clubs/organisations get the funding they need, we ask that applicants make no more than one application per season unless otherwise agreed with the Foundation.

Therefore, it’s really important that you take time over your application and ensure you’ve included everything we’ve asked for. This helps make quicker decisions and prevents you from having to submit multiple applications for the same item.

Please note that we cannot accept multiple sites under one application.

1. Create a Football Foundation account, or log in if you already have one
2. Click on the ‘Apply for Funding’ and select ‘Small-sided playing surfaces’.

3. Complete the application form and have the following ready to enter:  

   - The documents listed below

   - Price of the Storage Container

   - VAT (if applicable)

4. Once you’ve submitted your application, we’ll send you a confirmation email. Your application will then be assessed by our Grant Management Team and you’ll receive an email normally within ten working days with a link to download your decision letter and Terms and Conditions on your Football Foundation account.
5. If your application is successful, we’ll provide you with the funds to order your Small-sided playing surfaces.
    

Criteria

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

We’ll require a condition survey or inspection report from an artificial pitch specialist recommending the scope of works to be undertaken.

We’ll require specifications and drawings, clearly detailing the scope of the proposed works. Works should comply with the Foundation’s minimum design requirements, unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Planning permission may or may not be required for the works and confirmation of which applies is required from the local planning authority. Further information regarding planning permission can be found here. Planning permission must be in place before your application is submitted.

Any current artificial carpet(s) must be recycled through a permitted site, and evidence provided to the Foundation.

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.
• You’ll need to appoint a specialist sports pitch consultant to undertake a condition survey and produce a feasibility report recommending the scope of works. Your appointed consultant should also provide support through the tender process from which you’ll need a minimum of two like-for-like quotations. Your consultant must also certify completion to ensure quality of the finished project. New surfaces must comply with BSEN 15330-1:2013 and should be FIFA certified to ensure quality.
• The chosen surface must have a warranty for a minimum period of FIVE years. From the Commencement Date the synthetic turf will not suffer any abnormal wear or tuft loss based on the manufactured product in accordance with the relevant requirements of the FIFA Quality Programme for Football Turf.
• Evidence of partnership funding
• Evidence of security of tenure and Landlord’s consent to the works if required
• Planning approval notice if required
• A copy of a typical weekly programme of use for the facility