Stage 2 - Community engagement and initial feasibility
This stage consists of two main elements; community engagement and initial feasibility. These two elements will be brought together into a summary report by an independent consultant commissioned by the Football Foundation to work alongside your project consortium. The Foundation will use this information to assess whether a project can progress to the next application stage based on the outcomes it could deliver.
Community Engagment
At the Football Foundation, we've learned that the most successful community sport and physical spaces are designed and delivered in partnership with local people. Communities are more likely to take part in activities and use facilities if they’ve been included in their planning and development.
Our expectation is that Hubs are key venues for all forms of football and the community engagement required will fall into two categories. Firstly, we're committed to ensuring equal opportunity for boys and girls to train and play in high-quality club and league environments. With help from your County FA at the EOI Stage, you'll have already identified potential club and league involvement in your project. You'll now need to undertake consultation to fully understand interest and how they can help in delivering strong outcomes.
Secondly, you'll need to engage with organisations and partners that can help your project to reach our four priority groups (below). This will inform the football offer, facility requirements and other sports and activities that can provide sustained outcomes.
Women and girls
Disabled people and people with long term health conditions
Ethnically diverse communities
We expect the Local Authority will lead the community engagement exercise, bringing together a consortium that can identify local priorities and engage with partners and community groups. We'd expect each consortium to include:
- Local authority – relevant teams e.g. sport, health, and parks
- Football partners – County FA and Professional club community organisations
- Active Partnership
- Other sport partners
- Prominent community groups/local charities
Initial Feasibility
At EOI Stage, you'll have identified potential sites for your project. There may be a need to re-visit those sites to check they can meet the needs and opportunities emerging from the community engagement process.
The Football Foundation will bring together expertise that can assess the financial viability of each site, using case studies, cost information and business plan modelling, to inform the overall viability. The Foundation will commission its consultant to undertake the following:
- Indicative site plan - showing the potential AGP, building and parking configuration.
- Outline floor plan - that is efficient, maximises income potential and minimises running costs.
- 10-year business plan - the business plan will give an indication of the level of surplus and re-investment potential.
- High level capital cost - of the preferred proposal and any variants to inform the required funding envelope.