Club Improvement Fund Application
Purpose
Our purpose at England Athletics is to inspire more athletes and runners of all abilities and backgrounds to fulfil their potential and to have a lifelong love for the sport.
This means supporting our member clubs to:
- Recruit new members
- Retain existing members
- Be an integral part of the local community, engaging a diverse membership in to the club
- Have a pathway that allows members to fulfil their potential
We know that every day, clubs are facing barriers that limit progress in these areas.
About the fund
The Club Improvement Fund will provide grants of up to £500 to support clubs with projects that aim to reduce some of the barriers they are facing. We want to fund projects that will help clubs to provide a safe, sustainable and welcoming environment for their athletes and runners.
We are particularly interested in funding projects that cover one or more of the following areas:
- Improving your online presence
- Investing in recruiting new, or supporting your existing volunteer workforce
- Supporting the development of an athlete pathway within your club
- Providing a welcoming environment for your members
- Developing links with your local community
Criteria
The Club Improvement Fund is open to all England Athletics affiliated Clubs. However, we will look to prioritise clubs that have not received funding in the past 12 months.
Prior to presenting your Club Improvement Fund application to panel we will assess your progress with Club Standards and offer support where necessary. You are not required to have a specific Club Standards score prior to applying. However we do recommend you complete the checklist through the myAthletics portal and are actively working towards achieving the Club Standards.
It is important that applications are made based on the needs and current barriers you are facing. However, to help with planning out your project please find below some suggested examples of what it could include:
- Investment into modernising your club website. Ensuring that potential new members see an effective representation of your club online, can access key information and make an enquiry about joining easily.
- Producing a video that welcomes new members and provides information about the club.
- After identifying the volunteer roles that would benefit the club, putting on a series of recruitment events targeting parents and/or the local community.
- Setting up a series of coach development opportunities for existing coaches to progress their knowledge.
- Delivering outreach activities within your community.
The application process
The Club Improvement Fund has now reached capacity and is closed for this affiliation year. If you have recently applied, we will be in touch with you soon to progress your application.