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Match funding from Sport Northern Ireland

Sport NI: Creating Opportunities Fund

Get up to £5,000 to help your sport 'Level the Playing Field'

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Funding: Up to £5,000

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Eligible: Sports clubs, organisations, PTAs

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Aim: Level the playing field by supporting activities that help remove barriers to participating in sport.

The impact of Sport Northern Ireland Creating Opportunities match funding has helped clubs smash their targets, allowing them to thrive and grow for their communities.

£1,371,164

+ estimated £37,013 Gift Aid

Total raised

147

Total projects

5,947

Total supporters

Which projects are eligible?

Projects that:

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Are based in Northern Ireland

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Connect communities

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Enable more people to take part in sport

Projects run by:

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Constituted sports clubs

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Community/voluntary sector organisations

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Charitable trusts

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Parent teacher associations

Projects helping these priority groups:

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Women and girls

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People with disabilities

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Children and young people (aged 11-18 years)

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Older people aged over 65

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Ethnically diverse communities

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LGBTQ+ community

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People living in areas of greatest need

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People living in rural areas

How to access this funding

Create your project

1

Add a project on Crowdfunder. Tell us your story, how much you need to raise, and why you need to raise funds.

Apply for funding

2

Apply through your dashboard, Sport NI will review your application and decide if you're successful.

Get funded

3

Once successful, go live with your project, raising your proportion of match funding from at least 25 unique supporters to receive extra funding from Sport NI.

Match funding stories

Get inspired by some of our favourite successful crowdfunding projects. These sports clubs smashed their targets and received match funding from Sport Northern Ireland that they needed in order to thrive and grow for their communities.

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Derrylaughan Kevin Barrys GAC

Derrylaughan Kevin Barrys GAC used a £5,000 Creating Opportunities match fund to raise a total of £10,000, launching women & girls football teams that now see over 80 members aged 3+ enjoying the sport.

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Lisburn Cricket Club

Thanks to a £5,000 match fund from Sport NI, Lisburn CC have been able to expand their women & girls programme with winter sessions, after-school cricket and school outreach, opening the sport up to all ages and abilities.

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NeurodiversityUK

Neurodiversity UK used their Creating Opportunities funding to expand sport and activity programmes for young people and adults with conditions like autism, ADHD and dyslexia, providing a vital outlet that boosts mood, builds confidence and supports mental and physical wellbeing.

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Limavady Youth FC

Limavady Youth FC raised £10,000 through crowdfunding to implement a girls section into their club and in the process raise the awareness of their club in the local area.

Sport NI: Creating Opportunities Fund

Creating Opportunities is made possible thanks to National Lottery funding and is delivered in partnership with Crowdfunder UK. It is designed to enable eligible organisations to launch new and additional projects that make sport and physical activity more inclusive and accessible across Northern Ireland.

Sport Northern Ireland is looking to support sports clubs, community organisations or Parent Teacher Associations with small to medium sports projects that will help create opportunities to ‘level the playing field’, so that accessibility and inclusion is felt and experienced by those who have been traditionally excluded from not only participating in sport, but playing an active role within the club (e.g. coaching, officiating and leading as part of a board).

Please note that to be eligible for this fund, your project must be in draft mode. Projects that are live, closed, or set to “always on” will not be considered.

Start your crowdfunding journey with confidence

Crowdfunding can build support and raise money for your idea–but it requires planning. That’s why we’ve created practical tools to help you get started and succeed.

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