Criteria

Through working in partnership with Crowdfunder UK, Sport NI wants to invest in new, additional and exciting projects. We are keen to hear from any sports club, sporting organisation or Parent Teacher Association with a great idea that will make a difference within their community; 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 in within the club by promoting sporting activity with a desire to increase current club membership and activity or provides opportunities for new people to get involved.

We believe that investment in local community-based clubs or sporting organisations, that are accessible and have facilities and equipment within the community will drive increased participation whilst encouraging people to get active and level the playing field.

In addition to the programme objectives Project Creating Opportunities seeks specifically to support the following priority groups of people:

• Women & girls;
• People with disabilities;
• Children & young people – especially those aged between 11-18 years
• Older people aged over 65;
• Ethnically diverse communities;
• LGBTQ+ community;
• People living in areas of greatest need;
• People living in rural areas.

We will support participation projects which deliver new and additional opportunities to engage people (from the groups above) who have been traditionally excluded from not only participating in sport but also playing an active role within the club.

Promote volunteering – we will support participation projects (for the groups above) which recognise and support the development of volunteers in the community and that offer multiple opportunities to get involved.

We encourage innovation – we are very keen to support a diverse range of participation projects) including those which offer innovative solutions that respond to the needs of different participants (from the groups above) who have been traditionally excluded from participating and playing an active role in sport.

To be eligible to apply you must be one of the following organisations:

• A constituted sports club which is affiliated to a governing body of sport recognised by either Sport NI OR Sport Ireland.
• A community/voluntary sector organisation that delivers or enables sport and/or physical recreation as your primary activity.
• A charitable trust that delivers or enables sport and/or physical recreation as your primary activity.
• A constituted Parent Teacher Association (PTA) that delivers or enables new/additional extracurricular sport and/or physical recreation including residentials.

If your application is approved, you will be eligible to receive funding of 50% of your crowdfunding target up to a maximum of £5,000. Match funding from Sport NI will not exceed the maximum of £5,000.

If approved, Sport NI will make the pledge when you have met the ‘fund conditions’:

1. Raise at least 25% of your initial target,

2. Raise this from a minimum of 25 unique supporters.

If either of these fund conditions are not met, the pledge will be withheld until both have been met.

If these two fund conditions are met, Sport NI will pledge 50% of your target up to a maximum of £5,000.

Before applying please read the Sport NI Creating Opportunities.Eligibility and Pledge Criteria

All funded projects are required to agree to the Sport NI Creating Opportunities Grant Conditions

A full copy of the programme guidance note can be found at www.sportni.net