The Return to Football Fund is targeted to support clubs in the highest areas of deprivation in England, disability football and groups underrepresented in football, including women and girls, to support the return to football or activities aimed at bringing new players to the game.
The football eligibility checker enables you to check that the location where you will predominantly deliver your project, is located within Decile 1 – 3 of the Indices of Multiple Deprivation. The checker can be accessed here: https://footballfoundation-self.achieveservice.com/service/RTF_Eligibility
The Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund will provide six-year tapered grants to improve the quality of grass pitches. Thousands of football matches are cancelled every year because of problems with grass pitches and these grants form a key part of the Foundation’s overall Grass Pitch Programme which hopes to improve at least 5000 pitches by June 2024.
To be eligible for this fund you need to either own the freehold, have an uninterruptible lease of 10 years, have a licence for 10 years, or have the written consent of the landowner. Further details of this fund can be found here: https://footballfoundation.org.uk/grant/grass-pitch-maintenance-fund
The Small Grants Fund will help clubs pay for essential equipment and machinery they need to start playing again. Clubs can apply for up to £25k to refurbish their changing rooms, pay for grass pitch drainage, new goalposts, pitch maintenance equipment and portable floodlights. Your guide to the small grants can be accessed here : https://footballfoundation.org.uk/your-guide-to-small-grants
The FA’s announcement, on 8 March 2021, about these three funding streams can be accessed here.
Further details provided by the football foundation can be found here.