Funding for schools and football clubs to link up

Pupils at Stretford High School could not contain their delight when Manchester United’s manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, paid them a visit. With a total of 48 titles to his name, so far, he is the most successful manager in British football history.

This was not merely a social visit from Sir Alex, however; he was accompanying Premier League Chief Executive, Richard Scudamore, to officially open the school’s stunning new 3rd-generation all-weather playing surface that is also a venue for the Manchester United Foundation’s community work.

The event also formed the backdrop to the launch of an exciting new national funding programme for facilities, from which schools, such as Stretford High, can potentially benefit: the Premier League Community Facility Fund (PLCFF).

PREMIER LEAGUE FUNDING
The Premier League Community Facility Fund (PLCFF), funded by the Premier League and delivered by the Football Foundation, is investing £18m over three years to develop new or refurbished sports facilities for local people across the country. It is good news for schools that are interested in improving their facilities whilst partnering with a local professional football club’s community scheme.

“This £18m of funding, which is available to 160 clubs across seven divisions of English football, is investment that will have a lasting impact,” the Premier League’s chief executive, Richard Scudamore, said.

“The community of North Trafford is the first to benefit from the PLCFF. They have never had far to look for inspiration and this new facility will add to that legacy by significantly increasing sports participation to the 3,000 young people who will use.”

However these enhanced sites will be much more than simply spaces for sport. They will be linked to a local professional football club – from Premier League level, down to Conference North and South – and become important locations for that club’s community outreach work.

As Scudamore explained: “Stretford High School will also be Manchester United Foundation’s eighth base for their magnificent Hub of the Community work, so once again one of our clubs is placing itself at the heart of their local community and using football to make a positive social difference.”

In the last twenty years clubs’ community trusts and foundations have developed way beyond providing ad hoc football coaching sessions. They now use a range of different sports and sophisticated diversionary activities, which address mental and physical health, tackle substance abuse and crime, support education and employment, and many other issues.

BRINGING IN THE BOSS
Jointly launching the PLCFF programme with the Premier League chief was Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson – particularly fitting, as Sir Alex actually officially opened Stretford High School twenty years earlier in 1992. He was clearly impressed with what he saw on his second visit.

“The Stretford Sports Village is a fantastic facility for young people. Whether the young people who use it ever become a champion or not, play for Manchester United or not, that is not the issue – the thing is they’ll be enjoying playing sport and they should take great inspiration from it.”

“The great thing about the Premier League is that they’ve been doing this kind of work for a long time now. They don’t get the publicity they deserve and without their funding initiatives like this it wouldn’t happen,” Sir Alex added.

A third dimension to PLCFF sites is that they have the potential to bring the excitement of professional football games closer to home and into the back yard of people that are not at the game. The Stretford Sports Village therefore is also set to play host to Manchester United fan-zone experiences for the local community to enjoy on match days.

But the PLCFF is also good news for the Premier League’s fellow Football Foundation partners, The FA, government and Sport England. These new and refurbished facilities support their objectives of increasing participation and supporting coach and club development. The Stretford facility, for example, will be a venue for the Manchester FA’s coach education programme, 9 v 9 football and a range of junior, women’s and disabled football clubs.

And although based at a school, over half of the usage of the pitch (55 per cent) will be for the local community. Approximately 1,100 Stretford High School students will use the facility, with a further 1,900 weekly users from the community also benefiting.

So the programme is a new and multi-faceted direction for the Premier League’s partnership with the Football Foundation, and one that will benefit both grassroots sport and professional clubs’ charitable aims.

Scudamore reiterated the commitment to the grassroots game that drove his League to establish the Football Foundation alongside The FA, the DCMS and Sport England 12 years ago, saying: “The Premier League has been banging the drum for sports participation for many years now and it is heartening to see that this issue is moving higher up the political agenda. The Premier League Community Facility Fund is all about providing sports facilities that reinvigorate local communities.”

Football Foundation Chief Executive Paul Thorogood underlined the partnership, adding: “The Football Foundation is very proud to be delivering the PLCFF programme in partnership with the Premier League, which will see £18m invested into developing new grassroots sports facilities and strengthening link between professional football clubs and their local communities.

“I would wish to take this opportunity thank the Premier League for its support to grassroots football over the last 12 years, during which time it has directly invested nearly £200m into the Football Foundation to support projects like this all over the country.”

OTHER FA FUNDING SCHEMES
Schools can still apply for grants towards improving their sports facilities through the Foundation’s two core funding streams: the Facilities Scheme and Build the Game scheme.

The Facilities Scheme offers grants from between £100,000 to £500,000 towards projects such as changing rooms or clubhouses and real grass or artificial grass pitches. Schools may be eligible if they can demonstrate a need for such facilities in their area, value-for-money, and that improving the facilities will help increase participation and increase access to football and sports provision amongst the local community.

The Foundation’s Build the Game scheme provides grants of up to £100,000 for smaller‑scale facility projects, such as installing new showers or resurfacing a multi-use games area. Again, schools will need to demonstrate how the project will support the growth and retention of grassroots football.

Schools can apply online or find out more details on all Football Foundation funding schemes at www.footballfoundation.org.uk. They should contact their County FA for pre-application advice in the first instance – contact details can be found on the website.       

Since it was launched in 2000, the Football Foundation has awarded 1,391 grants worth more than £84million towards improving school’s sports facilities right across the country, thanks to money generously provided by its core funding partners: the Premier League, The FA, and the Government (via Sport England).

FURTHER INFORMATION
www.footballfoundation.org.uk