Today (Friday 4th December 2020) Sport NI opens the £25M Sports Sustainability Fund. The fund is designed to help governing bodies of sport and clubs who have been financially impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sport NI CEO, Antoinette McKeown said ‘’The Sports Sustainability Fund is critical to ensure the survival of sports in financial hardship, as a result of the impacts of COVID19. This much needed public funding will sustain those sporting organisations, who can clearly and transparently evidence a financial need, caused by this pandemic. This funding will also enable the sports sector to be sustained through this crisis, so they can continue to support our communities at this time and then help us emerge from this crisis, by delivering the physical, emotional and mental health benefits of sport in our communities’.
Sport NI and the Department for Communities recognise the significant financial impact of the restrictions on sports governing bodies, clubs and sporting organisations; limiting opportunities for organisations to generate income in the usual ways, such as club membership, running events and competitions, having spectators at games and by attracting sponsorship. Therefore the Sports Sustainability Fund will provide the needed financial support to alleviate evidenced financial hardship, experienced as a result of COVID19.
It is important that we recognise the vital role that our clubs, their governing bodies of sport, and other sporting organisations have played during these difficult times; supporting their communities and those in need or vulnerable. We also know that the sports sector has a critical role to play in helping our communities emerge from this crisis, and to realise the physical, mental and mental benefits of sport that will be more important than ever.
The fund will be administered by Sport NI and will be open from Friday 4th December 2020. Further information on the Sports Sustainability Fund is available here