Do you have a shovel-ready pitch project? We want to hear from you!
Following the UK Government's commitment in its Autumn Budget to continue support for elite and grassroots sport through multi-sports facilities investment, we are inviting Expressions of Interest (EOI) for potential projects that may qualify for future funding through the Irish FA/DCMS Grassroots Facility Investment Fund. This form is designed to collect information on potential grassroots facility projects, assessing their readiness and alignment with the fund’s objectives. Please note that completing this form does not constitute a formal funding application.
To gain insight into the number, type, and scale of projects that may qualify for funding in the coming years, the Expression of Interest (EOI) helps us gather key details at an early stage. This will support us in identifying and prioritising potential future investments.
Specifically, the EOI is looking for larger capital projects that focus on installing or improving natural grass or certified artificial grass pitches (AGPs); the creation or replacement of natural grass surfaces, artificial grass surfaces, or multi-use games areas (MUGAs); and associated pitch infrastructure, such as changing rooms, floodlighting, and fencing, may also be considered in addition to the pitch installation.
We are calling for all EOIs to be submitted by Wednesday, 5th March. Please use the link below to complete your EOI and provide details of your project proposal. We look forward to reviewing your submission.
The Irish Football Association (Irish FA) / Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) Grassroots Facilities Investment Fund 2023-25 aims to allow grassroots football clubs, local authorities, schools and football-focused sports community / charitable organisations in Northern Ireland (NI) to improve and refurbish facilities so that grassroots football clubs and communities have a high-quality pitch to play on, thereby helping to create a better grassroots football infrastructure foundation.
The Irish FA will maintain a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) log to help potential applicants get answers or clarification to their queries. If, after reading the FAQ log, the potential applicant still has funding queries or is seeking further clarification, they should direct these queries to dcms.funding@irishfa.com
Application forms and required supporting documentation must be uploaded and submitted electronically via the online application platform. The link to access the application process is below along with guidance notes and associated documentation.
Applicants are reminded that funding applications are time-consuming, require significant related research and preparation, and of course come with no guarantee of success. Before you decide to proceed and complete your application, please read the guidance notes carefully to confirm that your project can meet the programme objectives.