When writing a funding bid (depending on the size of the bid) you are likely to be asked questions such as;

  • How do you know there is a need for your project
  • How does your project fit with existing strategies

Therefore when writing a funding bid it is important to demonstrate to the funding body that your project has a clear, strong direction. To demonstrate this it is important evidence local, regional and national strategies.

Both local strategies are very specific to your local area and most local authorities will have their own Sports Strategy. Like local and regional strategies, national strategies are very important sources of evidence that can help you demonstrate to funders the clear and focused direction of your project and therefore the need for them to fund this.

1.    National Sports Strategies

These set the national context of what the main objectives and priorities are for the country. Two examples of ones to consider are; Sports England’s five-year Youth and Community Strategy and Beyond 2012 – The London 2012 Legacy Story

2.    Sports Specific Strategies

Most National Governing Bodies of Sport will have a Strategy for their sport setting out their main objectives and priorities. This may include specific areas of the sport e.g. grassroots, elite or developing playing pitches or facilities, they may even include specific areas of the country they wish to develop their sports based on specific research. Two examples of ones to consider are; ‘FA’s National Refresh’ Strategy or British Basketball’s ‘Game On’ Strategy.

Not all National Governing Bodies of Sport have strategies, some instead work to whole sports plans and this would also be an important document to refer to when writing a bid that links to that sport.

3.    Local Authority Sports Strategies

It is important to know whether your local authority has a sports strategy and if so how your project links into supporting that strategy to achieve either it’s vision, aims, objectives, outputs or outcomes.

At the current moment a lot of local authorities have sports strategies that take them up to 2012 linking into the olympic and paralympic games. Many of these local authorities are now considering new strategies that link into creating a olympic/ paralympic legacy.

4.    Local Authorities Playing Pitch Strategies

When writing a funding bid to;

  • Provide new playing pitches
  • Improve sports playing pitches
  • Build new ancillary facilities
  • Refurbished ancillary facilities such as changing rooms or pavilions

then organisations will need to base their research and evidence from what their local authority Playing Pitch Strategy states. This will be based on;

  • The conditions of playing pitches
  • The distribution of the playing pitches across a city or town
  • Supply and demand
  • The number of pitches
  • The number of adult/ junior of pitches

It is therefore important to know whether your local authority has a Playing Pitch Strategy and if so how your project links into this.

5.    Local Authority Sports Facilities Strategies

When writing a funding bid to;

  • Provide new sports facilities
  • Improve sports facilities
  • Build new ancillary facilities on existing facilities
  • Refurbish facilities such as changing rooms, reception. Fitness suite, swimming pool

… then organisations will need to base their research and evidence from what their local authority Facilities Strategy.

This will be based on;

  • The conditions of current facilities
  • The distribution of sports facilities across a city or town
  • Supply and demand
  • The number of sports facilities

…..it is therefore important to know whether your local authority has a facilities and if so how your facility plans links into this

To view a comprehensive list of local, regional and national strategies linked above visit www.funding4sport.co.uk and subscribe from as little as £4.99.