Sport England is offering funding for projects which will engage new volunteers aged between 10 and 20 years into social action that includes sport and physical activity.

Sport England’s Potentials Fund will test bold new approaches to getting young people involved in social action that includes sport and physical activity, especially those who might not have been involved in sport before. It will focus on engaging young people aged 10-20 into social action by providing grants of between £50,000 and £150,000 over a three year period.

The funding is provided in partnership between Sport England and #Iwill, a UK wide campaign funded jointly by the Big Lottery Fund and the Department for Culture Media and Sport.

Applications will be accepted from a wide and diverse range of both sports organisations and non-sports organisations including charities, community interest companies (CICs), local authorities, universities and companies limited by guarantee.

The scheme will support costs including:

  • Salaries for new or seconded project workers.
  • Support for volunteer engagement.
  • Volunteer out-of-pocket expenses.
  • Support for local networking and partnership building.
  • Minor equipment costs.
  • Internal/external evaluation, including time allocated to working with the evaluators and for providing necessary information.
  • Communicating and disseminating learning.
  • Costs for recruitment events/activities.
  • Volunteer training.

Sport England is particularly interested in funding projects which can engage:

  • 10 to 14 year olds.
  • Young people whose mental and emotional wellbeing may be vulnerable.

Traditionally under-represented in sports volunteering.

Eligible projects must target young people who are interested in doing some (or more) social action.

The deadline for expressions of interest (stage one) applications is 24 April 2017 (12 noon).

To find out more click here; https://www.sportengland.org/funding/funding-for-volunteering/potentials-fund/