Sport Northern Ireland
Creating Opportunities Fund
Crowdfunder and Sport Northern Ireland have teamed up to make £1.6m of National Lottery Funding available to support the sports sector over the next three years. As part of Phase1 (24/25 FY) £500,000 is available to ‘Level The Playing Field’ by creating opportunities to connect communities, enabling more people to take part in sport and physical activity throughout Northern Ireland.
Sport Northern Ireland is looking to support sports clubs, community organisations or Parent Teacher Associations with small to medium sports projects that will help create opportunities to ‘level the playing field’, so that accessibility and inclusion is felt and experienced by those who have been traditionally excluded from not only participating in sport, but playing an active role within the club (e.g. coaching, officiating and leading as part of a board).
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Get up to £5,000 to help your sport Level The Playing Field.
You need a crowdfunding project to apply for funding. Start or continue adding your project and, if eligible, you'll be prompted to apply.
Through working in partnership with Crowdfunder UK, Sport NI wants to invest in new, additional and exciting projects. We are keen to hear from any sports club, sporting organisation or Parent Teacher Association with a great idea that will make a difference within their community; so that accessibility and inclusion is felt and experienced by those who have been traditionally excluded from not only participating in sport but playing an active role in within the club by promoting sporting activity with a desire to increase current club membership and activity or provides opportunities for new people to get involved.
We believe that investment in local community-based clubs or sporting organisations, that are accessible and have facilities and equipment within the community will drive increased participation whilst encouraging people to get active and level the playing field.
In addition to the programme objectives Project Creating Opportunities seeks specifically to support the following priority groups of people:
We will support participation projects which deliver new and additional opportunities to engage people (from the groups above) who have been traditionally excluded from not only participating in sport but also playing an active role within the club.
Promote volunteering – we will support participation projects (for the groups above) which recognise and support the development of volunteers in the community and that offer multiple opportunities to get involved.
We encourage innovation – we are very keen to support a diverse range of participation projects) including those which offer innovative solutions that respond to the needs of different participants (from the groups above) who have been traditionally excluded from participating and playing an active role in sport.
To be eligible to apply you must be one of the following organisations:
If your application is approved, you will be eligible to receive funding of 50% of your crowdfunding target up to a maximum of £5,000. Match funding from Sport NI will not exceed the maximum of £5,000.
If approved, Sport NI will make the pledge when you have met the ‘fund conditions’:
1. Raise at least 25% of your initial target,
2. Raise this from a minimum of 25 unique supporters.
If either of these fund conditions are not met, the pledge will be withheld until both have been met.
If these two fund conditions are met, Sport NI will pledge 50% of your target up to a maximum of £5,000.
To secure the Sport NI match funding, you must raise at least 100% of your project target before your project closes.Before applying please read the Sport NI Creating Opportunities.Eligibility and Pledge Criteria
All funded projects are required to agree to the Sport NI Creating Opportunities Grant Conditions
A full copy of the programme guidance note can be found at www.sportni.net
Start a new project on Crowdfunder, tell us the basics and a rough outline of your story. Then we can show you funds that you may be eligible for.
You can then choose to make an application for a relevant fund. If a partner likes your project, they may agree to support it.
Show me how to apply
Start raising money from the crowd and once you reach an agreed percentage of your target, one of our partners could boost your total with a large donation.
The go-to place for all the advice and guidance to help you make your project a success no matter what stage you’re at.
Our team regularly host live and interactive sessions to share all the tips and know-how you need to be successful on Crowdfunder.
If applying to match funding from Sport England, this free PDF guide can give you all the information and inspiration you need to get started.
Success story
Ballinderry Shamrocks GAC turned to their crowd to develop their youth engagement initiative, unlocking a £5,000 pledge from Sport Northern Ireland along the way.
Garvagh Phoenix Volleyball Club
Watch how Garvagh Phoenix Volleyball Club developed their juniors and ladies programme with the help of their community and extra funding from Sport Northern Ireland.
Rathfriland Cross Community Amateur Boxing Club
Watch how Rathfriland Cross Community Amateur Boxing Club raised more than £26,000 to improve the equipment for young athletes at their gym.
Healthy Kidz Mega Summer Camps
Watch how Healthy Kidz Mega Summer Camps raised more than £23,000 to improve the physical, general, and emotional health of all children through inclusive camps.