Assessment criteria

This is a very competitive and over-subscribed investment fund; therefore bids will be assessed using two sets of criteria.

The first one will determine whether the application is eligible for this fund. The second will determine the extent to which the application will achieve the outcomes that Sport England is seeking.

We anticipate receiving more applications for project funding than we are able to support so applications will be assessed and prioritised against the eligibility criteria and the contribution to the principles of this fund.

Eligibility criteria

Applications will need to meet the following criteria to be eligible for this funding:

• Be submitted by an organisation entitled to receive public funding such as sports clubs, voluntary or community organisations, local authorities and education establishments such as schools, colleges and universities
• Benefit all sections of the local community and be of regional significance for at least two sports
• Request a grant between £250,000 and £3m
• Request funding for the development of capital infrastructure, which can contribute to the costs of new build, modernisation or refurbishment and major fixed equipment where it is an integral part of a project. Ineligible capital infrastructure can found within the assessment criteria section of the Iconic Facilities pages.
• Not include costs of non-fixed equipment or revenue, as this is not covered by the fund
• Request funding for elements of a capital project which have not yet started on site
• Be based on a site where the applicant holds ownership or long-term leasehold
• Include recognised sporting activity of at least two National Governing Bodies of Sport; our recognised sports are listed on our How we recognise sports page
• Include confirmed and/or anticipated partnership funding from at least one third party including (where possible) the private/commercial sector and National Governing Bodies of Sport
• Include confirmed revenue funding for the facility to demonstrate the long-term sustainability of the project

The second criteria for assessment will determine the extent to which the project will achieve four key principles of creating and operating a sustainable sports facility including Impact, Sustainability, Deliverability and Additionality. Applicants will be asked to provide further information on each of these principles as part of their application.

1. Impact against Grow, Sustain and Excel

Applications must show how the proposed investment will contribute to at least one of Sport England’s strategic outcomes of grow, sustain and excel.

Good applications will provide clear evidence of:

• Specific benefits of the project and quantify the impact on Grow, Sustain and/or Excel
• A clearly articulated vision of not only what the project wants to achieve but also how and why
• Links to local and national priorities that the project will help to address for the area. For example this could include the local authority Community Strategy, the local sports strategy or equivalent and local Health and Well Being strategies where they exist.
• How the project will make a clear contribution to the priorities identified within at least two NGB Whole Sport Plans and the level of support for the project (including funding) from the NGBs at a national level.
• Synergy with any existing provision to ensure there is no duplication, particularly through rationalisation, and working with other capital investment programmes taking place within the local area.

Priority will be given to projects with a collaborative or consortia approach (including strategic support from at least two NGBs ) which can demonstrate the potential to grow and sustain participation in community sport at a local and regional level.

2. Sustainability

Applications must evidence the need and demand for the facility as well as show that the facility will be operated and funded for at least the next 21 years (minimum) to ensure Sport England’s strategic outcomes are achieved and the facility is maintained to a high standard.

Good applications will provide clear evidence of:

• A real need and demand in the community for sports facilities and ideally, sharing a site or co-locating with other community services and private sector activities. This could be done through a combination of:
           - Supply and demand needs analysis
           - Community surveys
           - Active People data
           - Market Segmentation data 
           - Active Places Power data
           - Highlighting a fit with wider capital planning strategies
• Using the need and demand analysis to scope, plan and shape the project
• Established partnership working between the organisations involved which will last beyond the lifetime of this application
• A sustainable business plan (5-years minimum) which combines capital, revenue, public and private resources to support the facility’s sustainability including sports development initiatives and lifecycle costs
• Agreements with key partners that show the necessary revenue to support sports development work and facility life-cycle costs is ring-fenced in the long-term
• How value for money considerations such as multi-use of facilities by sports, co-location with other agencies, building on established facilities or expertise has shaped the project

Priority will be given to applications that are able to evidence a strategic need for the proposed facilities at a local and regional level; and that work with commercial or other partner organisations to create a dowry fund for sustaining the future operation of the facility.

3. Ability to deliver

Applications should clearly show that they are in a position to undertake the capital build and draw down funding in a specified period between 2012/13 and 2013/14.

Good applications will provide clear evidence of:

• A detailed project plan for delivery of the facilities from inception to completion with realistic milestones
• Project and risk management structures/plans in place that will mitigate risks to ensure successful delivery
• Consideration of viability and risk factors associated with other sources of funding and ability to drawdown the grant in the specified financial years
• Approvals required, including detailed planning permission, already obtained or in the planning approval process
• Architectural drawings already developed to RIBA Stage C/D or equivalent as a minimum and which comply with Sport England’s Design Guidance and NGB specifications
• A procurement strategy and delivery mechanism which use established routes where available – or have good reasons for not doing so

Priority will be given to applications that are in detailed development stage and have all the relevant statutory and legal approvals in place (eg planning permission, security of tenure for the project site).

4. Additionality

Applications must state the level of funding that has been attracted from other sources to maximise the impact of this limited investment fund. Applications will also need to state how resources from Sport England’s fund will make a difference to the project, facilitating genuinely sustainable community sports facilities, rather than a simple declaration of the need for more money. We will take into account the cost of the project as a whole, the size of grant being requested and the number of people who will benefit from the project in order to assess whether a grant will provide Sport England with a good return on investment.

Good applications will provide clear evidence of:

• Funding from other sources already obtained or confirmed in writing
• How the project builds upon local commitments and plans already in place, for example, the local authority Community Strategy, the local Sports Strategy (or equivalent) and Health and Well Being Strategies where they exist
• Why the project will deliver new, leading edge solutions by way of design, delivery, management or operation
• How the project is setting best practice standards that can be replicated elsewhere
• The project being able to determine measurable outcomes and success indicators that illustrates value for money for Sport England’s investment
• How Sport England’s funding will facilitate a genuinely sustainable community sports facility

Priority will be given to applications that support delivery of local commitments/priorities, will provide a good return on Sport England investment and ultimately that will lead to a best practice facility model that can be replicated elsewhere in England.