The aim of Sportsmatch is to generate
commercial sponsorship in to sport. However, as many
charities/charitable trusts and private individuals obtain their
income from commercial activity those are also acceptable forms of
sponsorship. Priority is given to applications seeking to match new
sponsorship from the commercial sector.
Sponsorship is ranked in the following
priority order:
1. A first time commercial sponsor
of grassroots sport.
2. An existing commercial sponsor
increasing their funding from a previous level and therefore
investing additional money.
3. An existing commercial sponsor
new to your organisation.
4. An existing commercial sponsor
not increasing their previous sponsorship levels but under a new
sponsorship agreement for new work, or sponsorship from
charities/charitable trusts, or private individuals.
Sportsmatch can match up to five eligible
sponsors, each of which must contribute a minimum of £1,000.
Your sponsorship should be confirmed prior to submitting an
application. Evidence of the sponsorship is a project specific
document that must be submitted to support this application. The
sponsor's
declaration form should be completed by each of your sponsors,
unless you can provide a copy of a formal agreement that has
already been signed by the two parties.
You can have already received the money from
your sponsor at the time of submitting your application. However,
you should not spend any of your sponsor’s money
on the project until you have received a funding decision from
us.
In-kind funding
Sponsorship in-kind relates to situations where the sponsor
provides equipment or items to the organisation, instead of
investing cash. Sportsmatch may be able to match the value of these
items provided it equates to no more than 50% of the total eligible
sponsorship (e.g. a £100k project with £50k being requested from
Sport England, at least £25k of the remaining funding would need to
be cash sponsorship). In-kind funding can include
sporting equipment and other non-personal items directly related to
sporting activities (including kit which remains in the organising
body's possession).
The items being matched in-kind must be
capable of being given a monetary value which can be verified and
must be at cost price to the sponsor. It will be necessary to show
that the goods will contribute to increasing participation in sport
and be directly linked to your project activity. Sportsmatch will
not match personal time, advertising space or publicity costs.
Sponsors ineligible for match funding
We cannot match sponsorship
from:
- a statutory body, for example a local
authority or further education college, or an
organisation that receives more than 25% of their funds from
government sources, as this would be public funds matching
other public funds.
- Grants from the Landfill Communities Fund,
gift aid and contributions derived from an agreement or undertaking
made under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act
1990.
- An organisation whose primary purpose is the
promotion or sale of alcohol or tobacco where project beneficiaries
are under 18 and/or the project involves motor sports.
- An organisation whose business may harm the
reputation of Sport England.
- An organisation that derives its funds from
the delivery of sporting activities, a national governing body,
charity or professional sporting body that is investing in its own
sport e.g. a leisure centre who provide opportunities for badminton
sponsoring a badminton club. Investment in other sports will be
considered on a case by case basis.
- An organisation without a base in the
UK.
- Professional or trade associations.
- Charities that do not have a provision in
their constitution to give grants.
For additional sponsorship information
please download our Sportsmatch
Sponsorship Guidance document.