Introduction
The National Sports Foundation is a Government-led initiative designed to facilitate and encourage partnerships between private investors and community sports projects in England.  We do this by matching new and additional private investment with Foundation funding, on a pound for pound basis.  This is a great opportunity for both investors and community sports organisations to work together to improve the sporting infrastructure of the country.

Application Process
Applicants apply online via www.nationalsportsfoundation.org

Telephone support is available from Sport England on Tel. 08458 508 508.

What are the aims of the Programme?
The NSF has three priority funding themes:

• Fit for Sport – projects to improve both physical and human infrastructure for community clubs. This will include investing in clubs, coaches and volunteers in local communities
• 2012 Kids – building on the success of the Olympics, projects to encourage children and young people to take up sport; and
• Women into Sport – projects to increase female participation in sport, including providing coaching and support for female teams

In addition to this the National Sports Foundation will only consider match funding projects which deliver one or more of the following outcomes:

• Increased participation in sporting activity,
• Increased club membership
• Increased numbers of qualified and active coaches delivering instruction in sport
• Increased numbers of active volunteers supporting community sport

Applications should aim to demonstrate how they impact on Sport England’s ‘Grow, Sustain and Excel’ outcomes as outlined in Sport England’s 2008-2011 Strategy. The strategy can be down loaded from Sport England’s website: www.sportengland.org

How does National Sports Foundation funding work?
The National Sports Foundation can match, pound for pound, commercial business sponsorship or funding from trusts / private donors for a sporting project that aims to increase participation and/or improve performance at grassroots level. Projects may be a revenue scheme, a capital project or a mixture of both. Sponsorship may be in cash or in-kind.

What's the minimum and maximum award?
The minimum award is £50,001. There is currently no maximum award figure.

Further Information
Please use the National Sports Foundation website www.nationalsportsfoundation.org in the first instance. Alternatively please contact Sport England on Tel. 08458 508 508 for all other queries.