Latest funding to keep nation active

We’re investing £28 million of National Lottery and government funding into four national governing bodies of sport (NGB).

The four NGBs to receive our funding are The Football Association, England Boxing, England Squash and British Wheelchair Basketball.

Our latest investment will help target people who have a strong relationship with sport, including talented athletes trying to reach the top.

INVESTING IN SPORT

We want everyone in England, regardless of age, background or ability, to feel able to take part in sport or activity.

£244m

invested in national governing bodies

That's why NGBs that receive funding are also committed to targeting under-represented groups to help more people feel able to take part in sport.

The latest announcement follows the three previous decision rounds made in December 2016, and February and March 2017. Find out more about these in the right-hand sidebar.

These decisions saw more than 40 governing bodies awarded £216 million of funding to help them deliver their grassroots sport programmes.

It means we've awarded £244 million so far into national governing bodies of sport.

DELIVERING RESULTS

Last year, we launched the Code for Sports Governance alongside UK Sport.

The code sets out gold standards of governance that organisations must meet in order to receive public funding from us.

Each of the governing bodies awarded funding today meet these strict governance standards.

We will measure the NGBs' performance in delivering the plans each year, with decisions on future funding based on results so far.

PROVIDING THE BEST EXPERIENCE

Investments announced today include:

• British Wheelchair Basketball: Core market (£1,212,665), Talent (£222,335)

Back in February, we awarded British Wheelchair Basketball £300,000 to support regular players of the game. Click the link below for details.

Today’s investment will help the organisation to support those people who play wheelchair basketball more regularly, either in structured competitions and leagues or more informally as part of a local club.

The talent award will also allow the NGB to focus on their network of regional performance centres, making sure that all those who attend receive the best quality coaching and support.

• The Football Association (£8,988,000)

Earlier this year, we awarded the Football Association just over £5.6 million to support a number of grassroots programmes, including its disability programme and women and girls talent projects.

The funding announced today supports the FA in providing high-quality experiences to the 1.6 million people that play 'affiliated football' each week. Affiliated football refers to the many thousands of teams who register their team/league with the local county football association.

As well as the focus on affiliated football, the FA will help players whose changing needs mean they want to play in a different way.

This may include people who lack time due to work commitments, are juggling lots of other activities and hobbies, have fewer friends playing or have suffered a recent injury. 

Kelly Simmons, director of participation and development for the FA, says: “This funding will help us maintain, as well as unearth, players, coaches and officials, from all backgrounds and abilities.

“It will also be crucial in our pursuit of sustaining existing and pursuing new formats of the game in a response to changing playing habits. Our insight tells us that some want more flexibility and less time commitment, so it’s important we’re aware of these trends.”

• England Boxing (£2,835,366)

In February 2017, we awarded England Boxing £364,734 to support regular participants, alongside a talent award of £1,050,000 to support boxers on their way to the top.

This new award will support the NGB in recruiting and retaining more boxers from a wider range of backgrounds.

It will also be used to develop stronger clubs and governance infrastructure, including an improved competition offering and education initiatives for volunteers and staff.

• England Squash: Core market (£3,937,375), Talent (£2,134,000), High Performance (£750,000)

Earlier this year, we awarded England Squash £1,141,250 to support regular players of the game.

75%

of people that play squash are male

Today’s investment means the NGB can focus on providing more informal and social opportunities for everybody to play the game.

Currently 75% of people that take part in squash are male. This funding will help England Squash work on reducing the barriers to women taking part.

Our director of sport, Phil Smith, says: “Each of the four national governing bodies here will be working hard to provide their regular players with the experience they want, so they will keep playing.

“They are also trying to make those regulars a more diverse group, with some specific efforts to attract more women, more people with disabilities and those less well-off to enjoy their sport and live an active life.”