Sport England’s partnership with national governing bodies of sport

Key Sport England targets

Sport England’s new strategy sets out the key targets for the period 2009 – 13. These are:

• One million people playing more sport
  
• Cutting the drop-off in at least five different sports by 25%
  
• Increasing people’s satisfaction with their experience of sport
  
• Improving talent development in at least 25 sports
  
• Making a major contribution to the delivery of the Five Hour Sport Offer.

Our strategy is based on outcome delivery in three key areas (below), which will combine to achieve these targets:

Outcome 1 – Grow - about 15% of Sport England’s investment will focus on increasing regular sports participation by 1 million more adults. In addition, we will contribute to the Five Hour Offer;

Outcome 2 - Sustain -  about 60% of our investment will focus on sustaining current participants in sport by making sure people have a quality experience and by action to cut the number of 16 – 18 year olds dropping out of sport

Outcome 3 - Excel - about 25% of investment will focus on systems and pathways to accelerate talent development.

Key delivery partners
The strategy identifies national governing bodies of sport (NGBs) as key delivery partners.

About 50% of Sport England’s future investment - between £100m and £120m each year, depending on the quality of the plans and proposals - will be through NGBs

Sport England will ask selected governingbodies to provide their own plans for their sports, to include outcomes matching our strategic goals. Governing bodies will have greater autonomy over the four year public investment entrusted to them; but, alongside this they will also have greater responsibility for effective delivery against Sport England’s key targets (see above).

Selection of NGBs

How were NGBs selected, by Sport England? The main criteria were:

• An Olympic or Paralympic sport
  
  OR
  
• Allready designated as a development sport by Sport England
  
  OR
• More than 75,000 people in England participating.

46 sports satisfy these criteria and have therefore been asked to prepare a plan on which a funding assessment can be made. The deadline for the submission of draft plans was 1 September.
All 46 sports have put forward proposals.

Other sports may also receive funding for specific projects through our other funding streams. We also anticipate continuing to work with the Central Council of Physical Recreation to support some smaller sports. Further details on both of these options will be announced on the Sport England website before the end of the year.

Criteria for assessment
We are already aware that the total funding requested by the 46 sports significantly exceeds the £120m available. So, we will need to analyse the plans submitted on a competitive basis.

Sport England’s assessment of the amount to be awarded to each sport will be based on the following criteria:

The scale of the impact the NGB’s proposal will have on Sport England’s targets;

• The NGB’s capacity to deliver against its own plans and against Sport England’s targets
  
• Likely costs of delivery – and value for money
  
• Timescales for delivery of results
  
• Degree of risk
  
• Quality of evidence on which the NGB’s plan is based
  
• The NGB’s commitment to growing participation in under-represented groups – for example women, black and minority ethnic groups and the disabled
  
• The extent of cross sport working
  
• The expected sustainability of the NGB’s proposals after the period for which Sport England is investing.

When assessing the NGB plans against these criteria, Sport England will seek answers to a range of questions in full and frank discussions with NGB officers. The NGB representatives will have every opportunity to present their investment case fully to Sport England.

During the process Sport England will keep in close touch with the NGBs on the progress of their applications. But, once the final plans have been received in early October, the main focus will be on assessment of what has been presented. If there are any delays – which presently we do not anticipate - NGBs will be informed immediately, with an explanation and a revised timetable.

Sport England decisions
Sport England will notify NGBs of the outcome of their funding applications in December. Funds will be released from 1 April 2009.

An important element of Sport England’s new approach is the more rigorous, but supportive, approach to accountability for the achievement of outcomes/results during the four year period. We will hold senior level meetings with the funded sports every six months to discuss progress towards the outcomes. NGBs will also have the opportunity to revise their plans during the four year period, if such change will improve their chances of successful delivery.