Accrington Stanley has become the first EFL club to net a maximum £100,000 grant from the Sky Bet EFL Building Foundations Fund in the latest round of funding awards to boost football community projects across England and Wales.
The Lancashire club with traditions dating back nearly 140 years is one of seven Clubs to receive much-needed cash in the second round of awards since the Sky Bet EFL Building Foundations Fund was launched last season.
Accrington Stanley’s Club Community Organisation (CCO) will use the funding to finance a new small-sided 3G pitch at its Stanley Sports Hub facility, a venue that already serves many local grassroots clubs, sports groups and organisations, and is a training venue in the UK and Ireland’s successful bid to host the 2028 European Championships.
Construction of the new pitch has already begun and is expected to pave the way for a marked rise in the number of people playing football, from disabled groups to community sessions for over 50s.
Other winnings bids included the CCOs run by Rotherham United, Stevenage, Walsall, Crawley Town, Watford and Notts County.
talkSPORT Breakfast Show host and Sky Bet ambassador, Jeff Stelling was one of the panellists who judged winning bids. He said: “There’s no doubt that this round of funding will play a crucial role in keeping communities across England and Wales active for years to come.
“What has really impressed me when judging these applications is the breadth of different programmes that the CCOs offer, and these new grants will be put to great use serving the whole community.”
Accrington Stanley Chairman, Andy Holt said: “Community is key for every football club and this £100,000 grant from the Sky Bet EFL Building Foundations Fund is absolutely massive for the Hyndburn community.
“The new 3G pitch at the Stanley Sports Hub is now fully constructed, and it will mean more groups of every age and ability can use the excellent facilities that the Accrington Stanley Community Trust provide.”
Sky Bet and the EFL launched the Building Foundations Fund to support and enhance new and existing community projects when the betting and gaming operator extended its title partnership with the EFL last year. Sky Bet committed to investing a bumper £6 million over six years.
Among other successful second round bids announced today were Rotherham United, who were awarded £65,600 to put towards the redevelopment of their current Parkgate Astro pitch, while Stevenage’s funding will go to the purchase a branded vehicle to transport Stevenage FC Foundation’s StreetStadia portable pitch to communities in the local area.
Walsall will use its latest funding to help start the delivery of their “Back On Your Feet” programme, addressing unemployment and the skills gap to support individuals in the Walsall community back in to work.
The CCOs of Crawley Town, Notts County and Watford have been rewarded with various levels of funding to invest in projects such as Crawley’s 3G ballcourt at Broadfield Stadium, the refurbishment and the maintenance of Notts County’s Portland Centre and facilities upgrades to Watford’s Meriden Community Centre.
Today’s funding awards come after new Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport ,Lisa Nandy MP talked of her ambition to prioritise support for grassroots sport – to help find the stars of tomorrow and transform lives in every part of Britain.
Debbie Cook, Director of EFL in the Community, the EFL’s charitable arm, said: “Our Clubs are at the heart of our communities across England and Wales and are serving distinct and diverse local areas. The Sky Bet EFL Building Foundations Fund is enabling and strengthening the role of our network to change people’s lives in EFL communities.
“The fund will continue to support the commitment to and significant impact that facility upgrades, and the delivery of new and existing programmes can create in communities up and down the country.”
More than £650,000-worth of funding was awarded by the Sky Bet EFL Building Foundations Fund to more than 60 EFL CCOs in March.
Under the first round of bids, Millwall launched a Military Veterans Football Programme, to reconnect ex-service men and women through free football sessions, while Leeds United used the money to expand its ‘Social Goals’ programme to tackle isolation among the over 50s.
Dan Colton, Managing Director of Sky Bet said: “We all celebrated the England team’s progress to the final of the Euros in Germany, but the Building Foundations Fund is about providing much needed support at the other end of the ladder – the communities around the 72 great clubs in the EFL.
“We’re incredibly proud of the impact the Building Foundations Fund is already having all over England and Wales and the calibre of the many applications from CCOs in this round of funding reinforces what vital services these organisations provide and how important it is they have the infrastructure they need to thrive.”
EFL CCOs will have further opportunity to bid for funding grants throughout the upcoming season that will contribute to improving local sporting facilities or promoting the physical and social benefits of the game.
