At some point most clubs require additional funding to help them do the things that they want . Whether that might be to set up a programme of instruction, to encourage new novice members; to buy equipment to help members; to improve facilities at the club hut, and so on.
There are various grants, loans and other support available. This article will give you the information and links to the main ones.
Funding for Huts
The Sport England Inspired Facilities Programme has been replaced with the Community Asset Fund that will fund the renovation and modernisation of local sports facilities, which includes mountaineering huts. Although the fund is managed by Sport England it will support the development of huts located in Wales or Scotland, as long as the club is based in England with most of its members living in England.
Several BMC clubs have been awarded funding to upgrade their club huts here is a selection with their feedback:
Gloucester Mountaineering Club gets £50000
Bromsgrove & Redditch Mountaineering Club received £40,719 towards its hut in Tremadog and Lancashire Mountaineering Club received £50,000 towards the club's new hut in Beddgelert
MAM received a grant from Sport England's Inspired Facilities programme
Sport England Funding Programmes
A range of grants available for equipment, training courses, instructor development, new members, hut improvements.
Small Grants - The Small Grants Programme makes awards between £300 and £10,000 to not-for-profit organisations, including clubs, to help with any of the following
- Reduce the drop off at ages 16, 18, 21 & 24
- Grow the number of disabled people playing sport
- More people play sport once a week
- Increase the number of 14-25s playing sport once a week
Funding can be used for instructor-led sessions, equipment for use by new members and marketing of recruitment campaigns.
An example of Sport England funding used by Lancashire Mountaineering Club
Full list of Sport England grants available
Sport Wales Funding Programmes
Sport Wales Funding Programmes – for training for new members, equipment, instructor support
Community Chest – up to £1500 available to increase the number of people participating in mountaineering and to increase the quality of their experience.
Development Grant – grants of between £1501 and £25000 available to develop instructors within your club, to purchase equipment and to develop sports facilities, including huts.
Funding for Instructors
For training new instructors and developing existing instructors.
If you have people within your club who wish to undertake one of the recognised instructor awards through Mountain Training check out the grants available on the Sportscoach UK website. Most grants are aimed at people who will then provide voluntary hours back to their club.
Plas y Brenin Awards and Bursaries
These grants are for instructor training and skill development
Plas y Brenin offers several awards and bursaries to help people train to become instructors or to develop their skills and safety in the outdoors. Awards and bursaries include:
The Future Leaders Fund
James Brownhill Memorial Fund
Gerald Harris Memorial Trust
Godfrey Jackson Memorial Award
Jonathan Conville Trust
Kathmandu Memorial Bursary
Full list
Active Partnerships
Active Partnerships (formerly County Sports Partnerships / CSPs) can help with funds locally that provide support for instructors, new activity, and equipment.
Every English county has an Active Partnership (AP). One role of the AP is to support local clubs and coaches/instructors to access funding to help them to deliver sport. Check out the website for your local AP to see what support they can offer you. Some APs will have funding to help train coaches & instructors, to set up new sessions, and to promote new activity. They will also be able to advise on other local funding that you may be able to access.
Trips & Expeditions
If you have club members planning an expedition check out our list of grant awarding bodies that support such trips.
Other useful information
Frequently asked questions
Club guidelines
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