Posts in category: TTI News

Kingspan have announced applications are open for their Kick start sports fund that is set to award up to €1000/£850 to amateur athletes and sports clubs to help provide financial support for equipment, training, and other necessary resources. 

This fund is open to sports organisations or athletes based on the island of Ireland. The fund aims to support grass-roots sports across the following areas,

• Amateur sports clubs, and community sports facilities based on the island of Ireland that are open to the whole community, organised on an amateur basis, having as their main purpose either providing facilities or participation in sport.
• Amateur athletes residing on island of Ireland.

For more information or to apply visit: www.kingspangroup.com/en/about/communities/kickstart-sports-fund/. 

The scheme offers financial support to clubs and aims to assist in the implementation of locally-developed, well-planned initiatives designed to increase participation in recreational sport and physical activity by older people. In particular, the scheme is aimed at:  

• assisting local clubs/organisations/care settings to enhance existing opportunities for their members in recreational sport and physical activity;  

• assisting local clubs/organisations/care settings to start new initiatives geared at involving older people in recreational sport and physical activity;  

• encouraging all sports clubs to provide new initiatives within their clubs aimed at getting older people back to their sport;  

Grants are available to all eligible local clubs, groups, care settings and organisations that promote increased participation in recreational sport or physical activity for older people as a main element of their activities. If your club is interested in exploring this grant please click here and/or contact [email protected] if you have any further questions or queries.

We aim to have a couple of packages ready for clubs early next week (W/C 5th February) around Bat and chat and Table tennis at home that may be of use.  

Attention Clubs (ROI only) 

Have you registered with your local Community Development Committee? 

Ministers Humphreys and O’Brien announce €6 million Department of Rural & Community Development Local Enhancement Programme 2024  

Applications are open for the Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) 2024, which will provide small scale capital funding to support community groups across Ireland. Closing date for applications is Thursday, 15 February 2024. 

There is a separate ring-fenced fund available to Women’s Groups under the Programme. 

This funding will provide capital supports essential for the many small community groups and organisations, particularly those who serve disadvantaged areas in rural and urban areas. 

The funding is administered on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development locally by Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) across the country, with support from their Local Authority. Applications for funding can be made to the relevant LCDC. Contact details for LCDCs are available.   Click here for Press release 

While this particular tranche of capital funding may not be suitable for your club at this time we would recommend that all clubs contact or look up the LCDC’s in their county or city and see what other funding might be available. There are other funding schemes announced from time to time.  

If you have project that is raising awareness of and improve health issues such as obesity, smoking, alcohol and drug misuse, increase public participation in physical activity and address areas of health inequality. For example, you may wish to partner with a local youth initiative to introduce Table Tennis as an affordable alternative physical activity or work with a local women’s shed to introduce a bat and chat programme.  

Please note that individual LCDC’s will have different criteria and eligibility rules as well as different types of funding opportunities. For example sports clubs maybe excluded, however if clubs are developing an initiative that is for wider community benefit then the club may well be eligible. The key message here is to make clubs aware of potential funding opportunities locally. It will be up to the club to explore further with the relevant county or city council.

If you have any questions relating to this please don’t hesitate to drop us an e mail at [email protected]