Unrestricted grants of £1,000 are available to help sustain and increase access to football, tennis and cricket for women and girls across the UK (as well as engage people from other underrepresented groups, such as people with disabilities, those from racially diverse communities and those from the LGBTQ+ community).
Small grants are also available for football, tennis, and cricket coaching courses to help increase the number of female coaches delivering sport to girls across the UK. Two coaching grants are available per club as a contribution towards a Level 1 coach qualification, as follows: Cricket (up to £200); Tennis (up to £200) and Football (up to £160).
The Sported Foundation (Sported UK) has partnered with Barclays to provide further rounds of the Barclays Community Sport Fund (previously the Barclays Community Football Fund). The programme is running from 2025 to 2027 with an annual budget of £1.4 million.
The Barclays Community Sport Fund aims to help reduce inequalities in football by supporting community sports groups who need it most. The programme focuses on groups operating in areas of high deprivation by supporting young people from the following underrepresented sectors. Please note that applicants must operate in an area of high deprivation as defined in the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (these have recently been updated for 2025).
Only organisations located in or supporting people from IMD areas 1-3 are eligible to apply, although there is some flexibility where this applies to organisations working with people with a disability. The Fund is designed to support:
- Girls (Sported is especially keen to support girls football teams)
- Women
- People from racially diverse communities
- People from the LGBTQ+ community
- People from lower socio-economic groups, and
- People with a disability
The following support is available:
Access Grants (currently open with a deadline of 5pm on Wednesday 27 May 2026) - unrestricted grants of £1,000 are available to help sustain and increase access to football, tennis and cricket for women and girls (as well as engage people from other underrepresented groups, such as people with disabilities, those from racially diverse communities and those from the LGBTQ+ community).
Female Coaches for Girls Fund (opens at 9am on Wednesday 8 July with a deadline of 5pm on Friday 4th December 2026) - funding for football, tennis, and cricket coaching courses to help increase the number of female coaches delivering sport to girls - two coaching grants are available per club as a contribution towards a Level 1 coach qualification, as follows: Cricket (up to £200); Tennis (up to £200) and Football (up to £160).
If successful in their application for funding, groups will also be able to access:
- Exclusive match tickets, mascot places, and promotional opportunities, and
- Advice and support and signposting to training and resources.
Further information, guidance, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and details about how to apply is available on the Sported Foundation's website. New applicants to the Fund will be required to register before they can access the application form.
Access grants are currently open with a deadline of 5pm on Wednesday 27 May 2026.
The Female Coaches for Girls Fund opens at 9am on Wednesday 8 July with a deadline of 5pm on Friday 4 December 2026.