Sport for Business and 2Into3 are hosting a special online information session this morning for clubs affiliated to Rowing Ireland all across the country.
We will be talking through the detail of the application process for the latest round of the Sports Capital Programme, and answering questions from almost 50 clubs from Donegal to Kerry and Wexford to Louth.
The Programme was announced on July 12th and will close on September 8th.
This is a tight timeframe across a summer period when it can be more challenging to get the right people around the table to put together an application that can be transformative for clubs.
It has delivered down the years with over 13,000 projects having benefited from sports capital funding since 1998.
There is no slow down in demand either with 2,000 projects funded to the tune of €150 million in 2022, bringing the total allocations to over €1.15 billion.
There is a focus on climate action and sustainability for the first time, supporting local clubs to take steps to reduce their energy consumption and applying for more efficient lighting.
For the first time in the history of the Programme, projects will only be considered for grant support if access is guaranteed to men and women on equal terms.
As one of the stated objectives of the Programme is to increase female participation, all applications for funding of women-only facilities will be deemed valid for consideration.
This is an important change because it will either force many clubs to advance the idea of shared facilities or exclude others who have traditionally been open only to boys or men.
Watch out later in the autumn for a Sport for Business Members Round Table on Grant Funding in the round, aimed at bringing National Governing Bodies up to speed on the range of supports available from Government.
