Following a six-month trial, Sport Wales is extending its ‘A Place for Sport’ fund which supports community clubs and organisations’ own fundraising efforts to make off-field facility improvements.
It’s a very different fund to anything offered previously in Wales as it requires clubs to raise at least half of the money themselves by crowdfunding.
Not only have clubs embraced the opportunity to engage more with their local communities, but they’ve also come up with some really innovative ideas – big and small – to improve the overall experience of grassroots sport.
Owen Hathway, Sport Wales’ Assistant Director for Insight, Policy and Public Affairs explains: “Clubs have created some really appealing crowdfunding campaigns that have drawn support from hundreds of individuals in their local communities. We’ve been really impressed with how clubs have come up with creative solutions to help more people in their communities benefit from physical activity.
“There is no doubt that what we’ve created is innovative in the sport sector and those clubs that have embraced it have shown it can work. It highlights how sports clubs continue to be a critical community hub, valued and needed from the people they support, and who in turn have supported them.”
Owen added: “The support of partners in making clubs aware of this funding opportunity has been greatly appreciated. Please continue to spread the word among your networks and help to explain the crowdfunding process to interested clubs.”
A different way of funding grassroots sport
Here are some examples of the creative fundraising projects that have received Sport Wales support since the pilot scheme began in Autumn 2021…
High-tech solution for safe water sports
Thanks to ‘A Place for Sport’, poisonous blue green algae is being removed from a Flintshire beauty spot to make a lake suitable all-year round for swimming, kayaking and diving. Park In The Past, near the rural village of Caergwrle, is a popular site for water sports, but the lake often has to shut for days on end when the algae blooms. To tackle the issue, a local community group set about raising money for a sustainable water treatment programme which includes the installation of two ultrasonic buoys that will emit ultrasound waves. The soundwaves are harmless to the wildlife in the lake, but will reduce the dangerous algae by over 90%. In March, the group successfully raised a total of £13,560 thanks to 157 supporters and £4,050 from Sport Wales.
Power lines blighting sport
Overhead power lines blight a large area of the Oaklands sportsground in Newport, so Ponthir Sports and Community Club started a crowdfunding project to raise enough money to pay Western Power to bury the cables so that more sport can be played there. A £10,500 grant from Sport Wales helped the club to achieve their overall £35,000 fundraising target.
Accessibility improvements
Members of the Coed Gwilym Bowls Green in Swansea were thrilled to reach their £24,266 fundraising target in January so that they could rejuvenate the space surrounding their bowling green to make it accessible to everyone, including people who are disabled, partially sighted, and elderly. Over just 67 days, their crowdfunding efforts were supported by 132 donations and £9,600 in match-funding from Sport Wales.
Sport at the heart of the community
Over just two months, the Wye Gymnastics & Galaxy Cheerleading Centre in Caldicot reached their £10,000 target towards the creation of a new community café – The Coffee Beam – by raising £6,577 from 179 supporters via crowdfunding with Sport Wales adding £4,000 in match-funding.
Fire safety
Mumbles Yacht Club successfully received Sport Wales support for their crowdfunding project to make emergency fire safety improvements. Buoyed by £1,650 from Sport Wales, the club achieved their £5,715 target to pay for fire safety provisions which included new fire doors and a fire-resistant shutter to the gallery.
Snack hut supports minis and juniors
Abercynon RFC ran a crowdfunding campaign so that they could make improvements to their hut which serves snacks and drinks on matchdays. All of the profits from the hut go straight into the club’s mini and junior section, helping to pay for kit, equipment and other costs. Thanks to £600 from Sport Wales and donations from the local community, the club reached their £2,445 target to pay for essential hut repairs and make upgrades to the food preparation area.
Clubs can sign up for online workshop
A 30-minute online webinar is being held on Tuesday 10 May from 12pm – 12:30pm to help clubs learn more about Crowdfunding and how to access Sport Wales funding. Registrations for the webinar can be made here.