Sporting Capital is the first social investment fund in England that focuses specifically on organisations and projects that help to develop communities through sport and physical activity.
What Sporting Capital fund
The £3m Sporting Capital Fund provides loan funding of between £50,000 and £150,000 to eligible organisations. We expect to make around 30 to 50 investments by June 2020.
The loan funding will be used to help organisations develop new projects, operations and revenue streams. The goal is to help develop more sustainable community sports organisations.
Whilst every organisation’s needs will differ, we expect the funding to be used for projects and activities such as:
- Equipment to support revenue streams
- Recruitment, training and deployment of staff and volunteers
- Equipment to support business functions, including finance, project management and governance
- Other operating costs
If you are unsure if your idea or project fits our criteria please get in touch. Each investment will be tailored to the organisation. Loans will be repayable over 3 to 5 years and a repayment holiday of up to 24 months will
be available, giving projects time to generate sustainable revenue before starting to repay the loan.
Who they can fund
Sporting Capital can invest in a wide range of organisations and projects across England. And if you need support to get ready to take on repayable investment, you may be eligible for grant funding to pay for this. The website has details of specific eligibility criteria and availability of grant funding. www.sportingcapital.org.uk
Who they work with
Sporting Capital will invest in a wide range of organisations to help support a variety of revenue generating projects.
The first approved investment is Cycle Pathway CIC, who operate Leeds Urban Bike Park, an exciting redevelopment of a local authority owned golf course into a cycling hub that meets the needs of the local
community and wider region.
The project aims to create a community facility that delivers physical and mental well-being opportunities,
education services and community activities all based around a community cycling hub in an urban environment.
Through a range of activities it aims to:
- Increase local opportunities for physical and social activity;
- Develop employment and volunteering opportunities through community café, trail building and training
centre project; and - Provide mainstream and alternative education services for young people.
The facility has been funded by Leeds City Council, British Cycling and Sport England. Investment from Sporting Capital is supporting Cycle Pathway to develop revenue generating services by enabling them to take on additional full and part time staff and fund kit and equipment for the community café and workshop.
About them
Sporting Capital has beenformed through a pioneering partnership between Sporting Assets and the Access
Foundation, and is funded through the Big Lottery Fund and Big Society Capital.
Sporting Assets is a leading sports and social investment advisor with the mission to grow a resilient and impactful community sports sector.
Sporting Assets supports organisations to deliver sustainable community businesses with a focus on
sport by helping them to take ownership of facilities, develop new ones or create or diversify revenue streams.
Find out more at www.sportingassets.co.uk
Access – The Foundation for Social Investment exists to bridge the gap between charities and social enterprises and social investors. They provide simple and affordable investment charities and social
enterprises need, and provide funding to support charities and social enterprises to get ready to take on investment.
The Big Lottery Fund is the largest funder of community activity in the UK, putting people in the lead to improve
their lives and communities, often through small, local projects. The money invested comes from the UK National Lottery.
Big Society Capital is a financial institution with a social mission, set up to build the social investment market
in the UK.
Find out more
The Sporting Capital Fund is live and actively looking for investments. To find out more contact them:
[email protected]
0203 637 8232
www.sportingcapital.org.uk
