Frequently Asked Questions

What are the timelines for the posts?

sportscotland will cover the full cost of Local Club Development Officer posts from 2026/27 with these posts becoming part of the core investment in our next 4-year partnership agreements.

Is there a specific role profile for the Club DO post?

There is an outline for the Local Club DO role in the overview paper. Further examples of job descriptions will be provided once they are developed by partners.

What is the length of the contract? Will it be aligned to the Partnership Agreement?

sportscotland will invest in the full cost of Local Club DO posts from 2026/27 with the intention that these posts become part of core investment in future partnership agreements.

How will new Club DO posts fit around existing Club DOs already in place?

We will work with partners flexibly based on their existing teams. The new Local Club DOs can’t replace existing posts.

How will new Club DOs link up with existing SGB DO provision?

Through our geographical approach, sportscotland's geographic leads will play a role in connecting and communicating with SGBs and local partners to ensure that any new DO resource compliments existing support.

What is the plan for any unspent investment this year?

We are aware there will be underspend due to the recruitment lag and our current position is that existing processes should be applied for reporting of any in-year spending. Meaning we will reclaim any underspends. If anything changes with this position, we will let partners know.

Who will we fund?  

·       Investment will be channelled primarily through Scottish Governing Bodies.

·       Investment may also be channelled through Local Authorities and Leisure Trusts to support community organisations

What kind of posts will we support?

Funding will support paid roles that strengthen club capacity based on club need and could include the following: 

• Club/Membership Administrator 

• Head Coach/Coach/Coaching Coordinator

• Club Development Officer

• Outreach Officer 

• Safeguarding Officer 

• Facility/Operations Manager 

• Coach Developers/Mentors 

• Community Impact Officer 

Will we fund current posts?  

We are looking for additionality, so we will work with Scottish Governing Bodies and partners to look at gaps and areas of potential growth rather than directly funding current posts in the system. 

What are the funding timelines?

Funding will be over 3 years with the potential of year 4 funding.

Who are we investing in?

The Fund is available to:

Current sportscotland-invested SGBs; and Scottish Disability Sport (SDS), Scottish Student Sport (SSS), and Scottish ClubSport.

What are the levels of investment across the sports? 

Maximum per annum investment levels will be based on the annual value of sportscotland’s investment into each SGB. 

Collaborations 

Where two or more eligible partners collaborate on a project, the upper limit of investment will be determined based on: 

• The strength and merit of the proposal. 

• The scale and clarity of intended impact; and 

• Budget justification and value for money. 

Can SGB apply for multiple strands under this funding for differing projects?

Yes.... we will consider projects on their own merit, not necessarily limited to % investment max.

Who is the Summer of Sport funding for?

Summer of Sport funding is for local partners who will receive an allocated amount to deliver against the outcomes of the programme.  This information on the allocation has been shared with local authorities and local partners. National partners, organisations and SGBs are invited to apply through an application process. Please email the summerofsport@sportscotland.org.uk inbox if you would like to apply and a link to the portal will be provided.

Can clubs apply?

Clubs and community organisations should contact their local authority area or their SGB or national organisation to discuss how they can help play their part in the Summer of Sport.

What can the funding by used for?

Examples of what can be funded can be found in both the partners briefing document and the application portal.  

Post summer what can the funding be used for?

As the programme is for targeted provision with a child poverty focus, partners can continue to build on the work from summer and continue to deliver activities that will have the greatest impact locally until March 2027.

Will the fund be available next year as well?

This funding is one off, one year funding from April 2026 - March 2027 and we would like to see activities and partnerships that are sustainable beyond the funding period.

How do National Partners, SGBs and National Organisations access the application portal?

Please email the summerofsport@sportscotland.org.uk inbox to let us know you are going to apply and you will be sent a link to the application portal.

What are the timelines for applying to the Summer of Sport fund if you are a National Partner, SGB or National Organisation?

The application process is now live so once you have access to the partners brief and know that you want to apply, please let us know by emailing the summerofsport@sportscotland.org.uk inbox and requesting an application portal link.

Can the funding be used to recruit or second a short-term post?

Yes, LAs can use the funding to recruit a post as long as the post end date is within the funding timeline (March 2027)

National partners and organisations can build this into their application.

Can we use the funding to supplement young people accessing summer holiday camps, that are income generated?

Yes, young people can be offered free, targeted or reduced cost places to align with local need.

Can the money be used for specific groups, for example a family?

Yes, the money can be used for family access, for example family pass models for accessing activities or facilities.

To what extent can the funding be used for physical activity, walking groups and Active travel for example?

We want this to enhance and add value to local need and engage children and young people that face the most barriers.  If a physical activity offer works well to engage participants initially, elements of this can be incorporated into your plans and aligned to your sporting offers and pathways.

For Local Authorities what are the timelines for submitting plans?

Summer of Sport plans can be incorporated into your current local planning templates or can be written separately.  There is flexibility to allow for local planning and partnership discussions to take place.  By Friday 26 June, it would be good for a copy of plans to be submitted to summerofsport@sportscotland.org.uk. The plans can be updated throughout summer as post summer plans are developed. Local Authority Partnership Managers can help support with this. By having visibility of the plan, we can help connect with national organisations, SGBs and also help facilitate the sharing of practice across local areas.

What is the purpose of the additional pathway investment? 

The purpose of the funding is to enable Scottish Governing Bodies (SGBs) to strengthen the effectiveness of their sporting pathways so athletes can experience inclusive, consistent, and high‑quality development environments that support progression toward world‑class performance. 

How much funding is available for pathways? 

£2 million has been allocated specifically for pathway investment as part of the wider additional £18 million sportscotland budget settlement for 2026. 

Who can apply for this funding? 

Invested Scottish Governing Bodies (SGBs) are eligible to apply for pathway investment through sportscotland’s application portal. 

What types of activity can the funding support? 

Funding can support investment in people and athlete development programmes and learning and development for pathway staff and coaches. 

How will investment decisions be made? 

Applications will be assessed against agreed criteria and guidance principles to ensure consistency, impact, and value. Investment decisions will be made by sportscotland following an assessment process. 

What is meant by Athlete Development Environments (ADEs)? 

ADEs describe the collective components of athlete development across sports, including SGB‑led programmes, club‑led activity, and individual athlete‑led training and competition experiences. 

Why is there a focus on pathways rather than medals? 

While medal success remains important, evidence indicates that stronger, better‑resourced pathways are required to improve long‑term athlete development, progression, and sustainability across sports. 

How does the funding support inclusion and para‑athlete development? 

The investment emphasises inclusive and equitable pathways, addressing barriers such as access, affordability, classification processes, bespoke support needs, and alignment with frameworks such as the Activity Inclusion Model. 

What principles underpin effective pathway design? 

The briefing outlines athlete development principles including rigorous development, meaningful experiences, coherent learning and programming, and inclusive, balanced, and focused development environments. 

What is the athlete–environment–system model? 

This model recognises that pathway health depends on interconnected factors at the athlete level, the development environment, and the wider system, each requiring different forms of insight and evidence. 

What is the application timeline? 

SGBs are invited to apply via the application portal by 31 May. sportscotland will review applications and make investment decisions in June, with funding distributed in July through the supplementary investment process.  

How will delivery and impact be monitored? 

sportscotland staff will support delivery throughout the year, with progress monitored and outcomes reviewed and refined annually to support continuous improvement. 

Is this funding a one‑off or ongoing? 

The initial funding is provided through a supplementary investment process. Pathway investment will then be integrated into the 2027 core investment cycle.  

Can an SGB apply for investment for various limitations/opportunities they have identified in their pathway with various solutions? 

Yes, SGBs should consider the athlete development principles (see Pathways Brief), to analyse and design effective pathways, which can include various limitations / opportunities to improve pathways.  

What specific areas of investment are covered by pathway monies? 

Investment can be used for any solution that leads to optimised athlete development.  

Can SGBs apply for pathway investment if they don’t have a proven track record in performance? 

Yes, SGB’s can apply if they can deliver progression and achievement outcomes.  

What questions will I be asked within the application for pathway investment? 

SGB’s will be asked to offer insight into the following, offering perspective from both system and environment(s) and athletes.  SGBs should note the word count that will be applied to each area. 

1. Pathway context  

2. Limitations and/or opportunities of current pathway 

3. Proposed development(s) and/or solution(s) to pathway improvement 

4. Risks, barriers and mitigations to successfully implementing change 

5. Provide the success metrics, monitoring and evaluation they would expect to see  

6. How any new pathway investment would align with sportscotland core investment currently awarded and other new monies applications (Club Support Programme and Growth & Innovation Fund) 

7. The amount of the investment request (£) 

8. Any additional context that may be appropriate to the application 

What is meant by ‘system’ and ‘environment and athlete’? 

System: Relating to processes, principles, and documentation that guide athlete development. Systems that create effective flow of information, connectedness and use of performance and training information to support decision-making. Systems that attend to quality, quantity and diversity of athletes and the development environments in which they learn. 

Environment and athlete: Relating to the quality of training environment(s) in which athletes develop. Environments that consistently use development principles to curate effective developmental experiences; rigour, meaningfulness, coherence, balance-&-focus, and inclusivity of training opportunities that promote long-term, holistic development. 

Are there any application limits/amounts within the pathway fund?

There isn’t a fixed cap as such within the pathway fund. The emphasis is on aligning with pathway priorities and demonstrating clear impact, rather than working to a predefined funding threshold.  We recommend continuing to engage with your HPM/PM to sense-check the scope and scale of your proposal. They’ll be best placed to guide what is realistic and appropriate within the current context.