Sport Facilities Fund Guidelines

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sportscotland

Our corporate plan, Sport for Life sets out our vision of an active Scotland where everyone benefits from sport.

We want the people of Scotland to get the most out of life, and for sport to help make this happen. We all have our own reasons for taking part in sport, whether it’s for fun, socialising, improving our physical or mental health and wellbeing or winning medals. Sport can change lives, so whatever the motivation or reason is for getting involved in it, there’s always more we can get out of it.

We believe in a sporting system that makes the best use of Scotland’s resources and helps everyone see where they fit in and how they can contribute. We want people in Scotland to have the opportunity to take part in sport at the level they choose and the wider benefits sport can have on health and other aspects of society and the economy.

Figure 1 Scotland’s sporting system

 

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Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Equality, diversity and inclusion underpins everything we do. We know that sport and physical activity has a major role to play in tackling inequality and contributing to a more inclusive Scotland. We are committed to working with clubs, communities, local and national partners and the third sector to drive the changes needed to reduce inequalities so that everyone has the opportunity to take part in sport and physical activity.  

We recognise the sport and physical activity sector, like wider society, is experiencing significant challenges due to unprecedented cost of living increases and we know the effects of this are not being felt equally. We were already aware certain groups of people were under-represented in sport and physical activity, and they are now the most at risk of worsening inequalities. We will continue to improve our understanding of their needs and will put this at the heart of our approach.

 

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Places

We understand the important role places play in improving people’s lives, whether it is taking part in sport and physical activity for the first time, developing, progressing or achieving success. They can bring people together and make a positive contribution to building healthier, happier, safer and stronger communities.

Whilst Scotland has a good network of local, regional and national sports facilities, we recognise these may not always meet the needs of clubs and local communities. We want to invest in new and improved sports facilities that offer more and better opportunities for people to participate for the first time or a better experience for those who are already engaged in sport and physical activity. It is imperative that the best use is made of the existing estate, to ensure it is sustainable in the long term, and we are committed to working with others to ensure this is protected and maintained wherever possible.

We recognise the impact climate change is already having on sport as well as the important contribution sport can make towards helping Scotland meet its ambitious net zero carbon targets. Sport depends heavily on accessing the built and natural environment and we are committed to playing our part in working towards a more sustainable sports facilities estate.

 

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Sport Facilities Fund

Our Sport Facilities Fund provides investment in capital projects that help create new or improved places for clubs and communities to participate in sport and physical activity. We will prioritise our investment into projects that deliver the greatest impact against clear local or national outcomes.

Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion means we will be looking for applicants to demonstrate a strong, clear and embedded commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and will prioritise projects that remove barriers and provide more and better opportunities for people to participate in sport and physical activity.

We will also be looking for those projects to have a clear and strong focus on being more environmentally, economically and socially sustainable and for applicants to demonstrate how their project will achieve this.

To help us deliver the many benefits of sport to everyone in Scotland, our investment in projects will be guided by the following six key principles, which are embedded in our assessment process:

• Inclusive
• Accountable
• Responsive
• Person-centred
• Collaborative
• World class

 

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Our Impact

We want to invest in projects that achieve the following outcomes:

• Provide opportunities for more people to be more active more often.
• Widen access, provide opportunities, and remove barriers to participation for some or all the following groups:
  • Those who currently do not participate in sport or physical activity.
  • Those who share any protected characteristics (age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership and pregnancy and maternity).
  • Those living in areas of socio-economic disadvantage, poverty, or low income.
  • Those living in rural communities.
  • Young people.
  • Older adults.
  • Women and girls.
  • Care experienced young people.
• Promote the physical and mental health, and wellbeing benefits of sport and physical activity and the wider social benefits.
• Are designed to the highest possible standard for sport and physical activity, and are accessible, inclusive and sustainable.
• Promote the physical and mental health, and wellbeing benefits of sport and physical activity and the wider social benefits.
• Are designed to use sustainable construction methods, materials or energy systems and form part of a wider organisational sustainability strategy or plan.

Where applicants can demonstrate:

• A clear strategic vision and planned approach focused on the people it is intended to benefit and the local outcomes that will be delivered.
• The proposed project has been developed through a thorough understanding of the needs of clubs and local communities through the involvement of the community in the decision-making stages of their proposals, whether a community of geography or community of interest.
• The project will have meaningful community access, provide community benefit and not be for private gain.
• Development pathways are in place that enable people to take part in sport at whatever level they choose and support people to progress to their chosen level.
• Collaboration, links and connections with relevant other local and national organisations within the sporting system.

 

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The types of facilities we want to invest in:

• New, upgraded, or extended sports facilities that remove barriers to participation.
• Inclusive and accessible changing
• Facilities that enable or improve access to outdoor and adventure sport.
• Floodlights that increase capacity at appropriate sports facilities.
• Facilities that support community sports hubs or community activity within schools.
• Facilities that enable sportscotland institute of sport or UK sport performance sport programmes.
• Major items of non-personal sports equipment.

 

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The types of projects that we will not invest in:

Please note, for the avoidance of doubt, the following projects are not eligible to apply for funding:

• Projects with a value of less than £40,000.
• Repairs, renewals, replacement or maintenance.
• Construction of dining rooms, bars, social space, administration, committee rooms, resi-dential or spectator accommodation.
• Buildings with a life expectancy of less than 20 years.
• Minibuses or vans.
• Floodlighting of the main match grass pitch.
• Projects led by commercial organisations and limited companies unless there are excep-tional circumstances.
• Personal equipment or general sports equipment with a life expectancy of less than 7 years.
• Feasibility studies and design competitions.
• Speculative purchase of land or facilities as a means of saving on payment of rent.
• Any projects which have been started prior to a decision being taken by sportscotland and our approval being given to proceed. We cannot provide funding retrospectively. Letting of a construction contract constitutes a project start. Engaging design consultants does not constitute a project start.

 

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Who we want to work with

Any non-profit distributing, constituted organisation whose membership is open to all sections of society, including:

• Clubs (existing and new).
• Local authorities or leisure trusts.
• SCIOs, Companies limited by guarantee, other Charitable and third sector organisations.
• Community organisations.
• Constituted Community sport hubs.
• Scottish governing bodies of sport(s).
• Educational establishments providing access for clubs or community use.

 

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Project essentials

All applicants should also note and be able to demonstrate at the application stage:

• How the project will deliver key local outcomes and what measures will be used to demonstrate the impact on local communities.
• A clear demand for the facility development.
• A clear financial need for our investment, our funding cannot be used to replace other investment.
• The project is fit for purpose in terms of location, scale and content, design, accessibility, management and environmental impact.
• The project is financially viable in capital and revenue terms. This must be supported by a business plan that includes a fully costed plan and funding profile for the project and takes into consideration maintenance and eventual replacement of the funded facilities.
• Security of tenure for at least 20 years (from the date of project completion).
• A financially sustainable operational plan for the facility (including management, programming, and staffing).
• The applicant will be able to start the project within 6 months of the date of any award from sportscotland and be able to complete the project within a set timescale, normally a maximum of one year from start date.
• A safeguarding policy for the organisation and operations.

 

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Investment awards

How much funding is available from the Sport Facilities Fund?

Investment of up to 50% of eligible project costs up to a maximum of £200,000 may be awarded.

A higher percentage of investment can be awarded to community led projects within or serving the most deprived areas (Deciles 1 and 2 on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation up to 75% of eligible project costs, up to a maximum of £250,000. This higher percentage does not apply to local authorities or applications received from other public bodies.

How should you fundraise the rest of the project funding?

The remainder of the project funding can come from the organisation’s own cash, fundraising, in-kind contributions or can be sourced from other grant funders or loans **.

All local authority applicants must meet at least 25% of the total project cost from their own resources.

*We will not provide match funding against the value of any in-kind contributions.

**We will require to take a first or joint first ranking standard security and/or floating charge in this event and our legal fees will require to be met by the applicant.

 

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How to apply

We strongly advise that you contact our Facilities Team for advice , guidance or to answer any queries as you begin to develop your proposal and certainly well before completing and submitting an application.

Please contact us at:facilities@sportscotland.org.uk . We also recommend that you discuss your project with your local authority and the relevant governing body of sport(s), who may be able to offer you support as you develop your proposal.

Log on to the sportscotland website and follow the online wizard to guide you through creating your own ‘MySport’ account and completing the application form.

When to apply

The deadline for applications is 5pm on 1st April or 1st September.

 

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How long the assessment process will take?

We aim to make a decision on applications to our Sport Facilities Fund within three months from the submission deadline date. However, this may take longer if we need further information to enable us to complete our consideration of an application, or we receive a high number of applications in any specific investment round.

 

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What information we need from you

We need you to provide the following information with your application. The checklist is intended to help you collate information to support the development of an online application. The online system will provide prompts and guides you through each question.

Applicant details

• Your name and contact details Your organisation’s name / status / your role
• Company or charity number if relevant
• Any affiliations your organisation has
• Playing and non-playing membership (if applicable)

Project details

• Any strategic documents that reference the project
• Project location
• Existing facilities on the site
• Proposed facilities, upgrade or extension
• Planned timescales
• Planning permission status
• Existing and proposed security of tenure for the site
• Technical staff supporting you application

Project funding

• Your organisation’s VAT status
• Any potential VAT recovery
• Total project cost and breakdown of costs
• Funding profile showing other funders and amounts
• How much funding requested from sportscotland
• Details of any in-kind contributions
• Your organisation’s financial position
• Details of any loans and financial securities
• Operating income and expenditure

Sport and physical activity impact

• The impact and outcomes your project will have (on who and what)
• Programmes or initiatives in place or are planned by you
• How the facility will support the development of sport or physical activity
• Existing and proposed programme of use
• Evidence of working with others
• Proposed opening hours
• Existing and proposed number of weekly uses
• Existing and proposed coach numbers and levels
• Existing and proposed coaching hours per week

Operational details

• Existing and proposed charges
• Any adjustments that will make your facility inclusive
• Proposed management and staffing structure

What information we need you to upload with your application

• Adopted governing documents (Note. Please ensure that the name you use in your application is the same as in your governing documents, bank account and any lease/ownership documentation).
• Location plan and sketch proposals
• Site plan and dimensioned design drawings
• Specification of works
• Cost breakdown including fees
• Quotations or estimates for all works
• Income and expenditure projections for the first three years of the completed facility
• Latest and previous two years accounts
• Current bank statement(s)
• Draft or finalised business plan
• Lease, title deed or access agreement for the site
• Management or access arrangements.
• Sustainability Plan
• Fair Work First Compliance Statement

 

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Other helpful information

Capital funding The Sport Facilities Fund is for capital expenditure only and is distributed in accordance with The Scottish Governments’ policy directions for lottery and funds for capital expenditure. We define capital expenditure as expenditure on the purchase, upgrade or construction of an as-set. This includes any costs directly incurred in the process such as related architect, quantity surveyor, engineer’s and solicitor’s fees, as well as planning, building warrant asset purchases or leases fees.

Subsidy Control

The statutory authority for payment of grant-in-aid is Section 3 of the Physical Training and Recreation Act 1937. Accordingly, sportscotland may provide funding to assist with the provision of sport and multifunctional recreational infrastructures in accordance with Subsidy Control

Fair Work First

sportscotland is committed to Fair Work First. Fair Work First is the Scottish Government's flag-ship policy surrounding high quality and fair work, and workforce diversity in Scotland’s labour market through applying “fair work criteria” to funding and procurement being awarded within the public sector. A condition for all projects supported with a capital award will be for applicants to show a commitment to this policy. Fair Work First Statement - sportscotland the national agency for sport in Scotland

Security of tenure

Applicants must be able to demonstrate security of tenure for at least 20 years (from date of project completion) and provide evidence of ownership, lease or access documentation, and evidence of security of tenure to sportscotland’s satisfaction as requested. 

Safeguarding in Sport 

Organisations must have appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures in place prior to application. These must ensure that all relevant officials and coaches are appropriately PVG checked. 

The standards developed by Children 1st and sportscotland are available here: 10 steps to safeguarding in sport

Value added tax

If your organisation is not registered for VAT or is not in a position to have the project zero-rated for VAT purposes (as is sometimes the case for charities approved by HMRC) it is essential that the VAT burden is included in the project costs.

We recommend that you consult HMRC to understand what exemption or partial exemption from VAT may apply. 

Certification

The Government’s financial directions to sportscotland require us to obtain from applications whatever information may be necessary to safeguard Lottery and Scottish Government funds and carry out validation checks. In order for sportscotland to process details properly it is important that you ensure the details provided are correct. If details are provided whereby the application has been completed fraudulently, incorrectly or misleading material has been put forward, the ap-plication will be invalid and you will be liable to return any sums already paid out as a sportscotland award, with any offer being formally withdrawn. 

Freedom of Information

As a public body, sportscotland falls under the requirements of the Freedom of Information (Scot-land) Act 2002 and the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 to disclose any information (including applications for funding and ancillary written documents) it holds on a par-ticular topic when requested to do so by a person or organisation. In certain circumstances some of the information may be subject to an exemption and will not have to be disclosed.

You must inform us in writing as soon as possible if any of the information that you have provided in respect of your application (including applications for funding and ancillary written documents) is considered sensitive and/or confidential. sportscotland will have regard to all instructions regarding disclosure or non-disclosure of information, but for the avoidance of doubt sportscotland’s decision with regards to questions of disclosure and nondisclosure shall be final. 

Data Protection

In its everyday business operations sportscotland makes use of a variety of data about identifiable individuals.

In collecting and using this data, the organisation is subject to Data Protection legislation controlling how such activities may be carried out and the safeguards that must be put in place to protect it.

You can find links to the legislation below:

1. Data Protection Act 2018
2. The General Data Protection Regulation (EU)

sportscotland will use the information you provide to process applications, investments and payments, to prepare statistics and to monitor and evaluate effectiveness of both individual grants and our investments. 

Your rights 

sportscotland is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. Our privacy notice describes how we collect and use personal information about you during and after you access our services, in accordance with Data Protection legislation:

If you have any questions, comments or requests regarding your personal information please contact the sportscotland Data Protection Officer at the details below: 

Data Protection Officer. sportscotland, Doges, Templeton on the Green, 62 Templeton Street, Glasgow, G40 1DA Email: DPO@sportscotland.org.uk

Funding

• Awards for All 
• Sport Facilities Fund 
• Sport Facilities Fund guidelines 
• Coach Subsidy for Recognised Governing Body Qualifications 
• Cycling Facilities Fund 
• Coach education subsidy funding 
• Other sources of funding 

Version 1.0 – SMT Approved 4/3/2024

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