EFL And Sky Bet Announce £6m Investment
The English Football League (EFL) has officially announced the launch of the Building Foundations Fund alongside its title partner Sky Bet.
Launching at Barnsley FC, the Building Foundations Fund represents the largest multi-year sponsor-backed fund dedicated solely to community activity and will give the 72 EFL clubs a chance to bid for grants of up to £100,000 to invest in ongoing programmes or to develop new initiatives.
Overall, communities are set to benefit from £6m worth of investment.
From the current 2023/24 season, Sky Bet will invest £1m per year into the fund with a panel of industry experts, including Sky Bet ambassador Jeff Stelling, selecting the winning bids across a range of categories, such as improving local sporting facilities or promoting the physical and social benefits of the game.
To mark the start of the Building Foundations Fund, Club Community Organisations (CCOs) at each of the 72 EFL Clubs will have the opportunity to spend an initial £10,000 grant.
Rick Parry, Chair of the EFL, said, “Unrestricted funding for community activity on this scale is hard to find and presents an exciting opportunity for EFL clubs to further enhance the impact in the areas they are located.
“We are extremely grateful to Sky Bet for its ongoing support to the professional game in this country and this new investment via the Building Foundations Fund will create a long-lasting legacy for the EFL and Sky Bet partnership.”
The EFL and Sky Bet agreed a record extension earlier this year that saw the sports betting brand continue as the League’ title partner until the end of the 2028/29 campaign.
Dan Colton, Managing Director of Sky Bet, added, “We’re incredibly proud of our long-standing partnership with the EFL – it’s a relationship that has gone from strength to the strength over the past decade and we wanted to raise the bar further still with the Building Foundations Fund.
“The Fund is a core pillar of our new agreement with the EFL and we’re very excited to see the impact the £6 million will have on such important projects across England and Wales.”
