Sports Bid For Sport England Cash Pot

46 sports have submitted four-year plans in a bid to get a share of £480m to be distributed by funding body Sport England.

In an investment for community sport, Sport England has posted strict criteria for the 46 sports that were invited to make their case for the funds. The sports were required to submit evidence-based plans on how the contribution could help deliver the three key outcomes of Sport England’s new strategy.

These plans had to include firstly that the sports applying for investment are linked directly to their ability to get more people playing sport. Governing bodies’ programmes will be expected to deliver at least 500,000 additional regular adult participants by 2012/13.

Secondly, each sport has to increase people’s enjoyment of sport through investment in facilities, clubs, coaches, volunteers and competition structures. At least five sports will also be commissioned to deliver a 25 percent reduction in the number of young people who drop out of sport between the ages of 16 and 18 by 2012/13.

About a quarter of Sport England’s investment in the chosen sports will focus on systems to help talented performers move on to elite programmes.