Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey MLA has today launched a £500,000 Hardship Fund for the sports sector.
Sports clubs and sporting organisations from the voluntary and community sector, which are unable to receive support from other Government Covid-19 Mitigation Funds, will be able to apply to Sport NI for a small grant of £2,000 to help with immediate financial commitments to maintain their facilities during the Covid-19 restrictions.
Minister Hargey said:
“I recognise that sporting organisations at every level, from grassroots to those who compete at an international level, are facing serious financial challenges as a result of the Covid-19 restrictions and the impact that this has had on them.
“This Fund will provide a grant of £2,000 per application and will help eligible sports clubs and sporting organisations to meet essential costs which still need to be paid, even when their facilities are closed. I want to ensure that, over the next three months, that there is help available to cover costs such as rent, essential utility bills and to assist with the cost of basic maintenance of outdoor sports facilities.”
The Minister continued:
“Sport will have a crucial role to play in helping communities to get through this crisis and to help society come out of the lockdown period. It is therefore essential that sporting organisations and clubs are in a position to offer communities and individuals access to sport and physical activities as soon as it is safe to do so.”
For more information about the Hardship Fund please visit http://www.sportni.net/funding/our-funding-programmes/sports-hardship-fund
Notes to editors:
1. The Hardship Fund for Sport will be open to those sports clubs and sports organisations in the voluntary and community sector, which are unable to apply for other Government funded Covid-19 Emergency Schemes.
2. An initial budget of £500,000 has been allocated up to 30 June 2020. Successful applications will receive a flat rate grant of £2,000 each.
3. Media enquiries to DfC Press Office press.Office@communities-ni.gov.uk. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110.
4. Follow us on Twitter @CommunitiesNI
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