Whole club and Age Grade projects
1. The KCFU is launching this season’s Small Grants Programme (SGP) and invites applications from clubs for grant funding.
2. The County’s Small Grants Programme (SGP) makes available to its member clubs grants to assist clubs to improve their facilities and pitches. The funding exists principally to provide a kick-start to major capital projects, such as the building of a new clubhouse or to improve changing room facilities, and social spaces. Funds may also be awarded to maintain pitches, such as for verti-draining or for AGPs, to contribute towards the costs of maintenance and safety recertification. The SGP is also used to support smaller projects.
3. For 2024-25, the CB is introducing a two-tier Programme, focusing on clubs’ typical facilities projects, as described above, and clubs’ Age Grade needs, for which we have allocated a separate fund to support grant awards.
Age Grade projects
4. We are keen to support any credible project that seeks to increase young people’s participation in the game. Such projects might, for example, be to improve a club’s facilities to cater for larger numbers of young players (e.g.: changing facilities; new / improved capacity catering spaces (and any related planning application and/or environmental impact assessment costs) equipment; gazebos; promotional sail flags; rental fees for external facilities, such as hiring a school sports hall).
Application criteria
5. Regardless of which fund (Whole Club or Age Grade) an application is made, clubs must meet the following criteria against which all applications for grant funding will be assessed:
a. Please specify clearly if the application relates to a whole club or an Age Grade project
b. Clubs, regardless of the type of application must have a satisfactory disciplinary record, as determined by the CB’s Adult and Age Grade Disciplinary Committees.
c. Applications should clearly explain:
i. The amount being applied for and what proportion this amount is relative to the total expected cost of the project
ii. The project to which the grant award will contribute and its objective(s);
iii. The issue that the project is seeking to address, i.e. an identifiable ‘need’
iv. The priority the club attaches to the project
v. What the club has already done to commit to the project, i.e. funds already raised and commitment of the club’s committee and its membership.
d. Clubs must have returned their current annual financial (Reg 5) report to the County (this is a standard requirement for county funding).
e. Clubs must support County teams, where players are required.
f. Successful applicants will be required to spend the grant award within 6 months of receipt.
g. Successful clubs will, 6 months after the award, be required to notify the County of the spend and to indicate the extent to which the award has helped to secure the project’s objective(s).
h. Applicant clubs must have completed RFU Facility Needs Capture link for 2024-25: Kent RFU Facility Needs Capture 24/25 .
i. The maximum amount that can be applied for is £2,500. This is not a target for applicant clubs to aspire to! The total annual budget for the SGP across both tiers is £21,000. Given the disparity between available funds and the anticipated number and size of grant applications, the assessment process will be very rigorous. Please note, also, that, even for successful applications, your club may not receive all of the funding applied for.
The application form is available below Each section of the from must be completed.
Nigel Fray
KCRFU Honsec
Clubs are also reminded of the various financial support mechanisms that are made available by the RFU; https://www.englandrugby.com/participation/running-your-club/funding – and which the County’s grants can complement.
Any Kent RFU Small Grant award is dependent upon the applying club having submitted an up to date Club Audit Form
For those clubs that have yet to complete the audit – or for those that wish to update their entry from last year below is the Club Audit Form
NB: If you encounter any problems when completing the audit please contact; rickbruin@rfu.com.
Further facilities support and information can be found on the RFU website at:https://linktr.ee/RFUFacilities?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=dca1b4f3-2bc3-4bc9-b68b-15403b035611
Applications for Kent RFU’s grant funding should be addressed to:
