Both the Kent County RFU and the RFU’s London and South-East Facilities team work closely together to support clubs that wish to improve their facilities (e.g. changing rooms and pitch maintenance) and social spaces.
To this end, the Kent County RFU is launching this season’s Small Grants Programme (SGP) and invites applications from clubs for grant funding. The deadline for submitting applications is Friday 13 February 2026.
The Small Grants Programme (SGP) makes available to its member clubs grants to assist clubs to improve their facilities and pitches. The funding can be used to support small projects up to and including major capital projects, such as providing kick-start / seed corn funding for 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.
As last season, we are adopting a two-tier Programme, focusing on clubs’ typical facilities projects, as described above, and clubs’ Age Grade needs.
Age Grade projects
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 environments impact assessment costs) equipment; gazebos; promotional sail flags; rental fees for external facilities, such as hiring a school sports hall.
Application criteria
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:
1. The amount being applied for and what proportion this amount is relative to the total expected cost of the project
2. The project to which the grant award will contribute and its objective(s);
3. The issue that the project is seeking to address, i.e. an identifiable ‘need’
4. The priority the club attaches to the project
5. 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.
4. Clubs must have returned their current annual financial (Reg 5) report to the County (this is a standard requirement for Kent County RFU funding).
5. Clubs must support County teams, where players are required.
6. Successful applicants will be required to spend the grant award within 6 months of receipt.
7. Successful clubs will, 6 months after the award, be required to notify the Kent County RFU of the spend and to indicate the extent to which the award has helped to secure the project’s objective(s).
8. Applicant clubs must have completed the RFU Facility Needs Capture link for 2025-26. Please take time to complete this even if you submitted a return last year, as this will enable the most accurate picture of facility need across Kent – see https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/412e8066d73046ba93a45645c607e82a .
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 £14,000. 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 the funding applied for. Monies awarded will be disbursed only on submission of proof of spend (invoices).
The application form is available HERE. Each section of the form must be completed.
