Small Grants ProgrammeThe Covid-19 pandemic and consequent national lockdown is a source of great concern and increasing financial difficulty for individuals who have been furloughed (and who may have even been made redundant), for businesses, for rugby and for sport in general.
As a result, the KCRFU has been reviewing its financial commitments in an effort to release funds to support those clubs that are in serious financial difficulty as a direct result of the lockdown. We announced in April the launch of a Covid Relief Fund, to facilitate this and to try to ensure that all of the County’s rugby clubs will be in a position to commence the 2020-21 season whenever that happens.
To ensure that the Fund is large enough to be able to support as many clubs as may need assistance, we have taken the difficult decision to cancel the Small Grants Programme for 2020, and to reallocate funds to the Relief Fund. This will be disappointing to clubs that have applied for grants; the County’s Club Development Committee has reviewed the applications received and was soon to make grant awards. However, we are of the view that, in the current circumstances, such grants pale into insignificance when clubs may be having to fight for their very survival; the SGP budget will be better directed at helping to avoid this from happening.
The County had also announced that we would match fund (up to a maximum of £500) those clubs that successfully apply for NatWest Rugby Force grants. The RFU has informed us that this programme has been cancelled for this year. As a result, the funds that the County set aside for the matched funding has been reallocated to the Covid Relief Fund.
For clubs that require support during the Covid crisis, please see get in touch with the Kent County office, and also, the RFU’s at https://www.englandrugby.com/participation/running-your-club/coronavirus .
Nigel Fray
Facilities Funding Manager, KCRFU
