7 March 2021
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Funding up to €1,500 is available
Cork Sports Partnership have launched the ‘Sports and Recreational Facilities Resilience Fund’ for 2021. This fund is part of the Government’s response to support the physical activity and sports sector through COVID-19 and beyond. Following on from the Sport Ireland, COVID-19 Small Grant Scheme that was administered by Cork Sports Partnership to sports clubs across the county, Cork Sports Partnership identified the lack of funding opportunities for community-based sport and recreational facilities and amenities.
The fund will look to rebuild the capacity of community facilities and amenities across Cork city and County who have been impacted as a result of closures due to COVID-19. These facilities and amenities are key to the delivery of sport and physical activity opportunities and events to people of all ages and abilities across Cork communities.
This fund is aimed at not-for-profit community-based sport, recreational, and leisure facilities. It is also open to amenity sites such as parks and playgrounds currently managed by community and voluntary groups.
Speaking about the launch of the Sports and Recreational Facilities Resilience Fund, Claire Hurley, Programs Manager with Cork Sports Partnership said
“We are delighted to that we have the opportunity to support community sport & recreational facilities across Cork. Cork Sports Partnership recognises that community facilities are one of the key stakeholders in the delivery of sport and physical activity opportunities to people of all ages and abilities in communities across Cork city and county”. Together with the SportsAbility Resilience fund also launched, we are delighted that Sport Ireland through the Dormant Accounts fund recognise the importance of these facilities, groups and organsiations in promoting sport and physical activity in Cork”.
Cathal Geraghty, Community Sports Development Officer with Cork Sports Partnership highlights the importance this funding will have for facilities across Cork,
“As facilities and amenities look to reopen in the coming months, supports such as this will be invaluable in addressing some of the associated costs with reopening community facilities and amenities. As part of our Active Communities initiative here at Cork Sports Partnership, we are delighted to launch this new and exciting funding support for Cork communities”.
The funding is available across four categories, training and education, participation opportunities, equipment/resources, and marketing costs. Funding up to €1,500 is available but applications will also be accepted for minimum amounts once criteria have been reached. Cork Sports Partnership will work to ensure that the investment is distributed fairly. Every effort will be made to ensure that the wider sports community benefits from this scheme. Funding will be awarded through a competitive bid process.
