Club Resilience Fund Now Open
Athletics Ireland is pleased to now open the application process for the Club resilience fund and welcomes clubs to begin compiling their application for submission before the deadline on midnight Monday April 11.
The club resilience scheme has been designed by Sport Ireland to assist clubs in their sporting activities only and is specifically targeted at clubs under threat of becoming insolvent due to the Covid 19 pandemic.
Athletics Ireland will operate the Club Resilience Grant Scheme directly from €450k funds secured from Sport Ireland for all our affiliated athletics clubs and bodies. This document details how the application will be managed, and includes key details required for the application.
We hosted our first webinar Wednesday March 30th.We will be hosting the second Webinar Tuesday April 5th from 6pm-7pm where we will answer your questions and work through the funding application to help you understand how best to tailor your application. Please submit your prepepared questions for this Webinar HERE.
Click on the links for Club Resilience Fund Application (Excel file) and more Fund Information Details (PDF file).
PROCESS & TIMELINE
- The closing date for applications to Athletics Ireland will be midnight Monday April 11.
- Application is to be submitted HERE (Jotform Link).
- Late applications cannot be accepted.
- Final decisions will need to consider the level of demand across the scheme and the €450k award granted to Athletics Ireland from Sport Ireland.
- Depending on the level of submissions, the outcome of those deliberations will be communicated to affiliated Clubs/bodies by April 20th.
- Subject to Board approval, the process of payment will begin thereafter.
Submissions should include the following details below and a written narrative as per the Athletics Ireland Club Resilience Grant Application spreadsheet circulated with this document.
- Profit /Loss for Jan – Dec 2021, 2020, and 2019 with supporting evidence (Accounts approved at AGM)
- Budgeted Profit/Loss for 2022
- Bank balances at end of December 2021 and 2020 with supporting evidence (Bank Statements)
- Reserves at end of December 2021
- Details on any projects or programmes/Events (T+F, XC, Road Race) that were deferred, postponed, or cancelled in 2021.
- Details on any Athletics Ireland Programmes the Club delivers (E.G Fit4Life, Athletics Ireland Summer Camp)
- Details on other Programmes the club deliver (Non-Athletics Ireland) (E.g., Yoga or Circuit classes)
- Number of active qualified coaches in 2019 compared to end of 2021
- Number of coaches/ members who will attend Athletics Ireland training courses/workshops in 2022 to ensure club can sustainably deliver programmes
- Value of other Government supports utilized by the Club
Note - The Board of Athletics Ireland must approve any application award for clubs under this scheme and there is no appeal mechanism.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
When assessing applications, Athletics Ireland will use the following criteria to assess and prioritise applications:
- Verifiable evidence of need (COVID 19 related losses to sporting activity income only)
- Size/scope of the Club (numbers of members/coaches, location, variety of athletics disciplines offered, facilities and equipment, diversity of membership
- Club engagement with NGB
- Level and scope of engagement of NGB programmes
- Levels of activities to counteract the loss of earnings
- Risk of insolvency
The following should also be noted:
- Funding is only available to Clubs, Affiliates, Provinces or Branches based in the Republic of Ireland.
- Funding cannot be used for Capital Works. This includes the completion or resumption of work that may have been disrupted due to COVID 19.
- Clubs, Affiliates and Branches with significant reserves should not be supported.
- Payments will be made on receipt of a signed Club Assurance Statement.
For specific questions please contact your Regional Development Officer.