Facilities and Funding

Learn about local football facilities and funding.

INTRODUCTION

The FA, Premier League and Sport England created the Football Foundation in 2000 to drive investment to improve grassroots football facilities. Since its launch, it has invested in more than 16,000 projects across England.

Despite this success, improving facilities is more vital than ever as much more needs to be done to transform the fortunes of poor-quality grass pitches and to address the huge under-supply of artificial pitches.

The Derbyshire FA play a vital role in the identification, activation, development and delivery of facility projects at a local level.

The FA, Premier League and Sport England are the three key funding providers to the Football Foundation, and, thanks to this support, they will invest a further £216 million between 2019-2022.

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FACILITIEs - A TOP PRIORITY

The FA FACILITIES & INVESTMENT TEAM

At a national level, The FA has a positive and productive relationship across the funding partners and with the Football Foundation, and to oversee this work they employ a small team of national strategy and project managers.

The FA Facilities and Investment Team is responsible for the creation of new strategies, the development of new projects, the production of guidance, the management of The FA’s interests in the Football Foundation, and the oversight, training and development of the County FA Facility Investment Lead network.

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SPLITTING THE COST

ON AND OFF THE PITCH

Between 2019 and 2022 the Football Foundation will invest a minimum of 75% (£162m) of funds towards ‘on the pitch’ facilities (3G pitches, grass pitches and small-sided).

The remaining 25% (£54m) will be spent ‘off the pitch’ (changing rooms / pavilions and equipment / minor works).

The significant focus of the County FA Facility Investment Lead Office should therefore be given to ‘on the pitch’ work.

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BUILDING STADIUMS, CREATING LEGACIES

FOOTBALL STADIA IMPROVEMENT FUND

Funded by the Premier League, the Football Stadia Improvement Fund (FSIF) awards capital grants to EFL, National League, Women's Pyramid and Welsh Premier League down to the lower levels of the FA National League System.

They are designed to improve stadium safety and enable clubs to satisfy The FA’s ground grading requirements.

From installing new floodlights, upgrading playing surfaces to developing all-seated stands, the goal is to improve the
match-day experience of players, officials and spectators.

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