'Be Active' Support for Sport Grant Aid Programme 2026-2027
Fund Background Information Eligibility Pre-assessment Questions Application Form
1. Fund Background Information

'Be Active' Support for Sport Fund 2026-2027

Fund Key Dates:  
Current Status: Open for Applications
Date Opens: Monday, 23rd March, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Date Closes: Wednesday, 22nd April, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Please Note: Project costs can only be incurred from the 1st April 2026.
Projects must be completed by 12th March 2027. All project costs must be incurred before this date. Project costs incurred after the 12th March 2027 will not be eligible.

Active Awards for Sport is a small grants programme primarily aimed at grassroots sports. The programme aims to prioritise investment in sports clubs, especially those based in areas of greatest need that will deliver demonstrable increases in sports participation amongst identified target groups.


Programme Priorities:


Active Awards for Sport programme seeks to prioritise the development of grass roots sport and maximise positive community sport legacies.

Increase participation in sport and physical recreation especially among underrepresented groups:

  • Women and girls
  • People with a disability
  • People living in areas of greatest need
  • Ethnic Minorities
  • Older People

In particular, Council welcomes applications from projects which will tackle health inequalities and improve health and wellbeing.

Deliver projects based in Derry City and Strabane District Council Area and benefitting areas of greatest need.

Areas of greatest need are defined as Neighbourhood Renewal Areas or the 25% most deprived Super Output Areas using the Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2017).

Please visit the NISRA website for further information http://www.ninis2.nisra.gov.uk

(Type your postcode to find statistics for your area)


How does the fund work?

  • There is one round of funding per financial year.
  • Clubs can apply for grant aid from £500 up to a maximum of £2,000.
  • The fund will cover project specific costs. Please note, any equipment purchased must be project linked and integral to the delivery of the sport.

Types of projects we will fund?


Clubs can submit a maximum of 1 application, up to a maximum of £2,000 across the following areas. Clubs must specify which areas you intend to apply for at the start of the application process;

1. Participation Initiatives (involves coaching, programming and project specific venue hire. Venue hire can only account for a maximum amount of £750).
2. Performance (involves travel to competition for events you have qualified to attend, or hosting regional significant events within the district).
3. Coach Education (Sports Specific and Generic Courses)
4. Equipment (Must be project specific up to a maximum of £500.00. Can not be a stand-alone equipment application). The applicant club have sole responsibility for the ongoing maintenance and safe usage of any equipment purchased.
5. Strategic and Developmental (involves club development plans etc)


Who can apply:

  • Constituted not for profit Sports Clubs that are open, accountable and representative of the geographical area in which it services.
  • Sports Clubs must be affiliated to a National Governing Body and activities must be recognised as a Sport as outlined on Sport Northern Ireland's/Irish Sports Councils website.
  • All elements of the funding application must adhere to and be a recognised Governing Body sanctioned discipline/activity.
  • Individual applicants will only receive support if no relevant club exists in the area and they are competing at National or International level.
  • All applicants/clubs must reside in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area.
  • Governing Bodies of Sport (GB's) and not for profit affiliated sporting organisations can apply for grants to deliver events within the Council area. The 'Regionally Significant' event must attract internationally standard competitors rather than club based participants.

Activities and items Support for Sport WILL fund


Please note that only one application will be accepted per organisation. The following items/services are eligible in regards to the Active Awards for Sport application. Submitting an application is not a guarantee of receiving funding.

  • Projects that will support increased participation in sport and physical recreation, especially among underrepresented groups.
  • Sport specific coaching courses; provided they can be completed in full within communicated timeframes.
  • CPD courses/training e.g. Disability Awareness, Sport Leadership.
  • Sport specific coaching fees - capped at £20p/h unless justification can be provided for higher rate.
  • Project specific venue hire - capped at £750.00.
  • Project specific travel.
  • Project specific equipment - purchase of equipment should not be the focus of your project. We view equipment as a means to achieving our target of increasing participation in sport. Any application for equipment should explain why it is needed and how it will achieve this. Normally, no single item can be valued at over £500.00.
  • Equipment hire to allow you to run your project.

Activities and items Support for Sport WILL NOT fund


The following activities and items are ineligible and will not be funded under Active Awards for Sport:

  • Projects that do not directly benefit Derry City and Strabane District Council residents
  • Capital works costs or any equipment that would incur cost and resource to install and remove e.g. standalone scoreboard with its own foundations and mains electrics supply.
  • General organisation running costs, heating, rent, lighting, rates.
  • Multimedia and Performance Equipment.
  • Office equipment, furniture.
  • Salary costs, loan repayments and endowments and volunteer costs.
  • Entertainment costs, food and beverages.
  • Items which only benefit individuals (e.g. prizes; scholarships; bursaries; personal clothing; personal equipment; event tickets; shin guards; boots, kits; etc) and non-essential items e.g. water bottles.
  • Secondary, further or higher education e.g. A Levels, Degrees, etc.
  • VAT that can be recovered from HM Revenue and Customs.
  • Activities promoting religious or political beliefs.
  • Retrospective funding or costs that will be incurred after the communicated grant period.
  • Donations/fundraising events or activities.
  • Organisation's own facility hire - groups cannot be paid for use of own venue.
  • Insurance, affiliation, entry fees or membership fees.
  • Sporting activities not recognised by Sport Northern Ireland.
  • Curriculum time school programmes.
  • Publications, marketing and websites.
  • Access NI registration fees.
  • Livestock.
  • First aid kits/medical bags, defibrillators, medical personal costs, e.g. physio, sports therapist, etc.
  • Non-inclusive fitness initiative (IFI) gym equipment e.g.treadmills, rowers, bikes, etc.
  • Costs that are deemed to be unreasonable e.g. excessive goods/services. This will be benchmarked against Sport NI costings
  • Existing activities already in place e.g. current training sessions, etc.
  • Council will not fund club/individual sports kits.
  • Costs that are not auditable (i.e. cash payments) will not be eligible for Council funding.
  • Sports Clubs currently in receipt of a Service Level Agreement.

Deadline for Submission of Applications


If you are submitting your application in an alternative format you should send it to:

Support for Sport 2026/27
The Health & Community Department
Sports Development Section
Derry City and Strabane District Council
98 Strand Road
Derry BT48 7NN

OR

Support for Sport 2026/27
The Health & Community Department
Sports Development Sectiom
Derry City and Strabane District Council
47 Derry Road
Strabane BT82 8DY

Applicants are reminded that the deadline for submission of applications is 3:00 PM on Wednesday, 22nd April 2026. Applicants are encouraged to submit their application early as this deadline is absolute. Please do not wait until near the closing time to submit your application. Under no circumstances will an application be deemed eligible after the 3:00 PM deadline.

Be aware of the speed of your internet connection, your system configuration and the volume of general web traffic that may impact on the time required to upload your application.

Derry City and Strabane District Council cannot accept responsibility for transmission delays. Your completed application must be received before the deadline.

Please note that all projects will be subject to a monitoring and evaluation process. Please read all documentation carefully before submitting your application.

Remember: An official receipt must be obtained from a Council Official if the application is delivered by hand.

If posting, it is recommended that you do give due regard to delivery times specifically during holiday time including Bank Holidays to ensure that your application is delivered by the closing date.


Note: please read the following before starting an application: Guidance Notes Scoring Matrix

I have read and understand this Background Information
2. Eligibility Pre-assessment Questions

Eligibility Check Questions

Before you can submit an application you must first complete the questions below to see if you are eligible. Only if you are eligible can you proceed to submit an application for funding.

Question Answer Outcome
Q.1 Has your project/service already been completed? Yes No
Q.2 Are you a Sports Organisation/Club affiliated to a National Governing Body? Yes No
Q.3 Is you sport/activity recognised as a Sport as outlined on Sport Northern Ireland's and or the Irish Sports Council website? Yes No
Q.4 Does your Club have a Committee? Yes No
Q.5 Is your Club a Constituted Group and does it adhere to the requirements of the governing document? Yes No
Q.6 Is your Club a 'Not for Profit' Club? Yes No
Q.7 Are your beneficiaries from the Derry City and Strabane District Council Area? Yes No
Q.8 Does your Club have up to date accounts duly certified by a qualified Accountant from one of the following accounting bodies: A.C.C.A or C.I.M.A or C.I.P.F.A. or I.C.A? Yes No
Q.9 Does your Club have current Public Liability Insurance which will cover the project? Yes No
Q.10 Will your Project involve working with children/young people or vulnerable adults? Yes No
Q.11 Will your Project be for the promotion of political or religious purpose? Yes No
Q.12 Could your Project be considered the responsibility of another statutory agency? (e.g. statutory youth or education service; health service, etc.) Yes No
Q.13 Is your Project committed to good relations, equal opportunities and Section 75 Legislation in terms of Policies and the delivery of services? Yes No
Q.14 Is any part of funding applied for going towards repayments of debts, retrospective grants or capital build expenditure? Yes No
Q.15 Does your application include funding salaries? Yes No
Q.16 Is your Project primary objective to raise money for charity? Yes No
Q.17 Is your Club currently in receipt of a Service Level Agreement from Derry City and Strabane District Council? Yes No
Q.18 Conflict of Interest! Is there anyone within your membership base who is involved in the delivery of grant aid programmes for DCSDC ? Yes No Note: This answer does not inpact eligibility to apply

Saving Data. Please wait...

3. Application Form

Be Active Support for Sport Fund 2026-2027 - Application Form

Congratulations you have are eligible to apply and have reached the Application Form stage.
Please note: if you leave this page without hitting / clicking on the Save Button you will lose your work. You can save the application as you complete it, by simply clicking on the 'Just Save' button. When you are ready to submit the Application to Derry City and Strabane District Council click on the 'Save and Submit' button.
Important Documents:  Guidance Notes | Scoring Matrix
Reference Number:  Generated Upon Submission

Essential Details

Name of Club: *
Club Address and Postcode: *
Club Telephone No.: *
Project Title: *
Main Contact Name: *
Position: *
Contact Address and Postcode: *
(for all correspondence)
Contact Telephone No.:
Contact Mobile No.:
Email Address: *
Project Start Date: (On or after 1st April 2026)  
Project End Date: (On or before 12th March 2027)  
There are errors associated with the 'Areas you intend to apply for' table below and the values you have entered or have not entered.
Clubs can apply for up to a maximum of £2,000 across the following areas. Please specify which areas you intend to apply for:
Select which areas using the checkboxes below *
1 Participation Initiatives (involves coaching, programming, max of £750 towards venue hire)
2 Performance (involves travel to competition for events you have qualified to attend, hosting regional events)
3 Coach Education (Sports Specific and Generic Courses)
4 Equipment (project specific up to 50% of overall award up to a maximum of £500)
5 Strategic and Developmental (involves club development plans etc)

1. Project Details

Project (40%): Tell us about the different elements of your project. For example: What will you do? When will you do it? Where will you do it? How will you do it? Who will benefit? How will your project contribute to project priorities.
Max 400 words - Must cover all aspects you have ticked above
Word Count: Words Remaining:
There are errors associated with the 'Target Figures' table below and the values you have entered or have not entered.
Target Figures
If a participant falls into more than one group, record them in each group. *
Total number of Participants
Total number of Young People
Total number of Females
Total number of People with a Disability
Total number of People from areas of high social need
Total number of Ethnic Minorities
Total number of Older People

2. Project Need

Need (30%): How did you identify the need for this project? Have you consulted with potential participants? How does your project fit strategically with relevant stake-holders? Is there evidence of social need? How does the project contribute to objectives outlined within your Community Plan?
Max 400 words
Word Count: Words Remaining:
There are errors associated with the 'Targeting Social Need' table below and the values you have entered or have not entered.
Targeting Social Need: You must define the single most appropriate Council Super Output Area where the majority of the beneficiaries of your Project come from - eg - where your project beneficiaries are predominantly located.
Does your Project benefit a Rural Super Output Area? Yes No
If yes please state:
There are errors associated with the 'Super Output Area' table below and the values you have entered or have not entered.
Please indicate where your project will be located. (Please tick appropriate Super Output Area box for where your club is predominately located.)
Super Output Area Cateogry  
Altnagelvin 1
Altnagelvin 2
Altnagelvin 3
Artigarvan Rural
Ballycolman
Ballynashallog 1
Ballynashallog 2
Banagher Rural
Beechwood
Brandywell
Carnhill 1
Carnhill 2
Castlederg Rural
Caw
Clare Rural
Claudy 1 Rural
Claudy 2 Rural
Clondermot 1
Clondermot 2
Creggan Central 1
Creggan Central 2
Creggan South
Crevagh 1
Crevagh 2
Crevagh 3
Culmore 1 Rural
Culmore 2
Culmore 3
Culmore 4
Culmore 5 Rural
Dunnamanagh Rural
East
Ebrington 1
Ebrington 2
Eglinton 2 Rural
Eglinton1 Rural
Enagh 1 Rural
Enagh 2
Finn Rural
Foyle Springs 1
Foyle Springs 2
Glenderg Rural
Hollymount 1 Rural
Hollymount 2
Kilfennan 1
Kilfennan 2
Lisnagelvin 1
Lisnagelvin 2
Newbuildings 1 Rural
Newbuildings 2
Newtownstewart Rural
North
Pennyburn 1
Pennyburn 2
Plumbridge Rural
Rosemount
Shantallow East
Shantallow West 1
Shantallow West 2
Shantallow West 3
Shantallow West 4
Sion Mills Rural
Slievekirk Rural
South 1
South 2
Springtown 1
Springtown 2
Strand 1
Strand 2
The Diamond
Victoria
Victoria Bridge Rural
West 1
West 2
Westland

3. Project Sustainability

Sustainability (20%): How will you ensure that your project delivers long lasting benefits? Has the project development plans in place to sustain the project? Has the project coaching in place to help sustain increased participation?
Max 250 words
Word Count: Words Remaining:

4. Project Costs

There are errors associated with the 'Project Costs' table below and the values you have entered or have not entered.
Costs; (10%) How will the costs for the proposed Project be broken down? Your answer should provide a detailed breakdown of exactly where the funding will be used. The following table may be used to assist you.

Costs relate to the areas you want to apply to (e.g. Participation Initiatives, Performance, Coach Education, Equipment, Strategic and Developmental). You can only add costs for the areas you have selected.
See Guidance Notes
SELECTED AREAS: NO AREAS SELECTED ABOVE. YOU MUST SELECT AREAS ABOVE TO COMPLETE THIS TABLE.
Expenditure Details Itemised Costs (if applicable)(£) Total Cost (£) Amount Required from DCSDC Who will fund remainder  
No Areas have been selected. You must select an area to specify costs.
Participation Initiatives - Click this button to add a row to this section
No Details have been added yet for Participation Initiatives. Please click the Add Row button above to add a row.
Performance - Click this button to add a row to this section
No Details have been added yet for Performance. Please click the Add Row button above to add a row.
Coach Education - Click this button to add a row to this section
No Details have been added yet for Coach Education. Please click the Add Row button above to add a row.
Equipment - Click this button to add a row to this section
No Details have been added yet for Equipment. Please click the Add Row button above to add a row.
Strategic and Developmental - Click this button to add a row to this section
No Details have been added yet for Strategic and Developmental. Please click the Add Row button above to add a row.
Overall Total:   £0.00 £0.00    

There are errors associated with the 'Rest of Funding Needed' table below and the values you have entered or have not entered.
If the cost of the project/service outlined above is more than you have applied for, have you identified the rest of the funding you need?
Yes No
Amount Secured (£):
Amount Pending (£):

Applicants Authorisation

We hereby declare that the information contained in this application form is accurate and in line with the requirements as outlined in the guidance notes.
Current Chairperson: *
Date: *  

Current Secretary or Treasurer: *
Date: *  

Thank you! Your Application was saved and has been submitted successfully to the Be Active Support for Sport Fund at Derry City and Strabane District Council.


Your Reference Number:


We will be in touch, when we have reviewed your application.


Good Luck with your Application!


Sincere Regards,

Be Active Support for Sport,
The Health & Community Department,
Sports Development Section,
Derry City and Strabane District Council,
98 Strand Road,
Derry,
BT48 7NN

Be Active Support for Sport,
The Health & Community Department,
Sports Development Section,
Derry City and Strabane District Council,
47 Derry Road,
Strabane,
BT82 8DY

Telephone: 02871253253