Football Foundation grants
Football Foundation is a national funder of grassroots football facilities for community organisations and clubs in England, with some funding routes offering up to £25,000.
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
Football Foundation is a national funder supporting grassroots football facilities in England, making grants to organisations rather than individuals. Its website states that grants of up to £25,000 are available. In its most recent accounts, it gave around £109.2 million in grants to organisations. It does not fund routine maintenance and repairs from wear and tear unless these are part of a wider grass pitch improvement programme, and it does not fund facilities that are not available for community use. It will not fund items that have already been purchased, or capital projects that have already started before an application is submitted.
What they fund
Football Foundation's funding spans sport, health, education, economic and community development, and disability.
Who and where
It funds work benefiting people with disabilities, children and young people, and the general public, across England.
Who they help
Where they fund
What Football Foundation says in its own guidance
Quoted directly from the funder’s own website, with a link to the page each quote came from. Always the most current word is theirs — check the source before you apply.
Who they say they'll fund
“Projects outside England”
Source: footballfoundation.org.uk — What we fund | Football Foundation →
What they say they won't fund
“Any items that have already been purchased or capital projects that have already commenced work prior to an application being submitted”
Source: footballfoundation.org.uk — Fencing Grants | Fence Grants for Grassroots Football →
“Routine maintenance and repairs resulting from wear and tear and not part of a grass pitch improvement programme”
Source: footballfoundation.org.uk — What we fund | Football Foundation →
“Facilities that are not available for community use”
Source: footballfoundation.org.uk — What we fund | Football Foundation →
Grant sizes they mention
“Up to £25,000 in funding”
Source: footballfoundation.org.uk — Football Foundation →
How they say to apply
“applicants make no more than one application per season unless otherwise agreed with the Foundation”
Source: footballfoundation.org.uk — Fencing Grants | Fence Grants for Grassroots Football →
“you'll receive an email normally within ten working days with a link to download your decision letter”
Source: footballfoundation.org.uk — Fencing Grants | Fence Grants for Grassroots Football →
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
To promote all purposes recognised as charitable under the law of england and wales from time to time in particular through an association with sport
How to approach them
Start with the official sources — they’re always more current than any directory, including this one.
Common questions
How much does Football Foundation give?
Its website states that grants of up to £25,000 are available. In its most recent accounts, it gave around £109.2 million in grants to organisations overall.
What does it fund?
It funds grassroots football facilities for community use in England, such as pitch improvements and fencing.
Who can apply?
It makes grants to organisations, not individuals.
What won't it fund?
Routine maintenance and repairs from wear and tear, unless part of a grass pitch improvement programme; facilities not available for community use; and items already purchased or capital projects already started before you apply.
How do I apply?
Football Foundation's application process differs by grant type. For its fencing grants, for example, you should receive an email normally within ten working days with a link to download your decision letter, and applicants may make no more than one application per season unless otherwise agreed with the Foundation. Check the Foundation's own website (www.footballfoundation.org.uk) and its Charity Commission entry (charity number 1079309) for the process and current guidance for your grant type.
Is your charity a fit for Football Foundation?
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Contains public sector information from the Charity Commission for England and Wales licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, and grants data from 360Giving used under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Figures are derived (filtered and summarised by TrusteeMeetings), not republished unchanged. About the data · Terms of use. This page is a starting point for your own research, not a promise of funding, and is not endorsed by or affiliated with Football Foundation.