EFL and Sky Bet unveil fund to boost communities across the country

11/08/2023 Soccer

EFL and Sky Bet launch Building Foundations Fund to help community projects across England and Wales benefit from £6m in funding… with Jeff Stelling to agree the winning bids 

  • The EFL and Sky Bet have jointly unveiled the Building Foundations Fund 
  • EFL clubs will get chance to bid for grants of £100,000 for community projects
  • Jeff Stelling will agree the winning bids across a range of different categories 
  • CHRIS SUTTON: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is a CLOWN – It’s All Kicking Off 

Communities across the country are benefit from £6m of funding after the English Football League and title partner Sky Bet unveiled the Building Foundations Fund.

Launching today at League One side Barnsley, the multi-year sponsor backed fund will dedicate solely to community activity and give the 72 EFL clubs a chance to bid for grants of £100,000 – to invest in ongoing programmes or develop new initiatives. 

Sky Bet will invest £1m per year into the fund as of the 2023-24 season, with ambassador and former Soccer Saturday presenter Jeff Stelling to agree the winning bids across a range of categories, such as improving local sporting facilities or promoting the physical and social benefits of the game.

To mark the start of the fund, club community organisations at each of the 72 EFL clubs will be able to spend an initial £10,000 grant.

Former Liverpool and England striker Emile Heskey will join EFL chairman Rick Parry and Sky Bet managing director Dan Colton gather at Barnsley’s 3G pitch to meet participants from its walking football programme – an existing community scheme for over 35s – will benefit from the 2023-24 funding. 

Communities across the country are benefit from £6m of funding after the English Football League and title partner Sky Bet unveiled the Building Foundations Fund

Jeff Stelling will agree the winning bids across a range of categories, such as improving local sporting facilities or promoting the physical and social benefits of the game.

Sky Bet’s Dan Colton said they were excited to see the impact the £6 million will have on important projects across England and Wales.

The walking football programme – an existing community scheme for over 35s – will benefit from the 2023-24 funding

Blackburn Rovers plan to use the initial £10,000 to grow its ‘Remember the Rovers’ programme which holds weekly sessions at Ewood Park, bringing people living with dementia together, who may otherwise be in social isolation, through the power of footballing memories.

Stelling said: ‘Everybody knows my love of the English Football League. I also know all too well how lower league clubs and the communities around them struggle for financial support.

‘I’m delighted to play a part in the Building Foundations Fund and I truly believe it presents a great opportunity to make a real difference.’

The EFL and Sky Bet agreed an extension earlier this year that saw the sports betting brand continue as the League’ title partner until the end of the 2028/29 campaign. The commitment to a community fund was an integral part of the extension agreement.

Dan Colton, Managing Director, Sky Bet said: ‘The Fund is a core pillar of our new agreement with the EFL and we’re very excited to see the impact the £6 million will have on such important projects across England and Wales.’

Over the 2021-22 season, EFL Clubs generated more than £865m of social value to towns and cities across England and Wales.

For more information about the Building Foundations Fund please visit www.efl.com

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