Grants are available to support ECB affiliated cricket clubs to help address inequalities in access to safe, good quality grass cricket pitches across England and Wales.
The funding is intended to support investment into three main areas:
- Improving the quality of squares and outfields (for grass pitches rated ‘unsuitable’ or ‘basic’ to improve to at least ‘good’).
- Creating sustainable management of sites (through irrigation and machinery improvements).
- Installing hybrid pitches to increase playing capacity.
The amount of grant will be determined by the ECB on a case-by-case basis.
All projects must be completed, and the grant claimed within 12 months of the date of the Offer Letter, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the ECB.
Applications will be accepted from cricket clubs and other organisations affiliated to the ECB via their local CCB or CF, or that affiliate to the ECB nationally via the African Caribbean Cricket Association (ACCA) or National Asian Cricket Council (NACC).
In addition, the ECB, CCBs or CFs may solicit applications from state funded Schools and Further Education establishments, Local Authorities, or targeted Community Groups in support of local strategies.
As a minimum, clubs will need to have the following:
- A constitution, articles of association or equivalent governing document.
- Valid buildings, contents and public liability insurance.
- Security of tenure – leasehold, freehold or rental (minimum one year).
- A bank account in the club’s name.
- Financial accounts from the last three years.
- Adoption of the ECB Safe Hands Policy.
- Adoption of the ECB Inclusion and Diversity Policy.
Priority will be given to applications which support cricket for the following groups:
- Women’s and girls’ cricket.
- Cricket in diverse communities.
- Disability cricket.
- Low socio-economic groups (LSEG).
Where an organisation considers that it is unable to accept Lottery Funding for constitutional reasons (eg religious constraint), it should identify this to ECB in the application. ECB is able to provide alternative charitable funding from the EWCT where this is a constraint and, for the avoidance of doubt, this request will not prejudice the application process in any way.
To identify suitable projects, prior to submission of an application, all organisations will need to arrange for a County Pitch Adviser (CPA) to conduct a site visit to assess the current Performance Quality Standard (PQS) of the grass cricket pitch.
The CPA will produce a report using the PitchPower Pro app, which will include a PQS rating for the square and outfield, and recommendations to improve the PQS rating(s) to at least ‘good’. Only organisations which receive ratings of ‘unsuitable’ or ‘basic’ will be able to apply for GPIF funding.
The grant cannot be used to retrospectively fund projects.
Grants are used to support grass pitch improvement activity.
The following criteria apply:
- For larger projects, ie those requiring significant works to the square, outfield or irrigation that are not covered by the standard recommendations provided by the CPA PitchPower report, a Feasibility Study by a qualified Sports Pitch Consultant may be required. Applicant organisations will be advised of this requirement at the EOI stage.
- Large scale groundworks are also likely to require planning permission. In such cases, applicant organisations must contact the local planning authority to obtain written confirmation of whether planning permission will be required or not. The planning process can take on average 12 weeks for a decision.
The fund will run until March 2027, or whenever funding is fully allocated, whichever is sooner.
To arrange a CPA site visit, organisations will need to contact their local County Cricket Board (CCB) or Cricket Foundation (CF). The CCB or CF will also confirm the cost of a site visit in the applicant’s area, which will need to be paid for by the organisation. Contact details for the CCB or CF can be found at: https://www.ecb.co.uk/play/county-cricket-boards
