Applications now open.
The Yorkshire Cricket Board are delighted to announce the launch of the new ECB County Grants Fund.
The County Grants Fund aims to support affiliated Cricket Clubs to create welcoming environments, provide enhanced facilities and playing opportunities, and to develop environmentally sustainable clubs.
The County Grants Fund
County Grant Fund – County Grants Fund Guidance Notes
Attached above are the full guidance notes for the County Grants Fund, including processes, levels of funding available and eligibility criteria.
The fund has three themes:
Clubs can apply for between £1,000 and £10,000.
How will the County Grants Fund be managed in Yorkshire?
There are a few key points we would like to make to clubs at this stage:
1 Eligibility and Prioritising – Each theme has clear eligibility criteria, as laid out in the County Grants Fund Guidance Notes. Priority will be given to applications from Clubs that are actively engaged with ECB programmes (All Stars, Dynamos, Women’s and Girls’ Cricket and/or Disability Cricket).
The key aim of the fund is to help make clubs more welcoming environments for the whole family and community. Through delivering the ECB national programmes clubs are demonstrating a commitment towards diversifying their club offers. It is a priority that these clubs facilities support and complement their on field offers.
Projects that have been thoroughly thought out, with wider club consultation and use of the Creating Welcoming Environments Guide will be looked on more favourably.
2. Local management – The County Grants Fund has been set up to be administered locally with autonomy for County Cricket Boards to work with clubs and make decisions on projects that warrant investment. This is something that we welcome as it will give us an opportunity to work closely with clubs regarding their projects and club development.
Who is eligible?
Priority will be given to applications from affiliated Cricket Clubs that are actively engaged with ECB programmes (All Stars, Dynamos and Women’s and Girls Cricket). All projects will assist Clubs to make small changes to improve their long-term economic sustainability, offering improved family-friendly social facilities, improved changing and playing facilities for female cricketers or enhanced environmental sustainability (with a particular emphasis on flood and drought resilience).
At the request of the ECB, each County Board has been required to set out criteria with which to judge each application, and aligned to the aims and objectives of Cricket’s Inspiring Generations Strategy, the YCB has set the following criteria.
While the programme will be open to all affiliated clubs there will be some themes restricted to those who are engaged with ECB programmes and can demonstrate impact against the criteria below (note clubs will not be expected to hit all the criteria, however prioritisation will be based on those who can match and evidence most impact):
All clubs will be required to report on any monitoring process set by ECB as well as ensure that any investment is being used to work toward the priorities of the fund themes
3. Do not see this as a replacement for Small Grant Scheme – The County Grants Fund is not a re-badge of the old Small Grants Scheme. The project themes are very different with potentially higher levels of investment. The County Grants Fund will involve more dialogue between club and Board, and robust planning to ensure that the investment fits with the wider aspirations of both club and the Yorkshire Cricket Board.
Applications
Applications are now open via the ECB IMS system and the process is explained in the County Grants Fund Guidance Notes.
Next Steps
East: James Martin - j.martin@yorkshirecb.com
North: Richard Wilkinson - r.wilkinson@yorkshirecb.com
South: Gareth Davis - g.davis@yorkshirecb.com
West: Steve Archer - s.archer@yorkshirecb.com
Creating Welcoming Environments
To support the launch of the County Grants Fund, the ECB have released a new Creating Welcoming Environments Guide.
The Creating Welcoming Environments document is intended to provide guidance for cricket clubs to help make cricket facilities more inclusive and welcoming to all, by creating better environments for everyone using them and to encourage a more diverse range of people to join cricket clubs and get involved in the game at a recreational level. Club facilities are an important factor in ensuring that everyone, regardless of age, sex, sexual orientation, race, faith or disability, feels comfortable within the club environment.
To assist clubs in assessing where they may need to improve their facilities to make them more welcoming and inclusive, the ECB has developed a couple of self-assessment documents.