Sport England Small Grants Programme 

The Sport England Small Grants Programme has been set up to support local community sport projects which seek to increase participation, sustain participation or develop opportunities for people to excel at their chosen sport. 

For example, we might help a sports club expand its age range by helping it to buy extra team kit or pay additional coaching fees. Or we may help youth clubs work together with local sports clubs to get more young people playing sport. 

Amount: £300 - £10,000 

FOR GUIDANCE ON HOW TO COMPLETE A SMALL GRANTS APPLICATION, CLICK HERE 

Awards for All

The Awards for All programme aims to help improve local communities and the lives of people most in need.

To do this we want to fund projects that meet one or more of the following outcomes: 

* People have better chances in life - with better access to training and development to improve their life skills.

* Stronger communities - with more active citizens working together to tackle their problems.

* Improved rural and urban environments - which communities are better able to access and enjoy.

* Healthier and more active people and communities. 

Amount: £300 - £10,000

Background to the scheme: 

* The programme was introduced in April 2002 as a recognition by the Government / HM Revenue & Customs of the important role played by sports clubs in local communities 

* The programme has made available many of the benefits of charitable status without the accompanying administrative responsibilities

* 40,000 eligible sports clubs but only around 4000 clubs have so far registered. Only 27 of them are Rugby League Clubs

The most valuable benefits of the CASC programme are: 

* A mandatory 80% business rate relief, which can be increased to 100% at the discretion of local authorities 

* The ability to raise funds from individuals under Gift Aid - a registered CASC can reclaim £28 in tax from the HM Revenue & Customs for every £100 donated 

* Further benefits include exemptions from corporation tax on: Bank and Building Society interest and trading and property income (subject to limits) 

* From 1st April 2006, all clubs pay tax on profits of less than £10,000; CASC's don't if covered by the above.

Will your club qualify as a CASC? 

* Is membership of the club open to the whole community, and are there more players, than social members? 

* Are all the club's facilities available to members without discrimination? 

* Does the club's constitution prevent profits of the club being distributed among its members? 

* Does the club provide facilities and encourage participation in eligible sports? 

* Does the club's constitution mean that on dissolution of the club, any net assets are to be distributed to another CASC (not necessarily a Rugby League CASC)? 

* If you can answer 'Yes' to all questions and your constitution can confirm this is the case, then it is likely that your club will be able to register as a CASC without making any changes. 

If interested, what should you do? 

* Visit http://www.cascinfo.co.uk which is a new website launched in conjunction with CCPR listing all relevant information and offers guidance notes. 

* Discuss with key members of your club 

* Seek to attend a runningsports 'How To Get Tax Breaks For Your Club' workshop to gain further information or contact the RFL's Finance dept (andy.sorby@rfl.uk.com) who will either talk you through the process or arrange to visit the club to discuss it further. 

* Make any relevant changes to your constitution 

* Apply to the HM Revenue & Customs Sports Club Unit, enclosing a registration form with a copy of the club's governing document, a copy of the club's latest accounts and a copy of the prospectus, members' handbook, rule book etc