About the Fund
The Football Foundation’s Lionesses HERe to Play Fund supports making football facilities more welcoming and inclusive for women and girls. Applicants must prepare a list of eligible items, have a verified organization, contacts, and site, and liaise with their County FA on development plans. Applications require two quotes per item, a description of impact, evidence of minimum 5 years tenure or a Service Level Agreement, and a 25% match funding contribution. Retrospective funding is not allowed. Applications are assessed within 10 working days, with funding provided if successful. Additional requirements include completion or signup to The FA’s Equal Game workshop for clubs.
• The Lionesses HERe to Play Fund supports regular, organised community or grassroots football.
• Applicants must have a development plan for women’s and girls’ football at their site.
• Engagement with The FA’s Equal Game programme is required.
• The fund aims to create welcoming, safe and accessible facilities for women and girls.
• Match funding of 25% by the applicant is required.
• Minimum 5 years security of tenure or a Service Level Agreement is needed for all applications.
Eligibility
Apply if you’re a not-for-profit football club or voluntary group, Local Authority, County FAA, Professional Club Community Organisation, educational establishment providing facilities for the community, registered charity, not-for-profit company, community interest company (CIC) or other social enterprise, or company limited by guarantee. If a Football Club, applicant must be Chair, Secretary or Treasurer and co-sign forms.
Individuals or sole traders, national governing bodies, commercial/for-profit entities, clubs within Premier League, Football League, National League System (Step 1 to 6), Women’s Football Pyramid (Tier 1–4), Welsh Premier League, and educational establishments providing facilities solely for their students cannot apply.
Additional Requirements: Must facilitate regular, organised community or grassroots football (no ad-hoc or unsupervised play), have a development plan for women’s and girls’ football at site, and engage with The FA’s Equal Game programme.
Grant Details
• Funding range: £1,500 to £25,000
• The grant will not exceed 75% of the total project costs, requiring a minimum of 25% match funding.
• Applicants can apply for up to £25,000 per application.
• Projects must provide at least 5 years security of tenure.
• Eligible costs: Items/facility improvements that make grassroots sports sites safe, welcoming, and accessible for women and girls.
• Examples of what is funded include goalposts, portable floodlights, 3G pitch maintenance machinery and equipment, small-sided facility improvements, grass pitch drainage and maintenance equipment, catering units, storage containers, changing pavilions and clubhouses, fencing, and grass pitch improvements.
• Retrospective funding is not allowed.
• Eligible applicants include not-for-profit football clubs or voluntary groups, local authorities, County FA, professional club community organisations, educational establishments providing community facilities, registered charities, not-for-profit companies, community interest companies, or companies limited by guarantee.
• Projects must engage with The FA’s Equal Game programme and have a women’s and girls’ football development plan.
• Length: Not explicitly stated but projects should have long-term tenure/security (minimum 5 years).
How to apply
- Apply through Football Foundation website (footballfoundation.org.uk)
- Applicants must be Chair, Secretary or Treasurer of football club to submit application (if applying as a club)
- Application submitted online through Foundation account
- Note: Specific application deadlines and detailed process should be confirmed on the Football Foundation website as the fund appears to be rolling/ongoing
