Project Funding
Apply for Funding Application
The England Squash Foundation (ESF) is committed to increasing accessible squash opportunities for under-represented and hard-to-reach groups in squash. Our funding philosophy is to seed projects, to get the projects up and running and allow the project to be self-sustaining in the long term.
For project funding applications to England Squash Foundation (ESF) to be approved by the ESF Board Trustees, we require evidence that a project meets one of our ESF objectives which include:
a. Inspiring Across Communities through the Sport (disadvantaged areas/communities)
b. Education through the Sport.
We believe these are fundamental in reaching areas where the sport is not always able to.
Females are one of our target groups, and we welcome applications for inspirational projects that increase the number of Women and Girls playing squash. Similarly proposed projects encouraging children to take up the sport as well as further their educational proficiency through homework clubs, further Maths and English etc. will also be regarded favourably.
Each project we support will need to either seed fund projects or match fund a minimum of £1 for £1 to bring the project total to a minimum of £600 (more match funding can be added if you wish), and this can be cash or value in kind (volunteer hours, donated court hire etc.). Projects will be capped to a maximum initial funding amount of £2,000 with match funding unless the ESF Trustees exceptionally approve otherwise.
Our project tiers of funding start from as little as £200 up to £5000
Tier | Amount | Examples |
|---|---|---|
Platinum | £2500 - £5000 | 1 x Islington primary school for one academic year at Years 4-6 |
Gold | £2000 - £2500 | Primary School Coach Workshop for 16 squash coaches; Roman & Saxon Cups in Essex & Suffolk Yrs 4-6 |
Silver | £1000 - £2000 | Anglo-European School Yr 7&8 pupils at Brentwood School for 1 academic year; bursary for top junior players; Surrey Gold tournament |
Bronze | £200 - £1000 | Summer & Winter Secondary school camps; pilot project at Felsted School for local primary school |
Your project must show a true passion for working with your approved target group. Can your project drive participation? How will your project connect with the agreed target audience to overcome their barriers, encourage them to play squash regularly and become part of your squash setup? What will you do to be adventurous with your ideas and take on an opportunity to think differently?
We welcome applications from all over England and would especially like to see activity in areas of the country that currently have little or no provision for squash or are targeting particularly disadvantaged groups from urban areas. Some of the most successful projects have worked across more than one facility or county, so joint bids will be considered (i.e. multiple counties applying for funding).
We want to see a fresh approach to getting more people playing and loving squash, and it is really important to us that we get a return on investment as the money comes from donations to the charity.
England Squash Foundation wants to use these projects to promote your success and inspire others to do the same, so tell us all about what you will do in the best way that you can.
To apply for funding, please click the button below and complete the funding application form.
All funding is subject to acceptance of our service level agreement, which will be sent out if your project is selected for funding.
You will be contacted by email by the Chairman (Mark Hill) or Honorary Treasurer (Nigel Bacon) of the England Squash Foundation to let you know whether you have successfully secured an ESF grant.
Make a Donation Today
Help us make a difference to young lives in your community today by simply making a donation that will go towards the projects we are currently running. These projects will allow them to participate in squash while receiving further education and opportunities to go further.
