Sky Bet the English Football League (EFL) have announced the launch of the Building Foundations Fund to provide £6m towards community projects across England and Wales.
The English Football League (EFL) has joined title sponsor Sky Bet for the launch of the £6m Building Foundations Fund to support community projects across England and Wales.
As EFL’s current title partner, Sky Bet will take on the task to invest £1m per year into the joint venture, which is also the largest multi-year, sponsor-backed fund primarily focused on community activity.
All 72 EFL clubs will be given the opportunity to apply for grants up to £100,000 in order to invest into various initiatives and ongoing programmes.
Dan Colton, Managing Director of Sky Bet, commented: “It’s a relationship that has gone from strength to strength over the past decade and we wanted to raise the bar further still with the ‘Building Foundations’ Fund.
“The Fund is a core pillar of our new agreement with the EFL and we’re very excited to see the impact the £6m will have on such important projects across England and Wales.”
To mark the start of the ‘Building Foundations’ Fund, Club Community Organisations (CCOs) at each of the 72 EFL Clubs will have the opportunity to spend an initial £10,000 grant.
As part of the fund’s launch celebrations, Club Community Organisations at each club will be given an initial £10,000 grant to invest into a project of their liking.
Blackburn Rovers, for example, has declared that the club will use the grant to grow its “Remember the Rovers” programme – bringing people with dementia together at Ewood Park each week to connect through their passion for football.
Sky Bet ambassador Jeff Stelling added: “Everybody knows my love of the EFL. I also know all too well how lower league clubs and the communities around them struggle for financial support.
“I’m delighted to play a part in the ‘Building Foundations’ Fund and I truly believe it presents a great opportunity to make a real difference.”
