New funding available for Brent sports activities

Wembley National Stadium Trust is delighted to announce a tentative re-opening for business, with the launch of our first grants distribution for the benefit of LB Brent since the winter of 2019/20. 

With the gradual easing of lockdown restrictions on major sporting events, Wembley Stadium has been able to welcome back paying spectators over the summer.  Whilst not back up to full capacity, the Euro 2020 fixtures, together with attendances at England men’s World Cup qualifiers and the Rugby League Challenge Cup final have generated an income for the Trust, which allows us to plan a new grants round.

But like many organisations, we do not want to go straight back to business as before the pandemic.  Having spoken to many local clubs and groups in Brent, the clear message back to us is that the best way we could assist would be to provide small injections of cash, not linked to any specific project or expenditure heading, allowing recipients to use the funding flexibly over the coming months to support your activities, core costs or other expenditure.

However, we are mindful that the Omicron covid variant pandemic has not disappeared and that infection rates remain high. There remains the possibility of further social restrictions being imposed, although central government’s direction is currently against this.  Should these materialize though, it might impact on the Trust’s income generation, as well as on clubs’ ability to deliver services. Whilst we are therefore pleased to invite funding applications now, we reserve the right to re-assess the situation before we formally agree the distribution of funds.   

We are therefore seeking applications:

• For a set sum of £2,500

• To be spent within one year of the award being made

• Grants are specifically for the benefit of the residents of LB Brent

• For sports clubs – the funds can be used to help meet any expenditure

• For generalist organisations proving sports activities – the funds must be clearly spent on some sporting or physical activity

• And we will be content for recipient organisations to change the use of grants as circumstances require without reference back to the Trust.

• Priority will be given to applications from smaller organisations local to LB Brent, where there is less in-house fundraising capacity.  Other organisations are free to apply, but our decisions will be led by demand.  

• Priority will also be given to applications which address the needs of those local people most affected by the pandemic

• Schools are not eligible to apply in this round

Applications

To apply, please complete the application form, which is accessed via the “How to Apply” page of the WNST website. In order to be eligible for consideration, your organisation needs to have:

• A set of rules or constitution

• A bank account in the name of the organisation

• A management committee of at least three unrelated individuals

• An up-to-date satisfactory safeguarding policy

The deadline for the receipt of applications is 5pm on Friday 11th February. No bids received after that point will be considered.

There is a comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions on the application page of the web site, which should resolve most issues.  Other enquiries can be addressed to info@wnst.org.uk