With the deadline for initial applications to the Basketball England Assist Fund passing just over a month ago, the organisation is now in a position to release the funding from the first round of applications and announce that the Fund is set to reopen this week for a 2nd round.
The Assist Fund was created in February 2019 to benefit young players who might need financial assistance in order to play and enjoy basketball. Supported by a £10,000 allocation from Basketball England, the programme aimed to provide junior members with allowances of between £50 and £100, with clubs eligible to apply for support for up to three of their junior members. These parameters will remain in place for the upcoming round of funding.
There were over 60 applications from across England to the first phase in February and March, with several clubs being successful in their requests. After sifting through the various applications and working with the Basketball England regions to assess each case put forward, over £5,300 of funding has now been awarded to community clubs and their players.
The most frequent reasons provided for accessing the Fund included:
Basketball England’s Chair Clare Wardle said: “The Basketball England Assist Fund was created to ensure that the sport remained as accessible as possible to all who wish to play. I’m delighted that so much money has already been allocated to grassroots players who can now continue their enjoyment of the game. I’m sure the 2nd round of funding will prove to be just as successful.”
The application form for the 2nd round of the Assist Fund can be found using the button below. The closing date for applications is 17 June 2019.
