2. How do I go about applying for council funding for a club or individual? 
Your first point of contact should be either your local authority’s (ie District, Borough or City Council) Sports Development Officer (SDO) or Leisure Officer. Often they will be able to assess suitability for a grant or funding, and if they do not personally allocate the funding they can pass on their recommendations to the relevant body, officer or grants panel. Most say they receive an average of two applications per month, but often more. If SDOs do have the authority to allocate money, they are usually only responsible for the distribution of small grants (under £500). Be aware that some local authorities have set timeframes to receive applications – for example in Kent the application deadlines are 1st March, 1st June and 1st November. It is best to visit your local authority’s website to see whether any deadlines or conditions exist.
Applications are usually submitted in writing, although as council websites catch up with technology, some offer an online application form. Others require the applicant to call in and apply over the telephone. Please consult your local authority website for more details regarding the application process.
National schemes have application forms on their websites – click here to visit the external links page for links to the major funding bodies.