Communities throughout England and Wales are set to receive a boost, with over £600,000 ($762,117) in funding allocated through the grants of the Sky Bet EFL Building Foundations Fund.
The funding will support a diverse range of projects linked to over 60 EFL (English Football League) clubs, addressing various community needs such as tackling isolation and loneliness, promoting fitness and mental health, increasing sports participation and enhancing local football facilities.
Launched last year, the Building Foundations Fund is a long-term commitment by Sky Bet, pledging £6m over six years as part of its extended title partnership with the EFL.
Each EFL Club Community Organisation (CCO) received an initial £10,000 to kick-start community initiatives or support existing programs.
The latest round of funding sees diverse projects being supported, ranging from Leeds United's 'Social Goals' program targeting isolation among over-50s, to Morecambe's health and fitness sessions for local communities.
Debbie Cook, EFL Director of Community, commented: “The funding provided from Sky Bet not only enhances the outstanding work already undertaken by our clubs in the community, but creates a legacy that will last for years to come.
“This commitment from Sky Bet shines a light on the breadth and depth of the work football is involved in across all of our communities and tells the powerful stories of the local community members who benefit from these initiatives and programmes.”
Sky Bet's Managing Director Dan Colton added: “You only have to see the success of the programmes like ‘Remember the Rovers’ in Blackburn to realise the impact the Building Foundations Fund has and will continue to have over the coming years.
“We’re incredibly proud of the Building Foundations Fund and our work with the clubs across the EFL to breathe new life into the community projects they run.”
