TNIFF Grassroots Facilities Programme - Stream 1

Overview

The Northern Ireland Football Fund (TNIFF) is a long-standing Executive commitment to invest in modernising our local footballing infrastructure.

The Northern Ireland Football Fund will invest in three areas:

• Performance Programme

• Grassroots Facilities Programme

• National Football Centre

Grassroots Facilities Programme Pilot Stage

The Grassroots Facilities Programme (the Programme) aims to support investment in Grassroots Football Facilities across Northern Ireland. While the Department for Communities (DfC / the Department) develops the full design and scope of a long-term programme, a Pilot Stage is being introduced.

This Pilot Stage will enable the Department to explore demand and better understand the needs and challenges at grassroots level.

Importantly, the Pilot Stage gives applicants a direct opportunity to influence the future design of the Programme. The experience, feedback and outcomes from participants will help the Department learn what works best in practice, and shape how the long-term Programme operates.

Who Can Apply

Applications to the Programme will be made and assessed in two separate streams.

STREAM 1

Stream 1 is open to:

(A) Grassroots Football Clubs who are the Owner of the Grassroots Football Facility or Grassroots Football Clubs who intend to become the Owner of the Grassroots Football Clubs who intend to become the owner of the Grassroots Football Facility prior to the issue of a Funding Agreement.

Grassroots Football Club Definition

For the purposes of this Programme a Grassroots Football Club is defined as a football club which is affiliated to (or referred to as being a member of) the Irish Football Association (Irish FA), and which was not eligible to apply for the Performance Programme at the date of its launch – 30 January 2025.

Owner Definition

For the purposes of this Programme the Owner of a facility is defined as the organisation that holds either:

(1) a freehold interest; or

(2) a lease that will expire no earlier than 1 February 2052

of a Grassroots Football Facility

and

(B) The Owners of a Grassroots Facility in partbership with a Grassroots Football Club.

Partner Grassroots Football Club Definition

For the purposes of this Programme a Partner Grassroots Football Club is a Grassroots Football Club (as defined above) that trains and / or play its home matches at the facility and will support the applicant in delivery of the benefits associated with the proposed grant funded project (for the avoidance of doubt, the Partner Grassroots Football Club must be affiliated to the Irish FA).

STREAM 2

Stream 2 is open to:

(A) A council which is the owner of a Grassroots Football facility to which the application relates

and

(B) A council which is the Owner of a Grassroots Football Facility to which the application relates applying in partnership with a Partner Grassroots Football Club.

Each of Northern Ireland’s eleven councils can submit one application only for Stream 2 of the Programme. 

Councils, schools and Education Authority Owners of Grassroots Football Facilities are not eligible to apply to Stream 1 of the Programme.

THIS APPLICATION FORM IS FOR STREAM 1