Football legends Alan Shearer and Graeme Souness have championed the launch of an initiative offering £500,000 in funding for grassroots sport. Flutter has announced that its Cash4Clubs programme will offer game-changing grants to 230 sports clubs.
Funding details and application window
Teams are urged to bid for Cash4Clubs funding, with 225 teams receiving £2,000 grants and another five receiving £10,000. The money is intended to help community clubs attract members and buy new equipment, with this year’s focus on keeping adults involved in sport.
The initiative was first launched in 2008 and has since helped teams spanning 100 different sports. Cash4Clubs, which is run in conjunction with the charity Sported, has distributed more than £7million to community clubs across the UK and Ireland in total, with a huge £1.3m being dished out since 2024.
Legends back the initiative
The application process will open on October 1, with eligible clubs and sports charities given until January 1 to submit their funding bids on the Cash4Clubs website. Premier League record goalscorer Shearer is aware of the initiative’s positive impact after presenting Newcastle Panthers LGBTQIA+ football team with an award earlier this year.
“Seeing what this grant meant to Newcastle Panthers puts it all into perspective,” Shearer said. “It’s helped so many members of our local community, both directly through the club and indirectly in the wider area through the positive message they share. I would encourage any neighbourhood club to apply for this grant.”
Impact on community clubs
Liverpool legend Souness has also witnessed the effect that a Cash4Clubs grant can have on a community team. The 73-year-old held a training session with one of the successful applicants and reflected on his experience.
“Never underestimate the difference a small grant can make to the survival of a grassroots club or local community group,” Souness said. “Earlier this year, I visited Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare FC to surprise them at training with the news that they’d received a Cash4Clubs grant. Since then, they’ve battled back from financial hardship and the threat of relegation.”
“The application window for Cash4Clubs grants, delivered by Sported UK, reopens on 1 October. If your club or organisation helps keep adults involved in sport, make sure you apply.”
