Summer of Sport

The following organisations working with children and young people in Midlothian (ages 3–26) may apply:

• Community sports clubs
• Voluntary or community groups
• Charities or social enterprises
• Public sector organisations
• Scottish Governing Bodies of Sport (SGBs)

Partnership working between different organisations is encouraged and such applications will be considered favourably.

Applicant groups must have:

• A constitution or articles of association which describes the group’s aims, membership and decision-making arrangements
• A bank account in the name of the organisation requiring at least two signatories for cheques, transactions or cash withdrawals
• Appropriate safeguarding arrangements and public liability insurance
• Public sector applicants must demonstrate appropriate alternative aims & financial arrangements

Activities should be free, targeted or offered at a reduced cost - or a blend of these, depending on your participant audience(s) - in order to maximise engagement and address barriers to participation. Projects should support one or more of the following priorities:

Opportunities

Deliver safe, welcoming and inclusive opportunities that reduce barriers to participation.

Pathways

Provide accessible pathways from short-term activity into sustained participation in school, club and community sport.

Enhancement

Build on existing provision, particularly over summer and beyond, avoid duplication and strengthen what already exists.

Targeted

Introduce targeted initiatives where gaps exist, with a focus on long-term engagement beyond the funding period.

Workforce

Recruit, train and retain coaches, officials, volunteers and leaders to grow local workforce capacity.

Profile

Help raise the profile of sport locally and celebrate participation and success.

Applications for projects that provide opportunities for following targeted groups are particularly welcomed:

• Children from lone parent families
• Children from ethnic minority families
• Children from families with a disabled adult or child
• Children from families with a young mother (under 25)
• Children from families with a child under 1 year old
• Children from larger families (3+ children)
• Vulnerable children and young people (with an additional support need, care experienced, young carers, in need of protection, supported by a child's plan, those who have undergone significant transitions, for example, starting in ELC, primary or secondary school). This also includes pre-school and 14+
• Children and young people from other low-income groups.

When assessing applications, we may also look for evidence of:

• Strong partnerships with other organisations to deliver the project
• Collaborative delivery with Active Schools and Community Sports Hubs, or a willingness to strengthen these links
• Co-created activity shaped by participants and communities
• Building on existing services, facilities and approaches that are already working well
• Targeting groups more likely to face barriers to participation, including those affected by poverty, rural isolation, disability or additional support needs
• Long-term sustainability and pathways into ongoing participation

Examples of relevant projects may include (but are not limited to):

• Free, fun, active holiday-time activities that create social connections
• Multi-sport camps, festivals and taster events with a clear pathway into clubs
• Post-summer sessions leading into club, school and community opportunities
• Equipment purchases and facility hire (including equipment to support inclusion of disabled and SEN participants)
• Travel costs for participants on low incomes and/or living in rural communities
• Approaches to recruit and retain volunteers and young leaders
• Training to support inclusive delivery (e.g., trauma-informed practice, disability inclusion) and/or coach education qualifications.
• Workforce costs, including coaches, sessional staff and volunteer expenses
• Support for local clubs to help children and young people access local sport (e.g., & open days, club fees, kit costs)
• PVG application costs for volunteers and deliverers on the project
• One-off events that meet one or more of the criteria
• Targeted work with small groups
• Enhancement of existing activities (i.e. the provision of food to support activity)

Direct project costs may include:

• Equipment purchases to facilitate the proposed activities
• External facility hire
• Equipment to support inclusion for disabled participants and those with additional support needs
• Travel costs for participants on low incomes or living in rural communities
• Approaches to recruit and retain volunteers and young leaders
• Training to support inclusive delivery, such as trauma-informed practice or disability inclusion
• Coach education qualifications and workforce development
• Workforce costs including coaches, sessional staff and volunteer expenses
• Open days, introductory sessions, club fee support or kit costs to help children and young people access local sport
• PVG application costs for volunteers and deliverers involved in the project
• Communications and promotional activities specifically linked to the proposed project
• Specialist services or contractors where required for project delivery

This may include:

• Retrospective costs or activities that have already taken place
• General organisational running costs not directly linked to the proposed project
• Routine property maintenance or repairs
• Large capital purchases
• Servicing of debt
• Self-payments, such as charging for use of your own venue or facilities
• Ongoing organisational costs including utilities, rent, office costs, subscriptions or general administration
• Activities not delivered in Midlothian
• Activities not aimed at children and young people aged 3–26
• Registration and affiliation fees
• Political or religious campaigning activity

Direct project costs relate specifically to the activity or project you are seeking funding for.

Examples include:

• Coaching or sessional delivery costs
• Volunteer expenses and co-ordination
• Equipment and resources
• Venue or facility hire (but not self-charging)
• Transport costs for participants
• Training and qualifications
• Inclusion support costs
• Insurance or licences specifically required for the project
• Marketing and promotional costs linked directly to the project

Funds awarded must:

• Be used only for the agreed project purposes
• Be held and managed by the grant holder organisation
• Be spent within the agreed project period
• Not contribute to general organisational running costs

If funding remains unspent or the organisation dissolves, unspent funds may need to be returned.

Typical timescales:

• Applications must be submitted by the published deadline of 11.00pm on Sunday 5 July 2026
• The funding panel will meet shortly after the closing date
• Applicants will be informed of the outcome after the panel have considered all applications
• Successful applicants will receive a funding agreement which must be signed and returned before payment can be processed
• Funds will then be transferred into the organisation’s bank account

All successful applicants will be required to collect information for evaluation and monitoring purposes and submit a report by 31 March 2027 via the reporting template that will be provided, demonstrating how you have applied the funding and what the impact has been.

The exact monitoring information and reporting format may be tailored to your project and agreed with the Community Sports Hub Officer, however you should plan in advance how you will gather information about:

• Participant numbers
• Age ranges and target groups reached
• Outcomes and impact
• Feedback from participants
• Volunteer involvement
• Progression into ongoing activity or club participation

You may also wish to capture photographs/video from activities. Any photographs used should have appropriate consent in place.

Council officers will initially review applications to ensure they meet the award criteria and are eligible for consideration.

When answering the questions in the application, it is important to clearly demonstrate how your proposed project meets the award criteria, ensuring you provide as much details as possible, being as specific as you can.

Council officers may contact applicants to request additional information or clarification before submitting eligible applications to the funding panel.

The funding panel will then consider those eligible applications, taking into account:

• How many children and young people are likely to benefit
• Whether the proposed benefits and outcomes are realistic and clearly explained
• How effectively the project reduces barriers to participation
• Whether there are clear pathways into sustained participation
• Whether the project is well planned and deliverable
• Whether the budget and costs are reasonable, proportionate and clearly evidenced
• The strength of partnership working and collaboration
• The organisation’s capacity to deliver the project safely and effectively

The funding panel may recommend:

• A full award
• A partial award
• No award

The panel reserves the right to approve or reject any application based on its perceived relevance to the criteria and relative to the amount of funds available. All panel decisions are final.

For applications that are not successful, applicants will be informed of the reasons and, where applicable, may apply again in any future funding rounds.