The National League Trust

Charity Number: 1145603

Annual Expenditure: £2.4M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £1.2 million (from each of Premier League and PFA, totaling £2.4m annually)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 6 weeks from application deadline
  • Grant Range: £5,000 - £25,000
  • Geographic Focus: England & Wales (National League clubs only)
  • Application Method: Fixed deadlines (3 rounds per year)

Contact Details

Address: The Football Conference Ltd, Waterloo House, 20 Waterloo Street, Birmingham B2 5TB

Phone: 0121 634 3155

Email: admin@nationalleaguetrust.org.uk

Media Contact: media@nationalleaguetrust.org.uk

Website: https://nationalleaguetrust.org.uk/

Pre-application Support: CCO representatives must attend a funding workshop or receive pre-application advice before applying

Overview

The National League Trust (charity number 1145603) was registered on 24 January 2012 as a charitable company, formerly known as The Football Conference Trust. The Trust's mission is to encourage every National League club to become involved in their community through grant aid and development advice. With an annual income of £1.2 million (financial year ending 31 May 2024), the Trust is funded through a partnership between the Premier League and the Professional Footballers' Association, each contributing £1.2 million annually. Since inception, the Trust has awarded 673 grants totaling £10.6 million, supporting 110 programmes across 52 National League member clubs, generating total project costs of £17.7 million. The Trust operates across England & Wales, supporting community projects delivered by football clubs or their charities who are members of the three divisions of The National League.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Trust operates a single grant programme with three annual funding rounds:

  • Round 1: Application deadline 18 August, decisions by late September, projects start 1 October
  • Round 2: Application deadline in December, decisions end of January, projects start mid-February
  • Round 3: Application deadline in April, decisions mid-May, projects start 1 June

Grant amounts: £5,000 minimum up to £20,000 or £25,000 ceiling (depending on parent club status within the National League system)

CCOs can either apply once a year for their full ceiling allocation toward one project/programme, or apply multiple times during the season as long as the total remains within their grant ceiling.

Priority Areas

The Trust supports a wide range of community projects, with particular interest in:

  • Minority groups and inclusion: Projects working with underrepresented communities
  • New football activity: Women and girls teams, walking football, dementia-friendly sessions
  • Health initiatives: Obesity prevention, anti-smoking programmes, keep fit and activity classes
  • Youth engagement: Work with young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs), youth groups
  • Disability sport: Helping disability groups participate in sport
  • Education: Literacy and numeracy programmes for children and adults
  • Community activities: Music, dance and arts activities
  • Volunteering: Projects encouraging volunteer participation
  • Elderly support: Activities for older people

What They Don't Fund

The Trust explicitly excludes:

  • Ongoing staff salaries
  • Club running costs
  • Day-to-day operational expenses (utility bills, council tax, rent, insurance)
  • Fundraising activities
  • Political or religious activities
  • Capital projects relating to land and buildings
  • Vehicle purchases
  • Individual-focused items

Eligible Costs

Grants can cover:

  • Sessional workers
  • Equipment
  • IT equipment
  • Training costs
  • Transport
  • Volunteer expenses
  • VAT not recoverable by the organisation
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Governance and Leadership

The Trust is governed by a board of six trustees who bring extensive experience from football, community development, and professional regulation:

Jack Pearce (Chair) - Appointed Chair in January 2022, Jack is a former Vice-Chair of The FA and has been manager of Bognor Regis Town FC for 51 years. He serves as Vice-President of Sussex County FA and is a trustee of the Football Foundation, bringing deep grassroots football knowledge.

Lord Richard Faulkner of Worcester - Created a Labour peer in 1997, Lord Faulkner serves as Deputy Speaker and Deputy Chairman of Committees in the House of Lords. He was a former trustee of the Football Trust, bringing political and governance expertise.

Terry Angus - A former professional player with over 350 league appearances, Terry works with the PFA as Community Equalities Executive, focusing on player support and diversity programmes.

Nick Perchard - Head of Community at the Premier League and the Premier League's representative on the board since 2016. Nick is responsible for delivering the Premier League's community strategy.

Paul Fairclough - England C Team Manager since 2003 and a former professional player and manager, Paul brings extensive experience in player development and coaching.

Nabila Zulfiqar - A solicitor specialising in professional regulation and governance, serving as Professional Chief Adjudicator for the Solicitors Regulation Authority. She is also a non-executive director of the National League and a serious case panel member for the FA.

How to Apply to The National League Trust

How to Apply

Eligibility Requirements:

  1. Applications must be made by a Club Community Organisation (CCO) - either a community charitable trust or community interest company associated with a National League club
  2. The parent club must be a member of the National League during the season of application
  3. CCO representatives must have attended one of the Trust's funding workshops or received pre-application advice before applying
  4. Projects must not start before grant approval is received

Application Process:

Applications are reviewed by the Board of Trustees and follow a structured timeline with three annual rounds. Applicants must demonstrate:

  • The project's community impact
  • Where matching funds will come from (though these do not need to be confirmed at application stage)
  • Alignment with the Trust's community objectives

Decision Timeline

  • Deadline to decision: Within 6 weeks of application deadline
  • Project start dates: Specific to each round (October, mid-February, or June)

Applications submitted in August receive decisions by late September; December applications receive decisions by end of January; April applications receive decisions by mid-May.

Success Rates

The Trust does not publicly disclose success rates or the number of applications received versus grants awarded. However, with 52 eligible clubs and a total annual budget of £2.4 million distributed across three rounds, competition for funding exists.

Reapplication Policy

CCOs can apply multiple times during a season, provided the total of all grants remains within their annual grant ceiling (£20,000 or £25,000 depending on club status). The policy on reapplication after unsuccessful applications is not publicly specified.

Application Success Factors

Attend a Funding Workshop: This is mandatory for eligibility. The Trust requires CCO representatives to attend one of their funding workshops or receive pre-application advice before submitting an application. This suggests the workshops provide valuable insight into what the Trust is looking for.

Focus on Community Impact: The Trust's mission centres on encouraging National League clubs to become involved in their community. Applications should clearly demonstrate how the project will benefit the local community, particularly young people and disadvantaged groups.

Align with Priority Areas: The Trust shows particular interest in projects working with minority groups, new football activities (especially women and girls), health-related initiatives, NEETs, disability groups, and educational programmes. Projects that address multiple priority areas may be particularly strong.

Demonstrate Sustainability: While matching funds don't need to be confirmed at application, applicants must show where additional funding will come from. This suggests the Trust values projects with diverse funding sources and long-term viability.

Avoid Excluded Costs: Ensure your budget does not include ongoing salaries, running costs, or capital projects. Focus on sessional workers, equipment, training, and project-specific costs.

Project Examples: The Trust has funded dementia-friendly football sessions (such as those at Buxton FC), women and girls teams, walking football, and various educational and health initiatives. Understanding the types of projects recently funded can help shape applications.

Leverage Premier League and PFA Partnership: The Trust's funding comes from two major football organisations committed to community development. Applications that demonstrate how football can be a vehicle for social change align well with this partnership's values.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Mandatory pre-application engagement: You must attend a funding workshop or receive pre-application advice - make this your first step
  • Restricted eligibility: Only Club Community Organisations linked to National League member clubs can apply - this is not open to general community groups
  • Plan for matching funds: The Trust expects projects to have additional funding sources, even if not confirmed at application
  • Three chances per year: With deadlines in August, December, and April, timing your application to align with project start dates is important
  • Focus on specific costs: Grants cover project costs like sessional workers, equipment, and training - not ongoing operational expenses
  • Grant ceiling applies annually: Depending on your parent club's status, you can access £20,000-£25,000 per year across one or multiple applications
  • Decision timeline is predictable: Six weeks from deadline to decision allows for planning, but projects cannot start before approval

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