The Premier League Charitable Fund

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £36,862,383 (2023)
• Total Funding Distributed: Almost £500 million since 2010
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (closed eligibility model)
• Decision Time: Varies by program (annual funding cycles for CCOs)
• Grant Range: Programme-specific; approximately £35 million distributed annually to 106 CCOs
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales
• Eligibility: HIGHLY RESTRICTED - Only Club Community Organisations (CCOs) affiliated with Premier League, EFL, and National League football clubs

Contact Details

Address: The Premier League, 57 North Wharf Road, London W2 1HQ

Phone: 020 7864 9000

Email: mailbox@plcf.co.uk

Safeguarding: safeguarding@plcf.co.uk

Website: www.premierleague.com/footballandcommunity/premier-league-charitable-fund

Charity Number: 1137208

Company Number: 07331384

Overview

The Premier League Charitable Fund (PLCF) was established in 2010 as the charitable arm of the Premier League, and has grown to become one of the largest sports charities in the world. Since formation, the Fund has awarded almost half a billion pounds of grant funding to professional football club community organisations, helping them to change the lives of almost two million people across England and Wales. Investment via the Premier League Charitable Fund has almost quadrupled in just over a decade.

The charity distributes around £35 million annually to 106 Club Community Organisations (CCOs) from the National League to the Premier League, enabling them to employ more than 6,200 staff and volunteers. Through Premier League and partner funding, the PLCF supports CCOs to deliver innovative programmes and quality services, with investment in infrastructure, capability, training and advice.

The Fund's mission is to create positive sporting, health, personal and education opportunities for children, young people and the wider community. Over 50% of activity takes place in the top 30% most deprived communities in England and Wales. The Premier League has committed to investing £1.6 billion to the wider game and communities over the 2022/23-2024/25 broadcast rights cycle, with £400 million funding projects including community and education programmes.

Funding Priorities

Core Funding Model

The PLCF operates a closed eligibility model - it does not accept open applications from general community organisations. Instead, it provides strategic funding directly to the 106 Club Community Organisations (CCOs) that are formally affiliated with professional football clubs across the Premier League, English Football League (EFL), and National League.

Eligible Organisations:

• Club Community Organisations affiliated with Premier League clubs
• Club Community Organisations affiliated with EFL clubs
• Club Community Organisations affiliated with National League clubs

All eligible CCOs must meet the rigorous governance standards set out in the Capability Code of Practice, including safeguarding and finance requirements.

Major Funding Programmes

Premier League Kicks

• Launched: 2006/07 season (the League's longest-standing community programme)
• Investment: £81.6 million total investment by the Premier League
• Focus: Provides young people aged 8-18 with access to free weekly football and multi-sport sessions, mentoring and education workshops
• Delivery: 90 clubs currently delivering in some of the most high-need areas
• Reach: More than 550,000 young people engaged, delivering over 1 million hours of free sessions at 4,900+ venues across England and Wales
• Recent Development: Partnership with National Police Chiefs' Council investing more than £500,000 between 2023-2026 to support 26 club charities, with match funding from police forces totaling over £1 million

Premier League Primary Stars

• Launched: 2017
• Investment: More than £75 million total since 2013
• Focus: Uses the appeal of football to inspire children aged 5-11 to be active and develop essential skills through the national curriculum
• Delivery: 104 CCOs delivering sessions
• Reach: Delivered in more than 19,000 primary schools (87.2%) across England and Wales; over 20 million attendances by primary school pupils at club-led sessions since 2017
• Resources: 1.1 million children engage through digital resources annually, with more than 68,000 teachers registered for free downloadable lesson plans

Premier League Inspires

• Investment: More than £14.5 million total
• Focus: Uses the appeal of football to help young people develop the personal skills and positive attitudes needed to succeed in life
• Delivery: 45 Premier League and EFL clubs
• Reach: More than 30,000 young people, 130,000+ hours of targeted support, 1,000+ secondary schools and alternative providers engaged
• Impact: 92% of schools believe Premier League Inspires helps improve pupils' behaviour; 96% state it increases pupils' engagement in lessons

Premier League and PFA Community Fund

• Investment: More than £54.6 million over 15 years
• Focus: Helps clubs develop partnerships to tackle inequalities and respond to local need
• Reach: More than 250,000 participants in over 350,000 sessions across England and Wales
• 2025/26 Priorities: Mental health and wellbeing, physical health and wellbeing, LGBTQ+ inclusion, social isolation in older people, supporting people with dementia, education, employability and training pathways

Premier League and PFA Core Fund

• Investment: More than £52 million distributed
• Focus: Core funding from the Premier League, Professional Footballers' Association, and other charity partners that allows CCOs to tailor their community provision to local need with responsiveness and autonomy
• Purpose: Supports CCOs to become stronger, more sustainable organisations, underpinning key infrastructure

Players' Project Pilot

• Recent Initiative: Launched with the PFA to enable players to champion community projects
• Examples: Wigan Athletic Community Trust working with girls and young women at risk of criminal and sexual exploitation; intergenerational activities for female carers; inclusive initiatives for people living with dementia; intervention programmes to tackle child criminal exploitation

Strategic Priorities

Youth Engagement Strategy

The PLCF's Youth Engagement strategy aims to:

• Reduce barriers to participation in youth social action
• Develop young people's knowledge, skills and attitudes while they positively contribute towards their community
• Empower young people to take positive action around climate change through the “Protect the Planet Challenge”
• Increase knowledge and understanding about environmental sustainability
• Bring together young people through annual Youth Summits to share views on equality, diversity and inclusion, community safety and youth employment

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

• Strategy Launched: 2021
• EDI Network: Grown from 40 to 96 clubs with dedicated EDI leads
• Investment: Supporting 95 EDI leads to embed EDI across all levels of their organisations
• No Room For Racism: Education resources used by more than 15,900 teachers benefitting over 475,000 young people
• Participant Diversity: Approximately 33% of participants in Premier League-funded community programmes came from ethnically diverse backgrounds in 2023/24
• Integration: EDI requirements form part of the Capability Code of Practice that all funded CCOs must adhere to

Safeguarding

• All funded CCOs adhere to a single set of Safeguarding Standards as part of the Capability Code of Practice
• Requirements include effective safeguarding policies, procedures, and practices to promote and protect the safety and welfare of vulnerable groups
• Dedicated safeguarding team available: safeguarding@plcf.co.uk

What They Don't Fund

The Premier League Charitable Fund does NOT provide funding to:

• General community organisations not affiliated with professional football clubs
• Individual applicants
• Organisations outside England and Wales
• Organisations that cannot meet the Capability Code of Practice requirements
• Commercial ventures or organisations that do not have charitable purposes

Important Note: For National League clubs, applications can only be made by a community charitable trust or community interest company associated with a National League club. The main club must be a member of the National League during the season of application, and CCO representatives must have attended one of the Trust's funding workshops or received pre-application advice.

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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

The Premier League Charitable Fund is governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of a Chair and Vice Chair alongside representatives from the Premier League, Professional Footballers' Association and appointed Independent Trustees. The Board meets four times per year and is responsible for:

• Overseeing the management of the charity
• Ensuring it is carrying out its charitable purpose
• Providing leadership and overall strategic direction
• Promoting the charity's values and mission in line with its charitable objectives

Board Chair: Tim Godwin OBE QPM (appointed 2017)

Interim Chair: Chris Davies

Notable Trustees:

• Bill Bush, Adviser to the Chief Executive, Premier League (Trustee since inception in 2010)
• Christine (Trustee since 2017, charity lead for safeguarding and current Chair of the PLCF's Audit and Risk Committee)

Executive Leadership

Chief Executive: Alex White (appointed from Interim Chief Executive role)

• 11 years at the Premier League Charitable Fund
• More than 20 years' experience of driving positive change through sport

The Executive Leadership Team is responsible for the day-to-day running of the organisation, with direction, support and advice from Board members.

Key Leadership Quotes

Tim Godwin OBE QPM on the 10th anniversary (2020):

"We are delighted to be celebrating the 10th anniversary of the PLCF and congratulations to all the award winners. This is a great opportunity to reflect on the achievements and impact made by individuals and football club community organisations throughout England and Wales. The PLCF aims to create and support activities that inspire young people to achieve their potential and positively impact their community. We are proud of the partnerships we have with the Premier League, some of the country's biggest charities and public services such as the police, which enable us to fund programmes that deliver positive outcomes for young people."

Tim Godwin OBE QPM on the NPCC Partnership:

"I am proud to see the Premier League Charitable Fund and National Police Chiefs' Council working together to create real and measurable change for communities across England and Wales through the Premier League Kicks programme. With the Premier League's continued investment, and by joining forces with the National Police Chiefs' Council, we are addressing shared challenges such as anti-social behaviour and youth violence. This partnership approach will encourage collective action that we hope will lead to safer, more connected communities, with football at the heart of that transformation."

Application Process and Timeline

Important Eligibility Note

The Premier League Charitable Fund does NOT operate an open application process for general community organisations. The charity provides funding exclusively to the 106 Club Community Organisations (CCOs) affiliated with Premier League, English Football League and National League clubs.

For Eligible Club Community Organisations

Prerequisites: Capability Code of Practice

Before grants are awarded, all CCOs must meet the rigorous governance standards set out in the Capability Code of Practice, developed in collaboration with the charity, PFA and EFL Trust. Requirements include:

Governance Standards:

• Strong and sustainable organisational structure
• Effective financial management and controls
• Appropriate policies and procedures
• Culture of continuous improvement

Safeguarding Requirements:

• Effective safeguarding policies, procedures and practices
• Systems to promote and protect the safety and welfare of vulnerable groups
• Compliance with the single set of Safeguarding Standards

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

• Commitment to tackling all forms of discrimination
• Embedding inclusive practice across all operations
• Designated EDI leads supported through the PLCF EDI network

For National League Clubs

Eligibility:

• Applications can be made by a community charitable trust or community interest company associated with a National League club
• The main club must be a member of the National League during the season of application
• CCO representatives must have attended one of the National League Trust's funding workshops or received pre-application advice

Process:

• Attend a National League Trust funding workshop or receive pre-application advice
• Application reviewed against Capability Code of Practice
• Funding decisions made based on compliance with governance standards

Decision Timeline

The PLCF operates on annual funding cycles aligned with the football season. Specific timelines vary by programme:

• Core Funding: Annual allocations to eligible CCOs
• Programme-Specific Funding: Timelines vary by programme (e.g., Premier League Kicks, Primary Stars, Inspires)
• Board Meetings: Four times per year for strategic decisions

Alternative Premier League Funding Opportunities

For organisations not affiliated with professional football clubs, other Premier League funding streams may be available:

• Premier League Stadium Fund: For ground improvements
• Premier League Fans Fund: For fan-focused projects
• Premier League & FA Facilities Fund: For grassroots facilities (delivered through the Football Foundation)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Extremely Limited Eligibility: The PLCF only funds Club Community Organisations affiliated with Premier League, EFL, and National League football clubs. This is not an open application process for general community organisations.

1. Governance is Paramount: Meeting the Capability Code of Practice requirements is essential for all funded organisations. Strong governance, safeguarding policies, and EDI strategies are non-negotiable.

1. Strategic Alignment is Critical: Funded programmes must align with the PLCF's strategic priorities: youth engagement, physical and mental wellbeing, equality and inclusion, education and employment pathways, and community safety.

1. Deprivation Focus: Over 50% of PLCF activity takes place in the top 30% most deprived communities. Projects demonstrating impact in high-need areas are prioritized.

1. Partnership Approach: The PLCF values collaboration - recent partnerships with the National Police Chiefs' Council demonstrate their commitment to multi-agency approaches to community challenges.

1. Youth Voice Matters: The Youth Engagement strategy emphasizes empowering young people to lead social action projects and contribute to decision-making through Youth Summits.

1. EDI Integration: Equality, diversity and inclusion must be embedded across all activities. CCOs benefit from joining the EDI network of 96 clubs with dedicated support.

1. Alternative Funding Routes: If your organisation is not a football club CCO, explore other Premier League funding streams (Stadium Fund, Fans Fund, Facilities Fund) or consider partnering with your local club charity.

1. National League Opportunities: For National League-affiliated CCOs, attending funding workshops or receiving pre-application advice from the National League Trust is mandatory.

1. Long-term Relationship Building: The PLCF operates on a closed eligibility model with established CCOs, emphasizing the importance of maintaining strong relationships, meeting governance standards, and demonstrating continuous improvement.

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• Biffa Award

References

1. Premier League Charitable Fund Official Website - About Us. Available at: https://www.premierleague.com/footballandcommunity/premier-league-charitable-fund/about-us (Accessed: January 2025)

1. Premier League Charitable Fund - Our Impact. Available at: https://www.premierleague.com/footballandcommunity/premier-league-charitable-fund/our-impact (Accessed: January 2025)

1. Charity Commission for England and Wales - The Premier League Charitable Fund (Charity No. 1137208). Available at: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5010320 (Accessed: January 2025)

1. Premier League - In numbers: Premier League's support for communities. Available at: https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4237127 (Accessed: January 2025)

1. Premier League Charitable Fund - Governance. Available at: https://www.premierleague.com/footballandcommunity/premier-league-charitable-fund/governance (Accessed: January 2025)

1. Premier League - Premier League Charitable Fund and Police working for safer communities. Published: November 27, 2024. Available at: https://www.premierleague.com/news/4177357 (Accessed: January 2025)

1. Premier League Charitable Fund - Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Available at: https://www.premierleague.com/footballandcommunity/premier-league-charitable-fund/equality-diversity-and-inclusion (Accessed: January 2025)

1. Premier League Charitable Fund - Youth Engagement Strategy. Available at: https://www.premierleague.com/footballandcommunity/premier-league-charitable-fund/youth-engagement (Accessed: January 2025)

1. Premier League - The Premier League and PFA Players' Fund. Available at: https://www.premierleague.com/en/footballandcommunity/morethanagame/community/pl-pfa-community-fund (Accessed: January 2025)

1. Premier League - Premier League Primary Stars. Available at: https://www.premierleague.com/en/footballandcommunity/morethanagame/premier-league-charitable-fund/premier-league-programmes/premier-league-primary-stars (Accessed: January 2025)

1. Premier League - Premier League Inspires. Available at: https://www.premierleague.com/en/footballandcommunity/morethanagame/community/premier-league-inspires (Accessed: January 2025)

1. National League Trust - Our Funding. Available at: https://nationalleaguetrust.org.uk/trustees-funding-partners/our-funding/ (Accessed: January 2025)

1. Premier League - Premier League and PFA launch new Players' Project Pilot. Available at: https://www.premierleague.com/news/4277940 (Accessed: January 2025)

1. Companies House - The Premier League Charitable Fund (Company No. 07331384). Available at: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/07331384 (Accessed: January 2025)

1. Charity Today News - Premier League Charitable Fund and Police Chiefs partner for safer communities. Published: November 2024. Available at: https://www.charitytoday.co.uk/premier-league-charitable-fund-and-police-chiefs-partner-for-safer-communities/ (Accessed: January 2025)