West Of England Sport Trust (wesport)

Quick Stats

• Annual Income: £1,362,009
• Grant Range: £300 - £25,000 (depending on program)
• Geographic Focus: Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire (West of England)
• Application Method: Fixed deadlines (program-specific)
• Organization Type: Active Partnership (County Sport Partnership)

Contact Details

Address: University of the West of England, Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol BS16 1QY

Phone: 01173286250

Email: info@wesport.org.uk

Website: www.wesport.org.uk

Social Media: Follow @wesportap on X (formerly Twitter) for funding updates and opportunities shared through Partners Bulletin

Overview

The West of England Sport Trust (Wesport), established as charity number 1114495, is the Active Partnership for the West of England region. As part of the national Active Partnership Network, Wesport serves as the strategic lead for sport and physical activity across Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire. The organization's mission is “Inspiring People, Empowering Organisations and Creating Opportunities through Sport and Physical Activity.”

Wesport operates primarily through partnerships, managing and distributing grant programs funded by government bodies, Sport England, NHS, and police services. With an annual income of approximately £1.36 million (primarily from government grants totaling £1.16 million), the organization employs 17 staff members and works with 9 trustees and 6 volunteers. Wesport administers multiple grant programs targeting community groups, local clubs, and grassroots organizations delivering physical activity opportunities that boost health and wellbeing, with particular focus on addressing health inequalities and supporting young people at risk.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Crime Prevention Through Sport Fund

• Grant Range: £300 - £5,000
• Total Fund: £70,000 annually across Avon and Somerset
• Focus: Projects using sport and physical activity to reduce violence, crime and anti-social behaviour
• Target Beneficiaries: Young people up to age 25
• Partnership: Managed jointly with Somerset Activity & Sports Partnership (SASP) and funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner
• Recent Impact: 18 organizations funded in 2024-25 funding cycle; 10 projects supported in 2021
• Application Method: Fixed deadline (applications for 2024-25 closed July 29, 2024)

Green Social Prescribing Grants Scheme

• Grant Range: Up to £25,000
• Total Program: £500,000 over two years
• Focus: Establishing health and nature connections across Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG)
• Priority: Residents with poorest access to nature and poorest mental health outcomes
• Requirements: Must demonstrate impact on mental health and links to health referral pathways
• Partnership: Funded by 'Healthier Together' local health system partnership; Wesport appointed to manage grants process
• Application Method: Multiple funding rounds (Round 3 opened January 31, closed February 28)

Priority Areas

• Sport and physical activity programs targeting young people at risk of involvement in crime or violence
• Projects addressing health inequalities through physical activity
• Nature-based interventions supporting mental health
• Programs engaging residents with limited access to green spaces
• Community-led physical activity initiatives in the four West of England unitary authorities
• Projects demonstrating connections between sport, health, and social outcomes
• Interventions considering young people's whole environment and tailored to target populations

What They Don't Fund

• Projects outside the West of England region (Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire)
• Applications from organizations not working in the specified geographic area
• Projects not using sport or physical activity as a delivery mechanism
• For Crime Prevention Fund: programs not targeting young people up to age 25
• For Green Social Prescribing: projects without demonstrated links to health referral pathways

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Governance and Leadership

Wesport operates with 9 trustees who receive no remuneration, maintaining independence while partnering with key stakeholders including:

• University of the West of England (host organization)
• Avon and Somerset Police
• Somerset Activity & Sports Partnership (SASP)
• Healthier Together health system partnership
• Sport England
• Local unitary authorities across the West of England

The organization's governance structure emphasizes partnership working, with funding decisions made through collaboration with funding partners and project boards specific to each grant program.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Crime Prevention Through Sport Fund:

• Download application form and guidance document from Wesport website
• Complete application demonstrating how sport/physical activity will reduce violence, crime, or anti-social behaviour
• Specify target priority areas within Avon and Somerset
• Submit by published deadline (annual funding cycle)
• Applications typically open mid-year for following academic/financial year delivery

Green Social Prescribing Grants:

• Applications open for specific funding rounds with fixed deadlines
• Complete online application form available on Wesport website
• Demonstrate impact on mental health outcomes
• Show clear links to health referral pathways
• Maximum grant request: £25,000
• Funding rounds occur multiple times during the two-year program period

General Funding Information:

• Wesport shares short-term funding opportunities through social media (@wesportap) and Partners Bulletin
• Visit wesport.org.uk/funding/ for current opportunities
• All programs have monitoring and evaluation requirements

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly documented, but based on the funding cycle structure:

• Applications typically close 6-8 months before project delivery commences
• Crime Prevention Fund: July deadline for April-March delivery period
• Green Social Prescribing: Approximately 4-week application windows for each round
• Successful applicants notified before project start dates

Success Rates

For Crime Prevention Through Sport Fund:

• 2024-25 cycle: 18 organizations funded from £70,000 total pot (approximately £3,889 average)
• 2021 cycle: 10 projects supported
• Success rates not publicly disclosed, but competitive given limited funding pool

For Green Social Prescribing:

• £500,000 total fund distributed over multiple rounds across two years
• Specific success rates not publicly available

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies are not explicitly documented on public materials. Given the time-limited nature of both major programs (Crime Prevention Fund runs annually; Green Social Prescribing is a two-year program), organizations can likely reapply in subsequent funding cycles. Contact Wesport directly for specific guidance on reapplication.

Application Success Factors

Demonstrated Impact on Priority Groups

Both major programs prioritize projects serving specific populations facing inequalities:

• Crime Prevention Fund focuses on young people up to age 25 in areas with higher violence/crime rates
• Green Social Prescribing targets residents with poorest access to nature and poorest mental health outcomes
• Applications must clearly articulate how they reach and support these priority groups

Strong Partnership and Referral Pathways

• Green Social Prescribing grants require demonstrated “links to health referral pathways”
• Projects should show connections to health professionals, social prescribers, and community organizations
• Partnership working is central to Wesport's model—applications demonstrating collaborative approaches align with their values

Evidence of Structured Interventions

For Crime Prevention Through Sport Fund, applications must show:

• “Structure of their interventions are considered around the people they aim to target”
• Consideration of "that young person's whole environment"
• Clear theory of change showing how sport/physical activity will reduce violence, crime, or anti-social behaviour

Monitoring and Evaluation Capacity

• Both programs require monitoring and evaluation
• Applications should demonstrate capacity to measure outcomes and report impact
• Green Social Prescribing specifically requires demonstration of “impact on mental health”

Geographic Targeting

• Applications must clearly specify work in priority areas within the West of England region
• Crime Prevention Fund identifies specific priority areas across the five unitary authorities
• Projects should demonstrate understanding of local context and needs

Use of Sport in Broadest Sense

Crime Prevention Fund materials note: “Applications that use sport in its widest sense including traditional, informal sports and activities will be considered and encouraged to apply.” This suggests openness to creative approaches beyond traditional sport.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Wesport is a grant distributor, not a primary funder: They manage application processes for programs funded by government, police, NHS, and other partners. This means their funding availability depends on external partnerships.

• Focus on inequality: Both major programs prioritize reaching underserved populations—young people at risk of violence and residents with poor access to nature/poor mental health. Applications must demonstrate focus on inequality.

• Partnership is essential: As an Active Partnership themselves, Wesport values collaborative approaches. Show strong partnerships with health services, community organizations, and referral networks.

• Fixed deadlines with advance planning: Programs operate on annual or multi-round cycles with firm deadlines. Monitor Wesport's social media and Partners Bulletin for announcements about upcoming funding rounds.

• Modest grant sizes: Maximum grants range from £5,000 (Crime Prevention) to £25,000 (Green Social Prescribing). Ensure your project budget is realistic for these levels.

• Geographic specificity matters: All programs target the West of England region (Bristol, Bath & NES, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, and sometimes Somerset). Clearly demonstrate local focus and understanding of area-specific needs.

• Beyond direct grants: Wesport also provides information about other funding opportunities (Sport England Movement Fund, Quartet Community Foundation) making them a valuable resource hub for organizations in the region even when their direct grant programs are closed.

References

• Charity Commission Register: West of England Sport Trust (Charity No. 1114495), accessed via https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/4023726
• Wesport Funding Page: http://wesport.org.uk/funding/
• Crime Prevention Through Sport Fund 2024-25: https://www.wesport.org.uk/crime-prevention-through-sport-fund-24-25/
• Green Social Prescribing Grants: https://www.wesport.org.uk/news/green-social-prescribing-project-grants-scheme/
• Avon & Somerset Violence Reduction Partnership: https://asvrp.co.uk/the-crime-prevention-through-sport-fund/
• Somerset Activity & Sports Partnership: https://www.sasp.co.uk/crime-prevention-fund
• Wesport Main Website: www.wesport.org.uk