Former England footballers Alan Shearer and Peter Crouch are urging community sports clubs to take advantage of a £500,000 funding lifeline, accessed through Sported and funded by Flutter UKI.  

Cash4Clubs 2026 is offering £500,000 to sports clubs across the UK and Ireland. 250 clubs will be able to bid for grants of £2,000 a time to help buy new equipment, hire coaches, run training programmes or simply boost their marketing to bring in new members.

It responds to Sported insight that shows more than 43% of grassroots organisations are having to cancel services because of a lack of funding.

Clubs offering vital sports and fitness activities blame rising day-to-day costs, insurance bills and a difficulty in finding staff and other volunteers – with almost a quarter (22%) fearing they will be financially unsustainable within the next year.

This year’s Cash4Clubs programme is backed by a host of sporting celebrities who are calling on clubs to apply for the money from Flutter UKI which incorporates a number of leading betting brands.

 Paddy Power ambassador and former England and Liverpool striker, Peter Crouch, said: “An additional £2,000 can make all the difference to local clubs – it can keep the lights on, keep facilities open and accessible and provide much needed funds to invest in equipment or training volunteers.

 “These clubs aren’t just about sport – they’re giving people a place to belong, to build confidence and stay active. It’s why Cash4Clubs is so important, and I would urge people to apply.”

Alan Shearer, Betfair ambassador, said: “Throughout my career, on and off the field, I’ve witnessed the incredible power of sport to transform lives. Local grassroots clubs and organisations aren’t nice to have; they are essential community assets. These grants can provide a vital helping hand and the impact, particularly in deprived areas, can be profound.”

Cash4Clubs was launched in 2008, and since then Flutter UKI has invested nearly £7 million into community sports. Earlier this year, Sported. Who deliver the programme, reported almost 32,000 people from 200 different clubs had benefited from this fund.

Winners in 2025 included the Swindon Storm American Football Club, the Sunderland Deaf Darts Society and Wigan-based Parkinson’s Ninja – a pioneering club using the power of taekwondo, rock-steady boxing and mixed martial arts to tackle Parkinson’s disease.

Paul Williams, Parkinson’s Ninja says: “Parkinson’s Ninja is going through a transformational period in its short life to meet the increasing demands for its services from people who live with Parkinsons in the Wirral area.

“Experts advise that undertaking regular intense exercise can help slow the progress of this illness. In the last 2 years we have seen class numbers double and we are increasing the weekly classes from 2 to 4 per week to meet this demand and give our members the level of exercise they need,” he said.

“The grant from Cash4Clubs have allowed us to expand our offering to meet this need, including fulfilling the cost of additional coaching fees as well as maintaining the existing classes. As such we can continue helping people with Parkinsons by giving them the physical and social activity they vitally need.” 

Sport England earlier this year showed significant growth in the number of adults and disabled people playing sport but said more work was needed in the most deprived areas. The UK Government has vowed to put tackling inactivity at the heart of its preventative health agenda.  

Community clubs have until December 8 to apply for a grant through the Cash4Clubs website.

This year’s programme is putting a particular emphasis on clubs that want to increase participation in sport in their local community, with the most recent round of grants attracting over 2,500 new adults to recipient clubs in 2025.

Flutter UKI chief executive Kevin Harrington said: “Grassroots sports clubs are the beating heart of communities, but rising costs mean too many are now fighting to survive.

“That’s why we’ve committed £500,000 through our Cash4Clubs programme this year – to give local organisations the support they need to keep doors open, inspire participation and provide opportunities for adults to stay active and engaged with sports and all of the additional benefits that brings with it.”

For more information, and to apply, click here.