Flutter's Sky Bet brand and the EFL will provide £6m for community projects across England and Wales through a new 'Building Foundations' Fund.
Sky Bet is committed to investing £1m per year into the Fund.
Flutter Entertainment's leading UK sports betting brand Sky Bet, the title partner of the English Football League (EFL), and the EFL are launching the 'Building Foundations' Fund to provide £6m of vital funding for community projects across England and Wales.
The 'Building Foundations' Fund represents the largest multi-year sponsor-backed fund dedicated solely to community activity and will give the 72 EFL clubs a chance to bid for grants of up to £100,000 to invest in ongoing programmes or to develop new initiatives.
From the current 2023/24 season, Sky Bet will invest £1 million per year into the Fund. A panel of industry experts, including Sky Bet ambassador Jeff Stelling, will agree the winning bids across a range of categories, such as improving local sporting facilities or promoting the physical and social benefits of the game. To mark the start of the 'Building Foundations' Fund, Club Community Organisations (CCOs) at each of the 72 EFL Clubs will have the opportunity to spend an initial £10,000 grant.
Dan Colton, Managing Director at Sky Bet, said: “We’re incredibly proud of our long-standing partnership with the EFL – it’s a relationship that has gone from strength to the strength over the past decade and we wanted to raise the bar further still with the 'Building Foundations' Fund. The Fund is a core pillar of our new agreement with the EFL and we’re very excited to see the impact the £6 million will have on such important projects across England and Wales.”
Rick Parry, EFL chair, said: “Unrestricted funding for community activity on this scale is hard to find and presents an exciting opportunity for EFL clubs to further enhance the impact in the areas they are located. We are extremely grateful to Sky Bet for its ongoing support to the professional game in this country and this new investment via the 'Building Foundations' Fund will create a long-lasting legacy for the EFL and Sky Bet partnership.”
Jeff Stelling, former Sky Sports Soccer Saturday lead presenter, said: “Everybody knows my love of the English Football League. I also know all too well how lower league clubs and the communities around them struggle for financial support. I’m delighted to play a part in the 'Building Foundations' Fund and I truly believe it presents a great opportunity to make a real difference.”
Former Leicester City, Liverpool and England star Emile Heskey joined Sky Bet Managing Director Dan Colton and EFL chair Rick Parry at Barnsley’s 3G pitch to meet participants from its walking football programme, an existing community scheme for over 35’s that will benefit from the 2023/24 funding.
Blackburn Rovers plan to use the initial £10,000 to grow its ‘Remember the Rovers’ programme which holds weekly sessions at Ewood Park, bringing people living with dementia together, who may otherwise be in social isolation, through the power of footballing memories.
About Sky Bet:
Sky Bet is the UK’s number one sports betting brand with 2.5 million customers and nearly 2,000 staff. Based in Leeds, it is part of Flutter Entertainment, the largest online sports betting and gaming company in the world.
About the EFL:
The EFL (English Football League) is the world’s original league football competition. It is the largest single body of professional clubs in European football and is responsible for administering and regulating the Sky Bet EFL, Carabao Cup and Bristol Street Motors Trophy, as well as reserve and youth football. The EFL, EFL Trust and our member clubs are at the heart of communities across the country, providing shared experiences for all and using the power of sport to improve lives.
Positive Impact Plan:
As part of Flutter's Positive Impact Plan, we have set an ambitious goal to positively impact the lives of 10 million people by 2030. This initiative is aligned with our focus on sports, technology, health, and well-being and our aim is to create long-lasting, positive change in the communities we support.
Find out more about our Positive Impact Plan here, or if you are internal (from any brand or division), please visit your local Intranet or Do More slack channel to find out how you can get involved in various initiatives.
For more information about the 'Building Foundations' Fund please visit www.efl.com
For further information, please contact corporatemedia@flutter.com.
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