Fitness Suite Gold Card

If your son is a resident from the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough, he is eligible to apply for Grants to Athletes as follows:

The Grant to Athletes category is available to Elite and aspiring high performers who can demonstrate that they are competing (or have the potential to compete) at the highest level in their sport.  

Applications will only be considered from individuals competing at the following levels:

• International (individual or as part of a team) at elite level*.
• National (individual or as part of a team) at elite level*.
• Provincial*
• Veterans/ Masters

*Elite level: Northern Ireland, Ireland, Great Britain, United Kingdom or if the particular sport is administered and organised only on at County/Provincial / Ulster basis (e.g. Rugby and Badminton) then this will also be considered.

Please note your son may not meet the criteria set out below, as Golf is also administrated at a National level, and would therefore need to be on an Irish squad/panel or have achieved a national accolade in order to meet the criteria for funding.

The criteria for this grant is as follows:

No, in order to be eligible for a grant, you need to be a resident within Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough.

No the Leisure Grant scheme, grants to athletes does not cover equipment costs for athlete, this I an ineligible item.

Council will not fund the following (list not exhaustive):

• Individuals who are:
  • i. Professional athletes
  • ii. Not residents in the Borough;
  • iii. Are competing in a sport that is not recognised by Sport NI, Irish or a UK Governing body;
• Costs not clearly linked to the athletes sport
• Costs that are already covered by other funding or income sources
• Clothing and kit
• Equipment
• Refreshments
• Club membership
• Road tolls
• Car, travel or personal insurance
• Coach / parental accompaniment to travel to events alongside athlete (coach must apply independently).
• Individuals who are on training or development squads
• Parental accompaniment to attend competition

Yes, Council have a grant stream specifically for Defibrillators The Defibrillator Grant category is available for local Sports Clubs/Community groups who wish to apply for funding towards the purchase of a defibirillator and associated security casing where applicable.

Applicants may apply for up to a maximum of £1,500 100% funded.

1.  Applicant organisations must be a based in Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough
2. Applicants must demonstrate that they have a minimum of two members trained to use a defibrillator, or who can demonstrate they have members working towards their qualification.
3. Applicants are required to produce 3 quotes of similar specification.
4. Profitable organisations will not be considered in this scheme.

Through the grants to Clubs category, Clubs from the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough are eligible to apply for up to £1,500 towards a coach education. If your sports club has met all of the eligibility conditions, we will use the following criteria to score your application. 

The Grants for Clubs category is available to support Sports Clubs who can clearly demonstrate their potential perform at a high level within their respective sports or who aspire to develop within their sport. 

There are three strands available:

1. Education and Competition: (up to £1,500)
2. Specialist Equipment with a lifespan exceeding 5 years: (up to £7,500)*
3. Facility improvement: for applicants that wish to improve performance and increase participation levels or capacity through minor improvements to facilities. (up to £10,000)*

Applications to strands 2 or 3 will only be accepted from a club every 2 years.
Applicants can apply annually under strand 1.

Council will not fund the following (not exhaustive) in this category:

• Any salaries associated with events or coaches
• Equipment purchase (available only for new clubs)
• Equipment hire
• Clothing
• Club membership
• Insurance costs
• Alcohol / refreshments
• General running costs for clubs,  e.g. rates, electricity etc.
• Specialist coaching assessments or officials
• Facility improvements to a facility where there has been a negligible approach to proper management of the facility
• Equipment with a short life span, e.g. balls, bibs or similar
• Safety equipment which is necessary as a basic requirement for the sport, i.e. hockey goal keepers padding, high performance googles/swimming costumes, helmets, gloves
• Fencing
• Storage facilities

If your sports club has met all of the eligibility conditions, we will use the following criteria to score your application.

Application timeframe:

For example, if an applicant applies anytime during call 2 (1^st June – 31^st July) all applications will be scored during the month of August and prepared for decision at Committee during the month of September.

Individual coaches should apply under the Grants for Coaches and Officials category. Coaches can apply for 50% funding up to £750. 

Please note the Grants to Clubs Category is specifically for clubs within the Borough who would like to deliver coach education programmes such as First Aid, Safeguarding and Coaching courses. Clubs book a tutor and run the course for multiple amount of coaches.