ECB County Grant Fund 2026
If your club would like to discuss a facility project, please contact your local Development & Coaching Officer or Facility Support Officer Dave Atkinson.
Cheshire Clubs Funding Workshop - Upton CC - 11 March 2026 - BOOK NOW
Cheshire Clubs Funding Workshop - Bredbury St Mark's CC - 24 March 2026 - BOOK NOW
Changes to County Grant Fund for 2026:
- The eligibility criteria to focus on women’s and girls’ cricket, to tie in with the ICC T20 Women’s World Cup 2026, and / or disability cricket.
- The increase in the amount of grants typically from £10,000 to £15,000 for the vast majority of applications.
- The introduction of the increased grant up to £50,000 for larger scale enhanced changing facility projects (total project cost above £30,000). These projects will be required to meet Sport England Accessible and Inclusive Sports Facilities Design Guidance – Section D (see link in Section 13 of the Guidance Notes).
- The closing date for CGF applications has been amended to 30 September 2026.
- In exceptional circumstances, and at EWCT’s discretion, the end date may be extended for larger scale enhanced changing facilities projects.
- Guidance Notes for Cricket Clubs are available to download from CCB Funding pages or from ECB at: https://www.ecb.co.uk/play/club-support/club-funding/county-grant-fund
- Cheshire County Grant Funding Panel will have its first allocation meeting in mid-March, so clubs have time to discuss any prospective projects within the club and the CCB Facilities Officer before submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) on IMS website.
- Climate Change projects are now removed from County Grant Fund and will have a seperate funding stream called Sustainability Fund to be launched later this year.
Our Facilities Strategy
The CCB has recently (2024) completed its County Facilities Strategy (CFS) in partnership with the ECB. The CFS is a ten-year plan which involves engagement with key stakeholders, including, leagues, active partnerships, county pitch advisors and Sport England.
To inform the strategies, the ECB has set out guidelines to ensure that the following facilities are considered throughout the development of the strategies:
- Traditional facilities (pitches, outfields, pavilions, practice areas)
- Non-traditional facilities (multi-use games areas, tapeball/softball spaces, courts/cages)
- Indoor facilities (multi use halls, cricket specific halls, match play venues)
The CFS is to be used to shape investment decisions and priorities for CCB moving forward.
ECB's Creating Welcoming Environments provides guidance for cricket clubs to help make cricket facilities more inclusive and welcoming to all, by creating better environments for everyone using them and to encourage a more diverse range of people to join cricket clubs and get involved in the game at a recreational level. Club facilities are an important factor in ensuring that everyone, regardless of age, sex, sexual orientation, race, faith or disability, feels comfortable within the club environment.
Sport England
Each year, Sport England invest more than £250 million of National Lottery and public money to help people play sport and take part in physical activity.
Thanks to Sport England funding, a number of Cheshire clubs have been able to develop their facilities for members and guests.
Click here to access the latest information from Sport England including the popular Return to Play: Active Together crowdfunding initiative and the new Places and Spaces fund, both of which can attract pledges of up to £10,000.
Sport England have re-introduced their Small Grants programme, with awards of between £300 and £15,000 available for eligible projects. The scheme aims to help inactive and less active people become more active, and will prioritise projects working with people living in areas of disadvantage (Indices of Multiple Deprivation areas 1 to 3). Further information, including examples of what the scheme can fund, can be found here.
ECB Interest Free Loan & Fundraising
The England and Wales Cricket Trust (EWCT) Interest Free Loan Scheme provides finance to clubs for capital projects to help them build and ensure a sustainable future. Clubs with a junior section can borrow up to £50,000 and adult-only clubs may borrow up to £20,000, subject to certain terms and conditions. To find out more about the scheme or download an application form, please click here.
Fundraising is a vital – and fun – way to generate extra income for your cricket club and fund future development. There are funding schemes in place through the ECB and other sources for capital and smaller projects but clubs must also find additional ways of generating income. This is where fundraising comes in. Discover all you need to know about fundraising to make your club more financially secure on this page, including ideas, tools and resources to set you on your way.
HOW TO REDUCE YOUR ENERGY CONSUMPTION
An ECB Energy Guide - make your Club more environmentally sustainable and reduce your operating costs.
More from ECB on energy and water consumption
National Lottery & Community Funders
Though not cricket or sport specific, financial support is available courtesy of the National Lottery and other community funders.
National Lottery Awards for All
Grass Pitch Improvement Fund
Sport England Movement Fund
Sport England Match Funding
Tesco Stronger Starts
Arnold Clark Gear up for Sport
Central Social & Recreational Trust
BlueSpark Foundation
B&Q Foundation Grant
Morrisons Foundation - Community Grant
Morrisons Foundation - Match Funding
Olympism365 Innovation Hub
Cash For Kids
Biffa Community
Veolia Trust
Asda Foundation
Easyfundraising
Top Cashback
Defibrillator Fund - The Club Cricket Charity
In partnership with ECB the Club Cricket Charity provides defibrillators to cricketing organisations across the country.
If you wish to apply for a portable defibrillator then please contact donna.black@club-cricket.co.uk for an application form.