Momentum Netball Club — Funding Explorer

The Ltd Company Problem

As a limited company, Momentum is currently locked out of potentially £40,000+ in available grant funding per year. Most UK sports funding comes from public money (National Lottery, government) and is restricted to not-for-profit structures.

Major restricted grants include: Sport England Movement Fund (up to £15,000), National Lottery Awards for All (£300–£20,000), Cash4Clubs (up to £2,000), HIWCF grants (£1,000–£3,500), and Tesco Stronger Starts.

Recommended

Option A: Convert to CIC

A Community Interest Company remains a limited company but with a community purpose. Profits must primarily benefit the community.

Conversion Process

Submit Form CIC37 to Companies House with Community Interest Statement
Update company name to include "Community Interest Company" or "CIC"
Revise Articles of Association with mandatory CIC clauses
Submit to Companies House (£25 fee) and await CIC Regulator approval

Advantages

Eligibility for Sport England, National Lottery, Cash4Clubs, and similar grants
Continued commercial trading and fee collection
Limited liability protection retained
Greater flexibility than charity status

Considerations

Asset lock permanently restricts profit and asset distribution
Irreversible — cannot revert to standard Ltd
Must demonstrate community benefit to CIC Regulator

Legal advice: £500–£1,500 estimated

Alternative

Option B: Register as CASC

CASC is a tax status (not a legal structure) available through HMRC registration. Over 6,300 UK clubs hold CASC status.

Benefits

80% mandatory business rates relief
Gift Aid on donations
Corporation tax exemptions (trading income up to £50,000)

Requirements

Membership fees capped at £31/week
Total annual player payments not exceeding £10,000
Profits must be reinvested
Registration is permanent (cannot deregister)
Better suited to traditional single-sport clubs

Alternative: Create a Separate CIC

Instead of converting the existing Ltd, Momentum could create a separate CIC entity for community activities and grant applications while keeping the commercial Ltd for trading. This provides a belt-and-braces approach without the irreversible conversion.

Any Structure

Crowdfunding Campaign

Use Crowdfunder.co.uk or Sportfunder.com. England Netball offers exclusive rewards bundles for netball campaigns. Set specific goals like "New training bibs and balls for 5 teams". Proven route: Earlsdon raised £45k, Croston raised £4.7k.

Any Structure

Local Business Sponsorship

Target Andover businesses for kit sponsorship, match-day boards, and season partnerships. Offer social media mentions, logo placement on team kits, and event naming rights. Ideal partners: local pubs, gyms, physiotherapists, sports shops.

Any Structure

Tournaments & Social Events

Charity tournament with entry fees, food stalls, raffle. Mixed netball socials leveraging Momentum's unique mixed league. Quiz nights, bake sales, sponsored fitness challenges.

Any Structure

Coaching Sessions & Camps

Holiday netball camps for juniors using England Netball-approved coaches. Beginner taster sessions with fees. Corporate team-building netball sessions for local businesses.

Any Structure

England Netball Support

Contact Hampshire Active Partnership for local funding advice and coaching bursaries. Coaching bursaries: up to 75% off UKCC Level 1 and 2 courses. CoachMark bursary: up to £500 for qualified coaches.

Any Structure

Supermarket Schemes

Register with Waitrose Community Matters, Co-op Local Community Fund, Tesco Stronger Starts, and Asda Foundation at all Andover stores. Recruit members to nominate Momentum when shopping.

Earlsdon Highways Netball Club

£45,391

Warwickshire. 157 supporters in 56 days. After losing their venue in 2017, they ran a Crowdfunder campaign with Sport England match funding to build 2 new floodlit courts. Also secured £92,149 from FCC Communities Foundation and £75,000 from HS2 CEF. Total project: £230,000+.

Takeaway: A compelling story plus Crowdfunder/Sport England match funding is the most proven route. Stack multiple grant applications on top.

Croston Junior Netball Club

£4,681

Lancashire. Launched a Crowdfunder campaign specifically to start a junior division. Clear, specific goal that resonated with the local community.

Takeaway: Specific, tangible goals ("launch junior netball") outperform vague asks. Momentum could run a similar campaign for equipment or youth programmes.

Sport England Crowdfunder Partnership — Aggregate

1,103 successful projects. £18.9 million raised total (£6m Sport England + £12.9m crowdfunding). For every £1 Sport England invested, clubs raised £2.13 from the community. Average campaign: 135 supporters.

Phase 1: Immediate (Now)

Quick Wins — Available as Ltd

Register on ActionFunder and apply for Greene King Proud to Pitch In (up to £4,000)
Launch a crowdfunding campaign on Crowdfunder.co.uk for a specific project
Contact Test Valley Borough Council regarding developer contributions for sport
Approach local Andover businesses for sponsorship deals
Plan a fundraising tournament or social event
Check ENTRUST for Landfill Communities Fund opportunities near Andover

Phase 2: Short-term (1–3 months)

CIC Conversion

Seek legal advice on converting from Ltd to CIC (estimated £500–£1,500)
If converting: prepare CIC37 form, Community Interest Statement, updated Articles
Alternatively, explore creating a separate CIC entity for community activities
Submit conversion paperwork to Companies House (£25 fee)

Phase 3: Medium-term (3–6 months, post-conversion)

Unlock Major Grants

Apply to Sport England Movement Fund (up to £15,000; rolling)
Apply to National Lottery Awards for All (£300–£20,000; rolling)
Run crowdfunding campaign WITH Sport England match funding (up to £10,000 additional)
Apply to HIWCF Get Active Get Involved when reopening (£1,000–£3,500)
Apply to Cash4Clubs when next round opens (~September 2026)
Apply to One Stop Community Partnership if within 2 miles of store
Apply to Barclays Community Sport Fund (up to £1,500)