A comprehensive package of measures aimed at supporting the sporting system during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has been put in place.
Central to sportscotland’s response is a commitment to providing Scottish Governing Bodies of Sport (SGBs) and local partners across the system with six months of their annual investment (£16.4 million) in April/May, while at the same relaxing targets and outcomes attached to funding.
Protecting jobs
The investment, which is funded jointly by the by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery, will help protect an estimated 1,600 jobs across the sector in the long term. This includes more than 1,000 jobs in SGBs and a further 600 with local partners and clubs and community organisations across the country as part of the Community Sport Hub (CSH), Direct Club Investment (DCI) and Active Schools programmes.
In addition to the accelerated funding, sportscotland is currently working with partners to better understand the challenges facing the sector over the coming months and to identify any further support that may be required as a result of the ongoing situation.
Chief Executive of sportscotland, Stewart Harris, said: “We recognise that the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis is putting a real financial strain on many sports organisations. The Scottish Government and sportscotland are committed to working with partners to support the sporting system through this difficult time.
Supporting clubs and communities
“We have communicated to all Scottish governing bodies of sport and local partners that they will receive six months of their annual investment in April/May, totalling £16.4m. We have also decided to relax the usual targets or outcomes we would normally attach to our funding. This will allow them to mitigate the worst of the immediate impact on their operations, protect jobs, and continue to support their clubs and communities.
“We will continue to work closely with all partners to understand their specific circumstances in supporting community sport and will consider these as part of our ongoing commitment to determine what further support might be needed. We will actively consider further advancements of investment if required.
“In addition, we are advising partners that much of the support put in place by the UK and Scottish Governments for businesses and the third sector is relevant to sports organisations and we are working with them to look at how this might be applied.”
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