Golf clubs in Scotland that have been adversely affected by the pandemic are now able to apply for share of a £685,000 grant from the R&A’s COVID-19 Support Fund.
The grants will be made available via two separate allocations – the COVID-19 Fixed Costs Grant and the Club Relief Fund.
The COVID-19 Fixed Costs Grant, which has been allocated £285,000, will enable every affiliated club in Scotland to apply for a maximum of £500 for fixed costs, specifically associated with preparing for safe play following the COVID-19 lockdown in early March.
These can include sanitation products, COVID-19 related H&S safety equipment, professional fees, signage, training, video conferencing licence (e.g.Zoom) and any other COVID-19 related spend.
To apply to receive funding, clubs are required to fill out a short application form confirming details about the club. Applications are open now and will close on July 24. All grants will be paid within ten working days of notification of a successful application.
The Club Relief Fund has been created to provide financial support to clubs who have been impacted by the pandemic. This fund is concentrated on enabling clubs to reinstate or to increase expenditure in key areas to either improve member experience or boost income generation potential. The Club Relief Fund has been allocated the remaining £400,000 from the R&A’s COVID-19 Support Fund and will enable clubs to apply for funding of between of £1,000 – £5,000 per club.
Clubs are required to complete a four-stage application form, the closing date for which is also July 24, with a decision on all applications communicated by August 7. The T&C’s on applying for the fund can be found here.
A statement from Scottish Golf said: “While the provision of this funding from The R&A is most welcome, we do anticipate the volume of applications to be high and the criteria outlined will be strictly applied to ensure that the funds available are distributed where most needed. We continue to explore other funding options for clubs to access and will communicate any additional opportunities should these arise.”