The Football Foundation's Return to Football Fund is now open, enabling Toolstation NCEL clubs the opportunity to apply for grants to help them as the country comes out of COVID-19 lockdown.

Clubs that are eligible have until Sunday 28th March, 2021, to send in their applications with up to £2,500 available for each club out of the £2.1m fund.

The grant must be used towards helping to restart football activity across all groups or delivering new football activity that was cancelled due to lockdown and COVID-19.

Some of the things that the money can be used for include:

- Changes required to adhere to published Government and FA guidance,

- Additional sports equipment to minimise sharing and safely deliver activities,

- Providing safety and sanitation to keep equipment clean,

- Staffing costs associated with helping activity providers to restart activity or provide new activity,

- Extra facility hire costs to create more space for players and volunteers,

- Coach education courses e.g. qualifying coaches for new teams,

- Appropriate training of club volunteers to ensure they meet current guidelines,

- Marketing and communication materials to promote and reinforce safety protocols to members,

- Any other reasonable cost directly associated with restarting activity or providing new activity.

For more information, click here to go to the relevant information on the Football Foundation website.