Football Foundation Funding for Covered Pitches

For most clubs, the gap between wanting a better facility and affording one is the biggest barrier to progress. The Football Foundation exists to close that gap. As the charity of the Premier League, The FA and the Government, it is the largest funder of grassroots football facilities in England – investing in everything from goalposts to multi-pitch community hubs.

If you are planning a covered pitch – a dome over a new 3G surface, or a covering that turns an existing pitch into a year-round football training facility – understanding how Foundation funding works should shape your whole project: what you build, who uses it, and how soon you can afford to start.

This guide explains what the Foundation funds, how grant levels and match funding work, and how to put together an application that stands the best possible chance.

What is the Football Foundation?

The Football Foundation is a charity funded by the Premier League, The FA and the Government. Its job is to channel that investment into grassroots facilities – better pitches, better changing rooms, better places to play – guided by a Local Football Facility Plan for every local authority area in England.

The scale is significant and growing: the Government announced a further £82.3 million for grassroots football facilities in England for 2025/26, delivered alongside the Premier League’s and The FA’s continuing contributions. For clubs with a strong project, there has rarely been a better-funded environment to build in.

What the Foundation Funds

Foundation grant schemes change over time, but the core menu covers:

Just as important is what the Foundation does not fund: facilities that are not available for community use, projects intended for private gain, projects outside England, facility hire, and – critically – retrospective funding. If work has already started, it is too late to apply. Always secure funding decisions before you commit to a build.

Grant Levels and Match Funding

Grant levels vary by scheme. Small grants cover items like goalposts at the hundreds-to-thousands level; facility grants for major projects are much larger, with awards under the Premier League and The FA’s facility funding having historically ranged from around £10,000 up to £500,000 for a single project.

Almost all facility grants require match funding – the Foundation contributes a share of the project cost and expects the applicant to bring the rest from club reserves, other grants, fundraising or finance. The percentage depends on the scheme and the type of organisation applying, so confirm the current terms for your scheme before you build your budget.

To understand the other side of the equation – what a covered facility actually costs – see our guide to air dome costs.

Covered Pitches and Domes

The Foundation’s facility schemes are built around pitches, so a covered-pitch project is normally structured as two elements: the playing surface and the covering. A common model is a Foundation grant towards the 3G surface, with the seasonal or permanent air dome funded through a combination of club funds, other grants and finance.

A covering also transforms the strength of your application, because it multiplies the community use a funder is investing in: winter-proof women’s and girls’ programmes, walking football, disability football, school daytime use and holiday camps – all guaranteed rather than weather-dependent. That year-round programme is exactly what assessors want to see.

Speak to your County FA and the Foundation early, before your design is fixed. It is far easier to shape a project around funding priorities from the start than to retrofit community use onto a finished plan. For the practical side – surfaces, sizing and day-to-day operation – see our guide to covering football training grounds.

Local Football Facility Plans

Every local authority area in England has a Local Football Facility Plan – the Foundation’s and The FA’s shared view of which facility investments matter most in that area. Projects that align with the local plan start from a much stronger position than those that arrive unannounced.

Find the plan for your area on the Football Foundation website, and ask your County FA where a covered facility could sit within it. If your area’s plan identifies a shortage of winter training capacity or all-weather provision, your project has a ready-made strategic case.

Building a Strong Application

Successful facility applications tend to share the same ingredients:

• Evidence of demand: waiting lists, fixture congestion, cancelled winter sessions, growth in junior and female participation.
• A year-round community-use programme: named partner clubs, schools and groups, with letters of support.
• Security of tenure: ownership or a long-term lease on the site – a condition of most major facility grants.
• A sustainable business plan: realistic hire income, running costs and a sinking fund for the facility’s lifecycle.
• Evidenced costs: formal quotations and specifications from suppliers, not estimates.
• A planning strategy: understand consent before you apply – our guide to planning permission for sports domes explains what is involved.

How Covair Fits Into an Application

We support funding applications for covered facilities at every level of the game, and we know what assessors expect to see from a supplier:

• Site assessment and feasibility: we visit, assess and confirm what your site can take before you commit to anything.
• Application-ready costs: formal quotations and technical specifications you can submit as evidence.
• Phasing options: many clubs start with a seasonal dome and step up to permanent later – a structure funders understand.
• Match-funding support: DomeFinance™ lease and hire purchase options can bridge the gap between a grant and the total project cost.
• Track record: 40+ years and 200+ UK installations, from community clubs to Premier League and EFL football facilities.

Other Funding Routes

The Foundation is the centre of gravity for football facility funding, but it is rarely the only source in a funding package:

• Sport England: funds projects that grow participation and tackle inactivity – covered facilities that open access for under-served groups align well.
• Local authorities: many run capital programmes for community sports infrastructure, particularly where a project relieves pressure on public facilities.
• National Lottery Community Fund: supports community organisations whose projects deliver wider social benefit.
• Lease finance: DomeFinance™ can fund up to the full cost of the structure, repaid from the hire revenue a covered facility generates.

Next Steps

• Check your Local Football Facility Plan and note where your project fits.
• Talk to your County FA about priorities and the right scheme to target.
• Book a site assessment: we will confirm feasibility and provide application-ready costs.
• Build your community programme and gather letters of support.
• Apply before you build: remember, the Foundation does not fund retrospectively.

A well-planned covered pitch is one of the strongest funding cases in grassroots football: it protects participation through winter, opens the door to new groups, and generates the revenue that keeps a club sustainable. The funding exists – the clubs that win it are the ones that prepare.