FRINTON & Walton Youth FC have celebrated the receipt of a life-saving piece of medical equipment thanks to a £900 grant from the Essex County FA’s Small Grants Scheme, and more clubs could secure a welcome cash boost for their own project if they apply by the Monday 30th January deadline.
The club successfully applied for funding towards the cost of the device, which gives a high-energy electric shock to the heart through the chest wall to someone who is in cardiac arrest. The defibrillator will be used at the club’s Frinton Park home and will be available during their training sessions and matches.
If a defibrillator is used, and effective CPR is performed within three to five minutes of cardiac arrest, survival chances increase from six per cent to 74 per cent. Club Chairman Mick Collins said: “We are enormously grateful to the Essex FA for this vital piece of life-saving kit which could prove to be the difference between life and death. We sincerely hope we will never have to use the defibrillator, but it is comforting to know that it is there if we need it.”
Two Small Grants Scheme funding windows were piloted in 2016 for clubs who had difficulty in locating funding for their capital projects elsewhere, and now Expressions of Interest (EOIs) can be submitted again in 2017. Clubs are advised to steer clear of general running costs and should be creative during this application window to have the best chance of success.
The County FA can also advise on other potential funding streams, with the aim of attracting as many resources as possible to where they’re needed across Essex. In order to apply for money through the scheme, clubs will firstly need to complete an EOI Form. The County FA’s Small Grants Scheme Panel will meet to discuss the merits of all EOIs, which will lead to full applications being requested upon invitation from those which are successful.
Decisions can be expected within two weeks of each EOI window closing. Successful EOI submissions will be asked to submit a full application within four weeks. Applicants will initially be expected to provide details of the proposed positive outcomes of any potential funding, how it will be undertaken and who by, the budgets allocated and details of any additional money which can be dedicated to the project.
If you would like to discuss a potential application prior to submitting the paperwork, please call (01245) 393075 or E-Mail brendan.walshe@essexfa.com. To download an Expression of Interest Form, or for details of other funding opportunities, visit www.essexfa.com. Information on Essex grassroots football can also be found @EssexCountyFA on Twitter and by searching for ‘EssexFootball’ on Facebook.
Rega
