Introduction
The Scottish Football Partnership was set up in 2000 to support and assist football in Scotland at all levels from the grassroots and children’s football to the senior game – both men and women.
Our success led to the establishment of The Scottish Football Partnership Trust in 2014 as a grant-aid charity to promote inclusion and diversity in football.
We have invested £21 million to date and have been the catalyst in delivering projects for volunteer-led groups from asset transfers to running sporting hubs.
This is an area we aim to build on and expand with increasing asset transfers and Government promoted initiatives for sport generally.
Going forward over the next five years, The SFP and SFP Trust will specifically focus on the non-professional game and community sporting hubs as The Scottish FA now directly assists the professional game.
Over the last 22 years, we have adapted what we do and how we deliver to meet the needs of the football community and funding.
We will continue to do so while our aim remains as it has been from the outset – to get people to play and watch football in a safe, well-managed and inclusive environment.
Our Sustainable Growth Strategy 2022-2027 reflects these aims and objectives.
OUR VISION
A Scotland where everyone has equal opportunities to experience the positive benefits of actively engaging and participating in football at any level.
OUR MISSION
Providing investment for community-based football clubs and organisations to grow and develop, reflecting the diverse and inclusive country Scotland is today. Promoting the wider benefits football has on physical and mental health and wellbeing in the community and the positive contribution it can make to the environment.
OUR APPROACH
Our approach is guided by the following six principles:
Inclusive
Sustainable
Collaborative
Person-centred
Innovative
Equality
Diversity and inclusion is at the heart of everything we do, recognising the important role football can play in tackling inequality and contributing to a more inclusive Scotland.
Our approach is underpinned by robust governance and high standards. We will continue to be:
- A sustainable, accessible, collaborative, and knowledgeable organisation, valued by stakeholders and the wider football Community
- A trusted, dynamic, and transparent organisation
- A financially stable and secure organisation
- A culture of World Class throughout everything we do
- A well-governed organisation delivering to plan
Key Objectives
Our key objectives are to provide investment in community-based projects and initiatives that remove barriers and provide more opportunities for all to engage and participate in football at community and grassroots level.
We also have an important role to help community football organisations transition to more energy efficient systems and reduce their carbon footprint while enabling them to be more financially and environmentally sustainable.
We will prioritise investment in projects and programmes with clubs and organisations in areas of multiple deprivation or rural disadvantage and target people who share protected characteristics.
We are committed to invest in projects that promote greater diversity and inclusion and are accessible, affordable and environmentally sustainable.
We will work in partnership, with and through existing networks, empowering those with the right knowledge, skills and expertise to maximise our impact and reach across the country.
AREAS OF SUPPORT
What we want to support
We want to support and invest in capital infrastructure projects and initiatives that achieve the following:
Growth of clubs and community participation
- Deliver a more diverse, inclusive and sustainable growth in participation
- Remove barriers and provide more diverse and inclusive opportunities for people to participate that are accessible, affordable and safe
- Grow and sustain participation by women and girls and other under-represented groups
- Enable people to be more physically active and help improve their health and wellbeing
- Use football to achieve wider outcomes and change lives
- Support the progress of club leaders and volunteers through coach education
Environmentally sustainable facilities
- Support clubs and community football organisations in reducing their carbon footprint and their impact on the environment
- Support the development of new and existing environmentally sustainable football facilities in local communities
- Support and promote active travel and reduce the reliance on participants travelling distances by car
- Provide guidance and share best practice on the circular economy and the 4R approach to reducing, reusing, recycling, and recovering
- Reduce energy waste and consumption
TEAMWORK
We understand the importance of partnerships in achieving our key objectives, working with a wide range of local, national and third sector organisations who invest their time and expertise in all levels of the game.
For over 22 years, we have had a strong track record of managing and delivering strategic investment into communities throughout Scotland, working closely with our principal stakeholders, The Scottish FA and sportscotland.
We are fully aligned to the strategic aims of both organisations in relation to the Association’s 2021-2025‘The Power of Football’ and their 2022-2025 Grassroots Participation Strategy “Football for All” as well as sportscotland’s ‘Sport For Life’ and will continue to use these documents as key strategic drivers.
In a European and International context, our strategy aligns with and will contribute to UEFA’s ‘Strength through Unity’ Football Sustainability Strategy on human rights and the environment as well as supporting the United Nations ‘Sustainable Development Goals | United Nations’.
We will continue to engage with the network of clubs and community organisations across the country including the professional and voluntary workforce in growing more diverse, inclusive and sustainable participation in football at a community and grassroots level.
We value the significant role major donors such as third sector partners and the business community can play in helping us deliver our strategy.
Since the Trust was created in 2014, we have developed relationships with around 20 external funding partners, raising £3.4m to date for grassroots football projects and communities. We will continue to work closely with our existing donors and partners and be proactive in attracting new donors and developing strategic partnerships using our charitable status as a key strength as well as our ability to deliver results quickly.
INVESTMENT PROGRAMMES
Football Projects and Programmes Fund
This strand will invest in a range of complementary capital and revenue-based projects and programme outcomes aligned to the values and objectives of the organisation. Such as but not exclusive to, Fitba First, Go Fitba, Club Development grants, coach and volunteer development, defibrillators, first-aid training.
To grow participation in grassroots football it is critical that we support the development and enhance the skills, knowledge and behaviours of our young people and support their transition into leadership roles.
Community Football Facilities Fund
Our main funding strand will invest in community-based capital infrastructure projects in line with our key objectives where the primary beneficiaries are community participants.
We have invested £21m over the last two decades in a diverse range of projects, education programmes and ground improvements across Scotland, with Scottish FA Member clubs as well as Affiliated National Associations, Pyramid Leagues and grassroots clubs the primary beneficiaries.
We will continue to deliver as much as we can through our Charitable Trust.
However, we recognise we are entirely reliant on income from the Scottish FA to invest in capital projects that relate to club licensing compliance and safety or environmental improvements to club grounds or stadia. While we currently have no income to invest into these areas, we are well placed to respond quickly to any change in this position.
Measuring our Impact
As part of our 5-year strategy, we will monitor and evaluate the projects we support and measure our impact against our key objectives.
This will include:
- Projects that support inclusive and sustainable growth in participation
- Projects that deliver more environmentally sustainable football facilities
- Projects that tackle poverty, health inequalities and are affordable and accessible
- Influencing the culture of community football clubs and their participants in relation to the environment
- Community club infrastructure and volunteers
Review Mechanisms
Supporting Plans and structures
- The Strategic Plan will be monitored regularly at all board meetings.
- The Strategic Plan will be formally reviewed annually and reported via an Annual Report.
- The Strategic Plan will, in effect, be a two-year rolling plan. It will be reviewed with stakeholders, adjusted and updated where appropriate.
- The Strategic Plan will be supported by the appropriate sub-plans (e.g. operational, budget and commercial).
- The SFPT board will oversee the delivery of the strategic plan.