The grantmaking charity set up by London Organising Committee of the Games deputy chairman, Sir Keith Mills, to support sporting charities providing social good, is to expand across the UK by Christmas.

Sported, which launched in 2008, announced this week the expansion of its small grants scheme into two new regions. Grants of up to £2,000 are available to community sport organisations with an income less than £50,000. Already available in London, South East, South West, and West Midlands regions, Sported opened the grants to members in the East Midlands in October and has now opened it up to the North East and North West regions. Fitting charities in the East region will be able to apply from December.

A spokesperson for the charity advised that from Christmas it will also expand its services into Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. “We only really became an established charity this year,” she advised, adding that while Sported is currently funded in its entirety by a private donation of over £10m from Sir Keith, it will soon be looking at fundraising opportunities and appointing a fundraising manager.

Currently boasting around 550 non-fee-paying members, Sported provides mentoring support, similar to that of a ‘business angel’ service for suitable organisations which benefit from three to twelve months of support. It also provides larger grants of between £2,000 and £10,000, providing funds to use for salaries, to buffer running costs and overheads, or to help with programme delivery costs.  

In September this year the charity announced a partnership with the Football Foundation, the UK’s largest sports charity which is funded by the Premier League, the Football Association and the government. The partnership sees Sported working with the Foundation’s activity and sustainability advisors which support and re-strengthen sporting facilities requiring support.