The Northern Ireland Football Fund (TNIFF) is finally open for applications with £36.2m on the table for successful clubs.

Almost 14 years after the scheme was initially launched under the guise of the Sub Regional Stadia Programme all NIFL clubs in the men’s Premiership, Championship and Premier Intermediate leagues, and clubs in the NIFL Women’s Premiership along with League of Ireland club Derry City are eligible to apply for the Performance Programme.

It is one of three strands launched by Communities Minister Gordon Lyons in May 2024 including a Grassroots Facilities Programme and the creation of a National Football Centre with the Irish FA.

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Launching the opening of the Performance Programme at Ulster University’s campus in Belfast, Minister Lyons hailed the Fund as a once in a generation investment.

“I am pleased today to open applications to the Fund’s Performance Programme," he said. “In my first year as Sports Minister, I have visited many of performance club grounds and have been shocked at the dire state of some spectator stands and existing facilities for players. My vision is to improve conditions for players, and to provide safe, accessible, football grounds for supporters.

“I want to ensure the passion for football and the talent we have in Northern Ireland is nurtured and developed. I want to see improved accessibility for under-represented and disadvantaged groups, an inclusive sport open to all ages and abilities.”

The Minister added: “I am determined this is only the beginning. It is my ambition that this is a rolling programme of awards and project delivery over the coming years. This will require additional funding in due course and I will be seeking to sustain the Fund with further investment from a range of sources.

“The Fund is an Executive commitment and goes beyond football, benefitting local communities through increased economic activity, providing accessible, high-quality facilities which are welcoming to all and inspiring for players for generations to come.”

The Performance Programme will invest in modernising performance club grounds located across Northern Ireland. Applications will be split into three groups, or tiers: Tier 1 - Projects with a total project cost up to £1.5million; Tier 2 - Projects from £1.5million to £6million; Tier 3 - Projects over £6million.

Projects will be scored and ranked in each tier against the objectives of the Programme which are: Footballing Need; Community Benefits and Financial Sustainability. Selected applications will proceed to the Due Diligence stage and to develop or finalise their project business cases.

All applicants to the Performance Programme will be required to provide partnership funding for their projects, for clubs that will be at least 5% of the total project cost, and councils will be required to fund at least 40% of total costs.

Applications to the Fund will be considered under an open and transparent grant funding process. They will be assessed against objective criteria to determine the proposals to be taken forward to development of business case stage and then to final approval.

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