Cumbria Community Foundation has teamed up with Made By Sport to create a funding scheme to support community organisations and sports clubs across the county.

The #ClubsInCrisis Fund, administered by Cumbria Community Foundation, and supported by the Cash4Clubs scheme, is offering unrestricted grants of £2,021 to groups who use sport as a vehicle for social good and enable young people aged 5-25 to develop a range of skills and knowledge that bring a benefit to them and their community.

Applications will open from April 12.

Made By Sport is a charity that raises awareness of the power of sport and funding for organisations that use sport to support young people across the UK. The ‘Clubs In Crisis’ fund is part of a wider campaign that believes sport is the best vehicle for creating societal change for young people across a myriad of challenges they face in the modern world.

Sophie Mason, CEO at Made By Sport, said: "While community sport provision is in a precarious state right now, there has never been more recognition that sport is fundamental to our individual, community and societal development.

“If sport at its most grassroots level is denied, we risk a huge rise in mental health issues, anti-social behaviour and lack of life skills that lead to better employment opportunities.

“We are delighted to be working with community foundations across the UK to make sure this support reaches the clubs that really need it."

Ellen Clements, senior grants and programmes officer at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: "Sport is a vital tool to help young people develop and overcome social issues such as mental health, fight crime and anti-social behaviour, increase employment skills and pathways and to bring communities together.”

If you would like to know more about the #ClubsInCrisis Fund visit www.cumbriafoundation.org/fund/clubs-in-crisis-fund or contact Ellen Clements 01900 825760 or email ellen@cumbriafoundation.org