CSFF Grants 2026: What Irish ORGANISATIONS & Clubs Need to Know

By Mark, CCM, Founder and CEO of Grow Sport. Last updated 8 November 2026.

The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is now the Community Sport Facilities Fund (CSFF). It’s the biggest change to Irish sports capital grants in years: higher limits, a new online system, easier lease rules and a much stronger push on multisport use, schools and inclusion.

The full Information Guide is now out and applications are open. Here’s what clubs need to know.

Key dates for CSFF 2026

• 28 September 2026: SPRAOI registration opened

• 19 October 2026: applications opened

• 5pm, 26 February 2027: applications close

  Note the 5pm deadline, not midnight. Late or incomplete applications won’t be accepted, and you can’t make changes once you click submit.

  In 2023, clubs had seven weeks. This time there are over four months. That’s time to build a strong application, so use it.

CSFF 2026 vs Sports Capital Programme 2023

Application system: OSCAR in 2023. SPRAOI in 2026.

Local project maximum: €200,000 in 2023. €250,000 in 2026.

Local grant rate: In 2023, most applicants needed at least 5% own funding. In 2026, the maximum grant rate is 95%.

Regional projects: Up to €500,000 in 2023. €250,000 to €550,000 in 2026.

Larger regional and multisport projects: Generally capped at €500,000 in 2023. €550,000 to €750,000 in 2026, capital only.

Regional grant rate: In 2023, a minimum of 5% own funding. In 2026, a maximum grant rate of 70%.

Equipment only: Up to €70,000 in both rounds.

Lease rules: In 2023, the full local capital grant needed ownership or a registered lease with at least 15 years remaining. In 2026, requirements have been reduced to 10 years.

Application window: 17 July to 8 September 2023. 19 October 2026 to 26 February 2027.

1. More money, but bigger projects need more club funding

Local projects can now get up to €250,000 at a 95% grant rate, so you’ll need at least 5% yourselves.

Regional projects are different. The grant rate is capped at 70%, so the club or partners must fund at least 30%. On a €700,000 project, that’s €210,000. Regional applicants have to show they can cover that, so start fundraising and loan conversations now.

2. Regional is now two tiers, with strict rules

Tier 1 (up to €550,000) is for NGBs, local authorities, or two or more clubs sharing a multisport or multi-use facility. A single club can only apply here for a 6+ lane running track, an NGB regional centre of excellence, or a League of Ireland / FAI National League facility. If a Tier 1 application doesn’t qualify, it can be assessed as Local instead.

Tier 2 (up to €750,000) is a new pilot, led only by an NGB or local authority, focused on full-size multisport artificial pitches shared by at least two NGBs. If a Tier 2 application doesn’t qualify, it’s invalid. It won’t be moved to another category.

3. Lease rules are much easier

This is the change many clubs have been waiting for. Your title position now sets your maximum Local grant:

• Own the land, or registered lease with 10+ years left: up to €250,000

• Unregistered lease with 10+ years left (signed by a solicitor): up to €175,000

• Lease with 5 to 10 years left: up to €100,000

• Under 5 years or no lease: equipment only, up to €70,000

Regional grants still need ownership or a registered lease of 10+ years. You don’t need proof of title to apply, but you will at formal approval, and your offer can be cut if your title doesn’t support it. Get your documents sorted now.

4. Multisport and schools carry real weight

Facility sharing has always helped. Now it’s built into the structure of the scheme. Ask: who else could use this? Think schools, other sports, disability groups and community organisations, not just your own members.

Schools can apply jointly with a local club. A genuine partnership, with documented use and a clear sharing plan, can be the backbone of a strong application. Joint partners need a sharing agreement of at least 10 years, with access for each party of at least 20 hours a week.

5. “Sport for All” runs through everything

Inclusion isn’t a box to tick anymore. For capital grants over €50,000, the final 10% is held back until your Local Sports Partnership confirms your club operates a “Sport for All” ethos.

Start gathering evidence now on women and girls, children and young people, older people, people with disabilities, new and minority communities, and disadvantaged areas.

What’s carried over from 2023

• Equal access for men and women is still mandatory.

• Equipment-only grants stay at €70,000. NGBs and Tier 2 applicants can’t apply for these.

• Disadvantage, disability and sharing were scored in 2023 too. The emphasis is just much stronger now.

Who can apply

Voluntary, not-for-profit sports clubs, community groups, NGBs and local authorities. Schools, ETBs and colleges can only apply jointly with a local club. Membership must be open to the public, with annual and entrance fees each under €1,500. Each club gets one application, including any joint application it’s part of.

What you need, and when

To apply: a professional quote or pre-tender estimate for each element of the project (dated, with the amount). Anything without a quote won’t be considered.

At formal approval: three comparable quotes per element, proof of title, planning permission (or confirmation it’s not needed), a sharing agreement if relevant, and a signed grant declaration.

Don’t start works, sign contracts or place orders before formal approval. Anything done earlier is at your own risk and could make the project ineligible.

Common traps

These aren’t funded: professional fees, car parks, bars, kitchens and function rooms, IT equipment, stand-alone fossil-fuel boilers, and works that have already started. Spectator stands are capped at €40,000 and maintenance equipment at €40,000 over five years. Each project must be complete and usable on its own, not a phase that depends on a future round.

Moving from OSCAR to SPRAOI

OSCAR is gone. Existing registrations were migrated, and primary contacts were emailed an invite to finish registering on SPRAOI. If you haven’t done this, do it now. Joint partners must also be registered.

How to build a stronger application

Don’t build your application around what you want to buy or build. Build it around who it will serve.

The strongest applications show who will use the facility, how many people, who else will share it, how it supports Sport for All, and the difference it makes locally. Count your users, talk to schools and other clubs early, and get your title documents in order.

FAQs

What is the CSFF?
The new name for the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme, Ireland’s main grant scheme for sports facilities and equipment.

How much can a club get?
Up to €250,000 for a Local project. €250,000 to €550,000 for Regional Tier 1, and €550,000 to €750,000 for Regional Tier 2. Equipment-only grants go up to €70,000.

When is the deadline?
5pm on 26 February 2027.

Do I still need a 15-year lease?
No. A registered lease with 10+ years left qualifies for the full Local grant. Shorter or unregistered leases can still get funding, at lower limits.

Do I need proof of funding to apply?
No. Regional applicants must show they can fund their 30% share, but bank statements and loan letters aren’t required at application.

Is OSCAR still used?
No. SPRAOI replaced it on 28 September 2026.

Need help with your CSFF application?

Grow Sport is currently supporting over 100 clubs and community groups across 20+ counties with CSFF applications. We help plan capital projects, cost them properly and build applications around what the scheme actually scores.

Get in touch at Phil@growsport.ie