The ECB County Grants Fund supports affiliated cricket clubs to improve facilities and create welcoming, inclusive environments that help grow women’s, girls’ and disability cricket.
Lancashire Cricket Foundation administers the fund locally on behalf of the ECB. Who Can Apply?
ECB-affiliated cricket clubs delivering cricket for at least one of the following:
• Women’s cricket • Girls’ cricket • Girls-only Dynamos Cricket • Dynamos Cricket for Girls Activation Clubs • Disability cricket For clubs new to girls’ cricket, applications will be assessed on the club’s long-term commitment to growing the girls’ game, as evidenced through the Club Development Plan and wider club activity.
What Can The Funding Be Used For:
Creating Welcoming Environments:
• Social and community spaces
• Female and disabled toilet facilities
• Catering and kitchen improvements
• Arrival, access and lighting upgrades
• Digitisation projects
Enhanced Playing Facilities:
• ECB-approved non-turf match pitches
• ECB-approved non-turf practice facilities
Enhanced Changing Facilities:
• Changing room refurbishments or extensions
• Improved showers, toilets, grooming points and lockers
How much can clubs apply for?
• £1,000 – £15,000 typical grants
• Up to £50,000 for large changing facility projects
• No minimum partnership funding required
• No retrospective funding
Thinking of applying? The DO’S and DON’TS
DO:
• Contact Lancashire Cricket Foundation before applying (your local Cricket Development Officer)
• Read the CGF guidance document
• Have a Club Development Plan, which demonstrates the clubs commitment to growing the girls game
• If you are applying for a changing room project, read the ECB’s guidance document here and contact your local Cricket Development Officer.
• Complete the LCF Club Audit before applying
• Keep all quotes and invoices
• For any project requiring a spade in the ground, clubs must provide planning consent or written Local Authority confirmation that planning is not required.)
• Only once all of the above requirements are in place should clubs proceed to submit an Expression of Interest via the ECB Investment Management System (IMS).
DON’T: • Start the project before approval
• Apply for multiple projects
• Include professional fees
• Purchase second-hand equipment
• Apply without completing the LCF Club Audit
•Suggest the project will benefit other organisations without evidence of consultation with those organisations
•Be vague with outcomes e.g. ‘a long-term aim is to introduce a female pathway’, instead be specific and measurable e.g. ‘the club will introduce an U9 & U11 female team in the 2026 season, and introduce two new age groups in 2027 and 2028’.
•Work on the application alone – allocate and seek advise from others at your club
Key Eligibility Requirements
Clubs must:
• Be ECB affiliated
• Have completed the LCF Club Audit
•Have an up-to-date Club Development Plan
• Meet safeguarding, insurance and tenure requirements The LCF 2026 County Grant Timelines
Expressions of Interest open 5th February via the ECB’s Investment Management System
•13th April - EOI Deadline
· 14th April - Reviewed by Panel. If successful clubs will be invited to submit a full application and receive further support to build their full application via LCF staff.
· 18th May - Full submission deadline with all the supporting information to be eligible for first round of allocation reviews.
If funding is not fully allocated / or further funds are sought, we will update the website with an additional timeline, and communicate this via socials, LCF staff, and league