Stimulus Fund Offers Grants to Improve Access to Tennis Across Suffolk

Charitable, voluntary and community groups across Suffolk can now apply for grants of up to £1,000 through the Stimulus Fund, a scheme set up by the Suffolk Lawn Tennis Association to broaden access to the sport among disadvantaged and underserved communities.

The fund is aimed squarely at groups working with people who face genuine barriers to picking up a racket: disadvantaged and vulnerable populations, communities in areas of deprivation, rural areas with limited existing provision, and young people up to the age of 30. Eligible projects range from grassroots tennis sessions and activity camps to initiatives specifically designed to establish or sustain local tennis programmes that might otherwise struggle to get off the ground.

Projects combining tennis with other sports can still qualify, provided tennis remains the clear primary focus of the activity. Where sessions are delivered as part of funded activity camps, they must be led by qualified LTA coaches, ensuring the coaching behind any funded project meets a consistent standard.

Applications are accepted year-round, with no fixed closing date, and decisions are made on a rolling basis as demand dictates. That ongoing structure gives groups flexibility that many funding schemes don't offer, allowing applications whenever a genuine local need arises rather than working around a deadline.

Grant administrator Suffolk Community Foundation oversees the scheme on behalf of the Suffolk Lawn Tennis Association, with successful applicants expected to clearly demonstrate the community need behind their project, how it will engage the fund's priority groups, and how it will contribute to sustained participation in tennis rather than a single one-off session.

Organisations wishing to read more about or apply for the funding can do so here.