Our mission is to grow tennis by making it relevant, accessible, welcoming and enjoyable. Ensuring local communities have access to quality facilities is critical to attracting and retaining more players.
The LTA’s facility loan scheme provides interest free loans up to £250,000 and will prioritise investment into low cost indoor structures and floodlights to enable communities to grow participation by accessing all year round facilities.
The objectives of the fund are:
- To provide indoor or all year round playing facilities to encourage community accessible play all year
- Enhance facilities to create better playing environments to encourage play all year
- Retain and increase the number of participants at the venue
- Increase non-member pay and play coaching and usage opportunities
- Grow the numbers of adults and juniors on the coaching programme
- Provide online booking through ClubSpark.
Find out how to start your application today
Who we want to work with
We want to work with people, committees and organisations that are committed to growing tennis by opening up access at their venue, are effectively engaging their community and have the skills to deliver their project. The key principles are:
- Community engagement – we want you to demonstrate that you are engaging the community in tennis
- Participation growth – we want you to grow tennis participation and demonstrate how this will be achieved
- Participant experience – we are looking for you to make playing tennis easy to access providing online bookings for courts and coaching
- Financial sustainability – we can only fund sustainable venues, where there is an adequate sinking fund to replace existing facilities. You must demonstrate your ability to repay the loan
- Eligible organisations – we can only work with constituted organisations or recognised bodies that have security of tenure at their venue through freehold, lease or licence; and are legally able to borrow money.
What we will fund
Funding will be prioritised as follows:
- Low cost indoor buildings
- Installation of new floodlights.
Consideration for funding will be given to projects that include:
- Court surface upgrades to a year round playing surface
- New tennis courts
- Padel courts
- Accessible facilities that cater for disabled players
- Innovation to drive membership, usage and tennis participation.
- Clubhouses.
To apply for funding for these types of projects the applicant will need to clearly demonstrate community accessibility and participation growth.
Unfortunately, the following are not eligible project costs: coaching and equipment costs, routine maintenance, clubhouse renovations, like for like resurfacing (unless there are exceptional circumstances), purchase of land, retrospective funding and facilities exclusively for other sports.
Applicant funding
We will expect you to provide an appropriate proportion of the cost of the project. Resources to help you find applicant funding are available on the Tennis facility funding and advice webpage alongside our grant search tool.
How to apply
To help present a successful proposal you will need to develop and submit the following documentation to facilityloans@lta.org.uk.
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Documents
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Relevant documents and information
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Helpful Hints
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Completed cashflow and application form
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Application form and cashflow |
Please submit this application form to apply.
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Completed cashflow and application form samples
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We have completed a sample application form with accompanying sample accounts to help you develop your application. There is also a guidance note available for further information on how to complete your application.
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Business Plan
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View the guidance notes to help you develop your business plan and provide you with advice on how to attract more participants to your venue.
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2 years accounts
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N/A |
Please submit the last 2 years accounts. The cash balances should match the cashflow in the application form.
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Scope of works and tender document.
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LTA technical guidance |
The LTA works with a number of consultants who can help you develop your project scope and tender documents. Consultant costs can be included in the overall project cost. To request a visit contact facilityloans@lta.org.uk. 3 tendered costs and a tender report must be included with you application.
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Evidence of security of tenure
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N/A |
Provide evidence that the venue has security for the minimum length of the loan repayment period.
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Venue constitution
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Guide to developing a Club Constitution |
Please submit a copy of your venues constitution. Best practice guidance is available in the guide to developing a club consitiution.
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Evidence of applicant funding
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Tennis facility funding and advice |
Offer letters or equivalent required.
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Legal documents
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LTA Standard award terms and conditions |
If your application is successful you will need to sign up to our standard terms and conditions.
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Planning permission
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For applicants looking to install indoor structures or floodlights then the project has to meet the LTA technical guidance and have a minimum of 3 tendered costs. After the project has been reviewed then the LTA will provide further advice and guidance on how to apply for planning permission.
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