The Sport Freelancer Fund is for freelancers whose work directly delivers activity to participants (e.g. personal trainers, instructor/practioners and paid coaches) who have lost at least £1,500 of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The fund launches on Thursday 26th November and will close on Wednesday 9^th December at 5pm. We appreciate applicants will have a short window in which to submit their applications so please ensure you are signed up to the Sport Wales mailing and our Welsh Judo newsletter to stay up to date with the latest information.

Freelancers who meet eligibility criteria will receive £1,500 to recuperate their losses. Applicants will need to provide evidence to prove their eligibility, as detailed below.

Eligibility Criteria

You will need to pass eligibility criteria to qualify for the fund.  You are eligible if you can confirm that: 

• You are a freelancer in the sport sector facing financial challenges as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak and whose work directly delivers activity to participants*
• Your activity takes place in and benefits those based in Wales
• Prior to 1 March 2020 were you receiving payment for services as a self-employed practitioner in Wales directly delivering activity to participants based in Wales
• Your work has been impacted by Covid-19 since March 2020
• Your freelancer work is a significant source of income and your loss of income due to COVID-19 is at least equivalent to £1,500
• There is appropriate public liability insurance in place for the activities you deliver
• You have not received funding / have an application pending for the Wales Cultural Recovery Fund
• You have not recently received funding from the Start-Up Grant launched in June 2020 to help new businesses survive the economic consequences of coronavirus (Covid-19), the self-employed income support scheme, nor any other form of COVID-19 related financial support from any public body.
• You have not received an insurance payment for loss of income

*  This includes activities that directly support people being active, such as a sports coach, personal trainer, instructor/practitioner. It does not include activities such as a sport consultant; sport nutritionist; sport physiotherapist, sport writer / commentator / photographer / analyst; business consultant; lifeguard; recreation assistant. 

Required Application Evidence 

For your application to be considered you need to provide the following evidence and documentation: 

• Proof of identification
  One of the following: current UK or EEA photocard driving licence; current signed passport; original Birth certificate; other (please specify).
• Proof of address
  One of the following: Utility bill; Bank statement; Mobile phone statement.
• Proof of work cancelled between March 2020 – March 2021*
  * Please note proof of work will not be required for all of the above timeframe. If you are unable to provide the relevant documentation due to maternity/parental or adoption leave please let Sport Wales know. 

Examples of how this proof can be provided include:

• Contract / cancelled contracts;
• Invoices;
• Reference from employer / confirmation of cancelled work from employer;
• Letter of Engagement / cancelling engagement;
• Other (you will need to specify).

Other Information that must be provided:

• A recent copy of your individual bank statement will need to be provided (this is needed to corroborate bank details, and will not be used as part of the appraisal of your application);
• Proof of work

Providing evidence and documents is an important part of the application and we highly recommend that you start getting your evidence together as soon as possible in preparation for the opening of the application window. 

Ahead of the fund launching on Thursday 26^th November visit the Frequently Asked Questions section for more details to be aware of before you make your application.