Supporting You
Our sports grants are aimed specifically at supporting individuals and small groups of serving personnel regardless of their chosen sport, whether or not they are members of a sports association or the level at which they are competing.
As well as our sports grants, the Fund provides financial support directly to the RAF Sports Associations so it is worth considering joining an association if you aren’t already a member.
More information about the 54 RAF Sports Associations can be found here.
Please note, the 2024 funding window has now closed and reopens on 1 January 2025.
Available Funding
Individual Funding
Annual funding can be applied for to assist with the costs of your chosen sporting activities, such as kit, specialist equipment, competition or event entrance fees, and training. Applications for charitable support are also considered by the Fund for sporting activities that are not recognised for public funding or an official RAF Sports Association sport.
Group Funding
Charitable funding can be applied for to support group participation in expeditions, UK and overseas visits, tours and other events that are sports or physical activity related (but not Force Development (FD or Adventurous Training (AT)). For kit and equipment at a Station level level please apply via our Station Grants funding programme.
Preferred Supplier
Specialist Sports is the RAF Central Fund’s preferred supplier for sports grant applications for kit and equipment. A large range of adidas sporting gear can be found on the Fund’s Specialist Sports online store. For every item purchased with Specialist Sports, a charitable donation is made to the RAF Central Fund.
Any queries regarding the Specialist Sports website, the products or order enquiries please contact help@specialistsports.com.
How To Apply
1
Policy and Guidance
Please note, the 2024 funding window has now closed and reopens on 1 January 2025.
- Carefully read the relevant guidance documents paying particular attention to the Sports Grants Policy.
- Our grant year runs from 1 January to 30 September 2025. Any applications submitted after this date will not be considered.
- Applications must be submitted on the relevant 2025 application form and only associated with costs incurred in 2025.
- Items bought prior to your application submission date will not be funded as we do not support retrospective funding.
2
Fill In Your Application
- Download and complete the relevant application form ensuring you have used our preferred supplier Specialist Sports where possible.
- Incomplete submissions or incorrectly detailed forms may cause delay or could result in your application being declined.
- Correctly detailed forms should be signed, dated and sent to the relevant endorser for your sport and competing level for their endorsement.
- Once endorsed, completed application forms should be emailed to: sportsgrants@rafcf.org.uk. Please note, only electronic applications will be accepted.
3
Application Screening
- Application submissions will be acknowledged by email marking the date of receipt.
- If you have not received a receipt of your application email then please contacts us well in advance of the submission deadline of 30 September 2025.
- Submission to your endorser will not be taken as confirmation that your application has been received by the Fund.
- Applications will be reviewed by the Fund’s grants team on a first-come-first-served basis.
- Approved grant applicants will be notified by email detailing when the charitable grant funding will be paid.
2025 Application Downloads
See Stories
Sgt Luke James
After many hours on court, I was selected to train with the RAF tennis squad, travelling back to the UK each month. As the current Deputy Director of the RAF Lawn Tennis Association, I am extremely grateful to the RAF Central Fund for their continued support.
Chf Tech Ross Mallen
I joined the RAF at 16 back in 2001 as a Trade Group 5 Gen Tech E. I was already competing in Cross Country Mountain Biking and was quickly swept into a raft of new events not previously known to me.