Written by the team at Crowdfunder, in partnership with the Pitch Together Fund.
Hockey clubs across England face a significant challenge in maintaining and improving the facilities they need to sustain and grow the game. Major capital projects such as pitch resurfacing, lighting upgrades and clubhouse improvements can require substantial investment. Sporting Assets and England Hockey developed Pitch Together to help clubs bridge that funding gap through affordable loans. However, a loan often doesn’t cover the full cost of a project, therefore clubs look to bring in match funding or turn to their community for backing.
That’s where crowdfunding comes in. We’ve seen clubs use Crowdfunder alongside their Pitch Together application to do exactly this, and it’s a combination that consistently strengthens a club’s case.
Since launching in October 2025, Pitch Together has approved £1.19m in funding to hockey clubs across England. Of this, over £50,000 was raised through Crowdfunder as match funding, strengthening clubs’ Pitch Together applications and enabling their projects to proceed.
Hockey clubs raised over £174,500 on Crowdfunder in 2025 alone.
Match funding opportunities
Match funding from sport-specific partners or local authorities is an easy way to access additional funds from corporate or public-sector organisations, foundations, or trust funds. They’ll pledge to support your project with a lump sum donation, or they may agree to donate a certain amount for every £1 you raise. You can also add your own match fund if you have an existing relationship with a partner, a local business, a trust, or a major donor who believes in your cause.
Unlock up to £15,000 with Sport England match funding
Through Crowdfunder’s partnership with Sport England, eligible hockey clubs can access up to £15,000 from the Sport England Movement Fund. Sport England pledges 50% of your project target, and your club raises the other 50% from the crowd. Hit your crowd target, and the match funding is yours.
Sport England specifically supports projects that give opportunities to groups of people who typically haven’t had as many chances to be active.
Learn more about the Sport England Movement Fund
What is Pitch Together?
Pitch Together is a social investment fund developed by Sporting Assets in partnership with England Hockey, funded by Sport England and Triodos Bank UK. It offers loans between £25,000 and £300,000, with an average term of 7.5 years at a fixed interest rate of 6%, alongside grant funding to support the costs of pitch resurfacing. Eligible projects include the refurbishment or development of artificial grass pitches, lighting, and ancillary facilities such as clubhouses and changing rooms, provided they enhance the club’s social and community impact.
It’s not a grant. It’s a loan, and clubs need to show they can service it and that the project has genuine community backing. The funding gap is typically the difference between the total capital cost of the project and the level of borrowing the club can afford to repay. That’s precisely the gap crowdfunding fills.
How crowdfunding can support a Pitch Together project
It demonstrates community backing. A loan provider wants to see that a project has real demand behind it before committing significant capital. A live crowdfunding campaign, with dozens or hundreds of members, parents, and local supporters pledging their own money, is concrete evidence that your community wants this to happen.
It raises your contribution. Most facility projects need a financial contribution from the club itself, alongside the loan. A crowdfunding campaign is one of the fastest ways to raise that contribution without dipping into reserves or running endless bucket collections.
It builds the relationships you’ll need anyway. A crowdfunding campaign gets your members, local businesses and the wider community talking about your pitch project months before construction starts. That same network becomes invaluable when you need ongoing support to repay the loan or fund the next phase of work.
It tells your story in a way a loan application can’t. A campaign page with photos, video, and a clear narrative about what your pitch means to your community does something a spreadsheet never will. It’s the difference between asking for money and inviting people into something they want to be part of.
Shepton Mallet Hockey Club raised £30,002 from 70 supporters, hitting 100% of their target, to fund new changing room facilities after Shepton Mallet Leisure Centre, where the club had relied on changing rooms, toilets and showers, permanently closed in 2023. A volunteer-run club with over 250 members, running three training sessions and up to five league matches plus junior fixtures every Saturday.
What clubs are raising money for
Hockey clubs using crowdfunding alongside Pitch Together, or as part of their wider facility plans, are typically raising funds for:
- Artificial grass pitch resurfacing
- Sports lighting upgrades
- Clubhouse and changing room improvements
- Other ancillary facility improvements that increase participation, community use and social impact
Bowdon Club near Altrincham raised £50,868 from 160 supporters through a Crowdfunder campaign to replace its artificial pitch, which had reached the end of its usable life. The volunteer-run club has a proud 139-year history and more than 1,300 club members, ranging in age from under eight to over 80. Its hockey membership includes nine men’s teams, eight women’s teams, junior teams from U8 to U18, and masters and mixed hockey.
Alongside the funds raised through Crowdfunder, the club secured a £180,000 loan from the Pitch Together Fund. Together with member loans and the club’s own funds, this enabled Bowdon to meet the full cost of the project. Construction is now under way, with the new pitch due to be ready for the 2026/27 season.
Here’s what the club had to say:
The Artificial Grass pitch at Bowdon Club is a crucial multi-sport, multiuser community asset. Thanks to a diligent maintenance programme the old pitch lasted for 25 years but it was time for a replacement. There was an amazing response to the Crowdfunder campaign raising over £50,000 including the Sport England donation demonstrating just how much everyone loves being part of the Club. Thank you to EB Sports, SSL and all the team at Bowdon for doing a fantastic job and we are all looking forward to playing on it for hopefully another 25 years.
How to combine crowdfunding with your Pitch Together application
- Start your crowdfunding campaign early. The strongest applications show momentum. Launching your campaign while your Pitch Together expression of interest is being reviewed means you can point to real, growing support when you submit your full application.
- Be specific about what the money funds. “Help us refurbish our pitch” is fine, but “help us raise £15,000 towards our pitch refurbishment, alongside a Pitch Together loan” is stronger. It shows funders and supporters alike that you understand the full picture and have a credible plan.
- Use your campaign page to tell the story of the difference your project will make. Explain the community impact of the project, who will benefit, how it will increase or protect opportunities to play hockey, and how the facility will be sustainable over the long term.
- Share it with your inner circle first. Committee members, coaches, parents, and regular players should be the first to back your campaign, before you go wider to local press, social media, and the broader hockey community. Early momentum builds confidence in everyone who sees it after.
- Keep updating your page throughout. Whether your crowdfunding campaign runs for four weeks or four months, regular updates on your fundraising progress, your Pitch Together application, and the difference the new pitch will make keep supporters engaged and demonstrate the kind of ongoing community communication that strengthens any funding case.
Thinking about a facility project?
If your club is considering a pitch, lighting or ancillary facility project, start by talking to England Hockey / Sporting Assets about Pitch Together and exploring how crowdfunding could form part of your wider funding package.
Getting started
Creating a Crowdfunder page is free and takes about 15 minutes. There are no platform fees for not-for-profit hockey clubs, and support is available at every step.
- Set up your project page: tell your club’s story, set a target, and add a photo or video
- Share it with your committee and regular members first, before going wider
- Speak to Sporting Assets about your Pitch Together expression of interest alongside your campaign
Anyone interested in the Pitch Together Fund should complete and submit an Expression of Interest.
