Devon FA kicks off crowdfunding campaign

Football clubs across Devon are launching crowdfunding projects to raise the funds they need for more sustainable, community led futures.

Following the announcement of a partnership between Devon FA and the UK’s leading crowdfunding platform, Crowdfunder, the first FA clubs across the county are launching funding projects for their football kit, equipment, competitions and larger capital builds.

The Devon Football Association are the first county FA in the UK to launch a crowdfunding partnership for its 635 clubs, 1750 teams, supporting its 27,000 members across the County.

The campaign, hosted on Crowdfunder, officially launches at the Festival of Football this weekend (29-30th August) with clubs from across Devon uniting celebrate the sport.

"Typically our football clubs need money to send junior teams on tour, pitch upkeep, upgrading facilities, women's football, disability sport support and kit," said Paul Morrison, Chief Executive from Devon FA.

Our football clubs really are at the heart of the community and play a vital role on so many levels. Our crowdfunding campaign will unlock further support for these clubs, providing vital equipment and support for members. We're proud that Devon FA is the first in the UK to lead a crowdfunding campaign that will help local clubs become sustainable."

Graeme Roy, head of local innovation at Crowdfunder, added: “We are delighted to see the first Devon FADevon FA projects go live – showcasing the opportunities open to all of the Football Clubs across Devon. Devon FA have shown true innovation by launching this campaign and we look forward to working closely with them to ensure success for their crowdfunding clubs.”

The first projects to crowdfund include: Buckland Athletic Football club, looking to raise £4000 to improve their grounds to give them a better chance of stepping up to the next league. Plymouth Argyle Ladies FC are hot on their heels, launching a project to raise £2500 to cover the costs of matches, training and to raise their profile and engage the local community in their fight for survival in one of the hardest leagues in the country – the FA Women's Premier League.

The staff at Devon FA are getting in on the crowdfunding action themselves by running a Crowdfunder project to raise funds for Plymouth’s Brain Tumour Research Charity – you can support them here: http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/devon-fa-btr

The campaign is open to all FA clubs across Devon, to discover more, add a project and start funding, visit http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/devonfootball

Join in with the fun on Twitter with @crowdfunderUK @devon_fa #DevonFootball.