At the ECF Finance meeting on 27/04/2024, a paper was presented addressing “Grassroot Initiatives” representing proposed utilisation of £140,000 which the ECF has already received from the government many moons ago for reasons mentioned in a report of the meeting, and so is not timebound as regards its spending.

There has now appeared on the ECF website an announcement with a link to a document outlining the mechanism for implementation. Essentially, the country is divided into nine regions as widely used by government, for each of which the ECF has allocated £10,000 potential funding and appointed a coordinator who it is envisaged will liaise with other organisers in their region to prioritise applications etc. A central fund has been retained for projects involving more than one region.

Applications are to be made on line. Note that payment is retrospective on the basis of evidence of achievement and benefit.

Three regions wholly are partly covering NCCU territory, each with its own local co-ordinator are as follows:

North West	Richard Walsh (Lancashire)
North East	Mick Riding (Co, Durham)
Yorkshire & Humberside	Andrew Wainwright (Yorkshire)

Centrally at the ECF, assessment of applications and the rulers as to the final “yeah” or “nay” lies with

Stephen Greep	Non‑Executive Director (Chairman)
Mike Truran	Chief Executive
Nigel Towers	Director of Home Chess

The document goes on the describe envisaged areas of application of the funds. One area of possible specific interest to the NCCU as such is at paragraph C2.4 County Chess - Support for Unions and Associations in encouraging the recovery of county chess.

Richard Walsh has requested that this be included in the agenda at the NCCU AGM on 20/07/2024.