AE Loans and Grants
Essex Tennis and the LTA welcomes registration from individuals, clubs, and all other tennis providers.
Clubs can register with the LTA; this is a direct online process usually available from October 1st in each year with a six week or so window of opportunity. This is an annual scheme for tennis venues across Great Britain to become a member of the LTA and British Tennis. Approximately 3,000 tennis venues are actively registered, and these venues include clubs, parks, leisure centres and educational sites. Registration entitles the venue to receive a number of excellent benefits along with a wide range of support and services from the LTA and County Tennis Associations to help deliver tennis.
All LTA registered venues are required to meet several standards as part of their LTA Venue Registration.
Please click here for more detail.
If you have completed LTA registration, we are delighted to offer free Membership of Essex Tennis which provides for support from the Essex Tennis team.
In addition, venues then have the opportunity to take up Advantage Essex (AE) membership, which affords many benefits., including:
- Access to loans, at interest free or preferential rates, for club/facility development
- Access to grants to help support your venue’s development and tennis activities
- Entry into our County leagues, cups and other competitions
- Club support and assistance from our Essex Tennis team and volunteer groups
- Enhanced voting rights at the Essex Tennis AGM
The unique ‘Advantage Essex’ membership was set up in January 2011 exclusively for Essex Tennis Clubs and the registration fee for AE is dependent upon the number of courts, whether the courts are floodlit and if there is a club house at the venue. Please see below for for more detail.
Advantage Essex (AE) Membership
The unique ‘Advantage Essex’ membership was set up in January 2011 exclusively for Essex Clubs and the scheme offers its members many unique benefits.
See the AE Registration Fees and Information Pack on the right for more information.
AE GRANTS FOR CLUB DEVELOPMENT
This fund has been set up to assist ‘Advantage Essex’ (AE) clubs. It is designed to encourage tennis development in Essex. The grant categories available include tournament support, facility enhancement, mini tennis, tennis education, club development and promotion, technical advice costs etc. In all cases clubs are expected to make a contribution to the costs.
It should be noted that this fund is not intended to be used for general club maintenance, for example court and floodlight renewal costs are not applicable nor are any items that are vital to playing the game of tennis i.e. nets, posts, perimeter fencing. These types of expenditure however may be suitable under the AE Loan Scheme.
These categories are continually monitored and adapted according to changing priorities and the needs of club tennis in Essex. Clubs (not individuals) will need to make an application for funding on a simple Application Form (see Application for Grant Funding).
AE LOAN FUNDING
AE Loan Funding is designed to assist voluntary not for profit Clubs who are Advantage Essex members and is available for most facility projects.
Except in very unusual circumstances the maximum loan funding available is £40,000, repayable over 5 years, with the Club matching Essex Tennis loan. As the fund utilises a substantial proportion of Essex Tennis reserves there will be a limit to the amount of funds available.
AE funding is simple, there are a number of conditions and criteria to be met and in most cases these are just good practice. Loan repayments are reasonable, often with no interest or at a nominal rate.
All enquiries, applications and documentation should be sent to funding@essextennis.org.uk where they will be dealt with by Richard Crone, the Funding Facility Officer for Essex Tennis.
For more information and to apply please follow the links on the right.
