Quick Access Loan Scheme

We want to work with people, committees and organisations that:

• Are committed to growing tennis by opening up access at their venue;
• are effectively engaging their community;
• have the skills to deliver their project.

We can accept applications from many organisation types if they are properly constituted, have adequate security of tenure at the venue, and are legally able to borrow money. Being properly constituted normally means having a Constitution, Articles of Association or rules in place.

Examples of the types of organisations we can fund could be:

• Company limited by guarantee
• Community interest company limited by guarantee
• Unincorporated organisation
• Registered charity
• Charitable incorporated organisation
• School, college or university
• Local Authority

Unfortunately, we cannot directly fund individuals or private companies limited by shares. We will not consider applications from community interest companies (CICs) limited by shares, unless they have adopted Schedule 2 articles of association permitting dividends to be paid only to specified asset-locked bodies.

If you’re unsure whether or not you fall within our eligibility to fund, please complete our short eligibility check above, or contact us and we’d be happy to help.

We fund projects across Great Britain – i.e. England, Scotland and Wales. We’re unable to fund projects in Northern Ireland.

We’re not able to fund international projects or organisations not registered in Great Britain.

This scheme is open all year round with no submission deadlines. Funding decisions are typically communicated within 8 weeks of application submission.

Any project we support must align with our vision of ‘tennis opened up’ and our mission of transforming communities through tennis by making it welcoming, enjoyable and inspiring to everyone.

The table below shows the potential levels of investment and repayment terms we can offer for different project types.

5% fixed rate interest is applied to loans, with a discretionary 50% reduction for projects where the venue is in a more deprived area (Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 1-4).

* The LTA TF is not able to award loans of less than £25k

The LTA TF will determine investment level and borrowing term based on affordability.

The following are examples of project costs which unfortunately are not eligible for the Quick Access Loan:

• Routine maintenance
• Clubhouse construction or renovations
• Like-for-like court resurfacing e.g. porous surface to porous surface
• Purchase of land for a venue
• Funding new venues/organisations without financial history e.g. 2 years of accounts
• Retrospective funding for previously carried out works

Please complete the eligibility check on this page to access the initial application form where you can tell us the key details of your project and what you are looking to achieve.

If our funding is a good fit for your project, we will arrange to meet with you (usually virtually) to discuss it in more detail and share the full application form and any relevant supporting documents.

We are here to help – if our funding isn’t appropriate for your project, then we can still support with guidance, operational advice and possible alternative avenues of funding for you to consider.

Applications are initially assessed by colleagues at the LTA, who make recommendations to the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. These Trustees make the ultimate decision.

To assist venues in planning projects we've developed a facility investment calculator.

This calculator will indicate which level of LTA TF funding might be possible for your venue based on the project type and level of partnership funding from the applicant.

Use facility investment calculator

We are a shortfall funder, therefore organisations will be expected to explore other funding sources before applying. Depending on your project and location, these could include:

• Your organisation’s reserves
• Crowdfunder
• Your Local Authority - Section 106 or Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding
• Sport England
• Landfill Communities Fund
• Loans or grants through your local County Tennis Association
• Local community grants (e.g. charitable trusts)
• Commercial or Charity Bank

You might consider searching for current funding opportunities through your local Active Partnership. The Sports and Play Construction Association (SAPCA) also keep a directory of possible funding sources for capital projects - Funding Providers - SAPCA.

Depending on level of funding we'll look to take security unless this is not possible (e.g. the facility is a council or educational establishment).

• For loans of £100,000 and above a legal charge will be sought on the land
• For loans between £50,000 and £100,000 a restriction will be sought on the land
• For loans from £25,001 to £49,999 no charge or restriction will be sought

Repayment terms

The repayment terms for each scheme invested in are outlined in the table under 'What we fund'. The first repayment is typically 6 months after funding has been fully released and project completion.

Once you've completed the eligibility check and submitted an expression of interest form online, we will be in touch with you to discuss your project further. This is also when we will provide the loan application form if your project is a good fit.

Throughout the application process, we will ask you to provide the following documents:

• Completed application form guidance note
• Business plan guidance note
• Two years of full accounts
• Three tendered quotes for works

Please find below templates of our loan agreements:

• Private limited company (guarantee) - (with security)
• Private limited company (guarantee) - (without security)
• Unincorporated entity (with security)
• Unincorporated entity (without security)