About Us

Sport Has the Power to Change the World

We didn’t start FundSport.com with a business plan, we started with a mission.

In the UK alone there are around two million sports volunteers and an estimated 140,000 amateur sports clubs. These clubs and organisations often play a massive part in their local comunities up and down the country.

Grass roots clubs are often where most sport enthusiasts spark their passion and begin their playing days. Some go on to become professionals, but for the vast majority of us, our playing days will begin and end at the grass roots level.

Involvement in sport doesn’t just help people to keep fit and active, it teaches you about life, communication, team work and can help young people to develop skills that will be invaluable throughout life.

Almost daily, we read stories of multi-million pound contracts and sponsorships in professional sport, but at the grassroots level funding can be a lot harder to come by. Grass roots clubs and athletes of all levels need to raise sponsorship to keep themselves or their teams running.

We started FundSport.com to provide everyone involved in grass roots, amateur and community sports with a place to come to for advice on all of these issues. Grass roots is the heart and soul of sport in every country, not just the UK, and whatever happens at the grass roots level will have a direct effect on professional sports.

Sport can Inspire, and change lives, break down boundaries and create opportunity. It unites communities, breeds friendship and keeps many people on the right path.

We truly believe that sport has the power to change the world.

Our Mission

We aim to help grass roots sports teams, athletes and coaches be the best they can be. In order to do this we are dedicated to providing the best possible advice and giving everyone connected with grass roots, amatuer and community sports a place they can not only turn to for help, but also a place they come together to discuss the key issue affecting sports.

FundSport.com aims to help facilitate the development of grass roots sport in the UK by:

1. Providing clubs, athletes and coaches with free advice and support from the world’s leading sport and business experts;
2. Increasing the level of commercial sponsorship entering the grass roots arena and;
3. Ensuring sports grants and funding are more accessible.

Achieving our goals

It’s our belief that by educating clubs, athletes and coaches on the commercial and business elements of sport they will be better equipped to:

1. Secure commercial sponsorship;
2. Generate funding through alternative revenue streams and;
3. Become more self-sufficient.

By ensuring clubs have the support required to develop and grow, we aim to help increase participation levels and create further opportunities for people to get involved in sport, whether it’s playing, volunteering or coaching. Advice will be available round-the-clock via multiple platforms including the web, mobile and a series of events and workshops to run in major towns and cities across the UK.

The Founders

FundSport.com was co-founded by sport and digital media enthusiasts, Oliver Williams and Ashley Read. Below is a short bio on each of the founders.

Oliver Williams

A digital strategist and budding online entrepreneur with over six years experience gained working in both the private and public sector. With an in-depth knowledge of virtually all facets of digital strategy, Oliver has a proven track record of improving the profitability of businesses through multiple online channels. His clients have included Screwfix, Tetrapak, Pevonia Botanica, Fred Olsen and Thompson & Morgan.

A dedicated player of basketball, cricket and football and a fan of Charlton Athletic and Portland Trailblazers.

Ashley Read

Experienced Digital Account Manager has worked at a leading online sports game provider, responsible for the management of digital accounts for clients including the Telegraph, Metro and Daily Mail. Ash is also recognised as a leading sports social media specialist and writes for some of the Internet’s most respected sports business websites. His achievements to date include runner-up in the ‘Best Sports Business Up and Comer’ section of the Business of Sports Awards, a feature in the Rising Stars section of the Partnership Activation initiative and a nomination for SportsNetworker.com’s Top Sports Social Media Professional of 2010.

A player of football and basketball and an avid supporter of Ipswich Town and Detroit Pistons.