The Irish Sports Council has increased the funding granted to Irish American Football Association (IAFA) for 2012. The IAFA’s Core Grant remains static at €22,000, however, it’s Women In Sport grant has increased by €1,000 to €3,000 thus giving the organisation an overall increase in funding.
This increase in funding comes in spite of there being severe cuts to Government expenditure in most area including a reduction in the overall amount of money available to fund National Governing Bodies of sport. The IAFA generally invests Core Grant monies in grassroots development initiatives such as coaches education and schools flag football. Over the past 12 months, the number of participants in the schools flag football programme has risen dramatically and the IAFA is in the process of expanding the programme to girls schools, hence the increase in WIS funding. The increase in the numbers participating in these programmes has resulted in a 40% increase in the overall participation in the sport during 2011.