Are you the parent who cheers from the touchline every week? Have you gone through more hairspray bottles than you care to admit, perfected your sideline coaching, spent your weekends travelling to competitions, or mastered the art of getting your child to their sports club on time with approximately 30 seconds to spare?
Maybe you're the parent who brings the half-time treats, helps with costumes, carries the kit bags, organises the raffles, or you are the sports club's unofficial photographer?
Cash for Kids North East Scotland wants to put those talents to good use! The Cash for Kids Sports Challenge 2026 is back, and they are inviting your child’s sports clubs across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire to get involved in a fun month-long fundraising challenge, with the chance to raise money for their own club and win additional bonus funding from Cash for Kids.
Applications are open now until Sunday, September 7, and only 10 spaces are available. Successful clubs will take part in the challenge from 12th September to 12th October, competing against the other local clubs to see who can raise the most. The incentives are huge, with every participating club keeping 100% of the funds they raise, with the top three fundraising groups receiving an additional £5,000, £2,500 or £1,500 in funding. Other groups that reach the minimum fundraising target will also receive a top-up grant of £500.
The funding is a great way to help clubs purchase new equipment, improve facilities, subsidise costs for families or create more opportunities for local children and young people to get involved in sport. Last year, the Cash for Kids North East Scotland Sports Challenge 2025 saw West End FC come out on top of the leaderboard, raising a fantastic £20,462 for their club and securing the additional £5,000 top-up from Cash for Kids. Their fantastic fundraising shows just how much clubs can achieve when they get their teams, players, parents and supporters behind the challenge. So, this year, the question is...could your club take the top spot?
Clubs could turn their usual activities into easy fundraising opportunities, from hosting a club event, running a Sponsor a Player match day or holding a Bake Sale, to getting parents and members involved with Buy a Square, Pick a Number or Guess How Many Sweets Are in the Jar.
Cash for Kids Charity Fundraising Executive, Ciara Christie, said:
"We know how much time, energy and passion local clubs, the parents and volunteers already put into their sports clubs, and this sports challenge makes fundraising even more fun and rewarding. The Cash for Kids Sports Challenge is something that directly benefits local clubs and local children and is a brilliant initiative for any sports club to get involved in and take part.
We're really excited to see which 10 clubs take on the challenge this year. We'll be there throughout the fundraising with fun ideas, support, team catch-ups and plenty of shout-outs across our social media. We want everyone to have fun, get competitive and raise as much as possible for their club! We are urging clubs to be quick to enter as spaces are beginning to fill up!"
Already the club’s resident baker? Why not turn those half-time bakes into a fundraiser? Always shouting encouragement from the sidelines? Why not shout about your team's Cash for Kids Giving Page too?
Sports clubs across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire can find out more and apply by using the link: https://www.cashforkidsgive.co.uk/grant-application/North-East-Scotland-Sports-Challenge-2026/
Ready to get off the sidelines and into the game? Sign Up for Cash for Kids North East Scotland Sports Challenge 2026!