Laois Sports Partnership

What Laois Sports Partnership does

Laois Sports Partnership CLG is a designated Local Sports Partnership established in 2001 and headquartered in Portlaoise, County Laois, Ireland. Operating as a Company Limited by Guarantee under a Board of Management with inter-agency representation, it coordinates sport and physical activity across County Laois through direct community engagement with clubs, schools, volunteers, and local organisations. It is one of Ireland's founding Local Sports Partnerships under the Sport Ireland national framework.

The organisation operates a portfolio of programmes and services across four pillars: participation programmes (the Laois Active umbrella targeting Women, Men, Young People, Older Adults, and Community), inclusion initiatives (Sports4All with Active Disability Ireland), training and qualification courses (Active Leadership, Disability Inclusion Training, Safeguarding 1/2/3, Sports Leader, Walking Leader, Youth Leader), and health-specific programmes (Prime Time of Life for Farmers delivered with EduFIT and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; MoveWell Parkinson's Programme). It also administers grant schemes for clubs and organisations, including the Sport and Physical Activity Small Grant, Women in Sport Grant, Sport Participation Grant, and Club Volunteer Supports Bursary, and runs an online bookings system and club directory.

The revenue model is entirely grant- and public-funding-driven rather than commercial. Core operating funding comes from Sport Ireland (€444,047 in 2026), supplemented by the Dormant Accounts Fund (€226,000 awarded in 2024), the European Social Fund+ Programme 2021-2027, the Department of Rural and Community Development via LCDCs, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Laois Volunteer Centre. Programmes are free to end participants; grant disbursements to clubs and a small consultancy line (€3,500 for strategic plan development) are the only outward-facing financial flows. The workforce stands at 40 employees, led by CEO Caroline Myers.

Name

Laois Sports Partnership

Legal name

Laois Sports Partnership CLG

Website

https://laoissports.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Laois Sports Partnership is a designated Local Sports Partnership established in 2001 in Portlaoise, Ireland, coordinating sport and physical activity programmes for communities, clubs, schools, and volunteers across County Laois via grant-funded participation, inclusion, training, and health initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Sports Development

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Amateur & Grassroots Sport Associations (Community/Youth Governing Orgs) (MPAKAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE), Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK)

Keywords

• Community sports development
• Local sports partnership
• Sport inclusion programmes
• Volunteer training courses
• Sports club grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Portlaoise, Co. Laois

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Core Funding from Sport Ireland: Annual core funding from Sport Ireland to support operational costs and programme delivery for local sports development activities
2. Core Grant Funding: Core funding of €444,047 received in 2026 to support everyday work happening locally, creating welcoming spaces for sport and physical activity participation
3. Dormant Accounts Fund: Awarded €226,000 through the Dormant Accounts Fund for sports development initiatives
4. European Social Fund+ Programme: Funding from European Social Fund+ (ESF+) Programme 2021-2027 through Sport Ireland to support social innovation in sport and access to employment for under-represented groups
5. Sport Participation and Women in Sport Grants: Grant schemes offering €250-€500 for participation and women in sport initiatives to local clubs and organisations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Laois Sports Partnership coordinates and delivers sport, physical activity, and recreation programmes across County Laois through its Laois Active and Sports4All participation initiatives, a portfolio of accredited training and leadership courses, evidence-based health programmes, and grant/bursary schemes administered to local clubs and community organisations. Services are funded by Sport Ireland core funding, Dormant Accounts Fund grants, and European Social Fund+ allocations, and are delivered free to individual participants and as grants to clubs.

Product overview

Laois Sports Partnership is a Local Sports Partnership organization that serves as a coordinating body for sport and physical activity across County Laois. The organization operates a multi-faceted portfolio consisting of participation programmes (Laois Active targeting Women, Men, Young People, Older Adults, and Community), inclusion-focused initiatives (Sports4All for disability sports), training and qualification programmes (Active Leadership, Disability Inclusion Training, Safeguarding certifications, Sports Leader, Walking Leader, and Youth Leader courses), health-specific programmes (Prime Time of Life for Farmers, MoveWell Parkinson's Programme), and grant/funding schemes (Club Volunteer Supports Bursary, Sport and Physical Activity Small Grants, Women in Sport Grants, Sport Participation Grants). The organization also facilitates bookings for events and courses through its platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Laois Active A flagship participation programme offering sport and physical activity opportunities across five target groups (Women, Men, Young People, Older Adults, and Community), designed to increase participation across County Laois.
• Sports4All A programme focused on inclusive sport and physical activity, including disability sports initiatives delivered through Active Disability Ireland, inclusion resources, and dedicated disability programmes for people with disabilities.
• Active Leadership Course A training course designed to develop leadership skills for individuals working or volunteering in sport and physical activity settings in County Laois.
• Disability Inclusion Training A training programme focused on equipping coaches, leaders, and volunteers with the skills to include people with disabilities in sport and physical activity.
• Safeguarding 1, 2, 3 Training A three-level safeguarding training programme for coaches, officials, and children's officers to ensure child protection in sport.
• Sports Leader Qualification A nationally recognised qualification enabling individuals to lead sport and physical activity independently.
• Walking Leader Training A training programme for individuals to lead group walking activities for health and fitness.
• Youth Leader Training A training programme designed for young people to develop leadership skills in a sports context.
• Prime Time of Life for Farmers A free 8-week evidence-based multimodal exercise and health education programme specifically designed for farmers, combining aerobic, strength, balance, and flexibility exercises with online health masterclasses.
• MoveWell Parkinson's Programme A free 6-week research study programme for adults living with Parkinson's Disease, combining exercise and health education delivered in partnership with EduFIT.
• Club Volunteer Supports Bursary A €5,000 bursary designed to support sports clubs and community organisations in training and upskilling volunteers, with a focus on inclusion and diversity.
• Sport and Physical Activity Small Grant Scheme A grant scheme offering up to €750 to organisations and clubs based in County Laois to support sport and physical activity participation.
• Women in Sport Grant Scheme A grant scheme supporting organisations and clubs to promote women's participation in sport, aligned with Sport Ireland's Women in Sport vision, offering €250–€500 per award.
• Sport Participation Grant A grant scheme supporting clubs and groups to increase sport and physical activity participation in County Laois.

Quantifiable outcome

• 45 clubs awarded grants in 2024/2025
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Sport IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary national governing body providing core funding and strategic direction. Sport Ireland identifies need for Local Sports Partnerships and supports through ESF+ programme and Diversity & Social Inclusion Innovation Programme. Key funding partner.
• Laois County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished Laois Sports Partnership in 2001 as inter-agency partnership to develop submission to Sport Ireland. Provides ongoing support and governance oversight through Board representation.
• Laois Volunteer CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative partner for volunteering in County Laois booklet and €5,000 bursary programme. Co-administers volunteer support services including Garda Vetting. Provides training on volunteer management and retention.
• EduFITmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgramme design and delivery partner for Prime Time of Life for Farmers and MoveWell Parkinson's Programme. Designs and delivers evidence-based exercise and health education programmes.
• Laois Local Community Safety PartnershipsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partnership supporting Prime Time of Life for Farmers programme delivery in County Laois.
• Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdminister Local Enhancement Programme at local authority level. Support community development initiatives.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• EduFIT: Programme design and delivery partner for MoveWell Parkinson's and Prime Time of Life for Farmers. Acts as upstream specialist supplier of evidence-based exercise programming to LSPs including Laois.
• Active Disability Ireland: National organisation promoting inclusive physical activity for people with disabilities. Laois Sports Partnership lists Active Disability Ireland as a partner under its Sports4All programme, indicating an enabling/ecosystem relationship rather than direct competition.

Broad incumbents

• Federation of Irish Sport: Umbrella body for Irish national governing bodies of sport. Awards the Irish Sport Industry Awards in which Laois Sports Partnership was a 2024 and 2026 finalist. Operates one tier above LSPs in the Irish sport ecosystem.
• Sport Ireland: National coordinating body that funds and sets policy for all 29 Local Sports Partnerships including Laois. Operates as the parent funder and policy umbrella rather than a direct competitor; provides the framework within which LSPs operate.

Direct peers

• Offaly Sports Partnership: Neighboring midlands Irish Local Sports Partnership. Closest geographic peer, with overlapping rural-county demographics and shared delivery partner (EduFIT) for the Prime Time of Life for Farmers programme.
• Kildare Sports Partnership: Local Sports Partnership serving County Kildare under the same Sport Ireland framework. Comparable in programme mix (women in sport, disability inclusion, training courses) and mid-sized county scope.
• Galway Sports Partnership: Local Sports Partnership delivering participation, inclusion, and training programmes across County Galway under the same Sport Ireland framework and LSP governance model.
• Dublin City Sport & Wellbeing Partnership: Ireland's largest Local Sports Partnership, operating the same Sport Ireland-anchored LSP model in the Dublin region. Useful peer for understanding scale and budget benchmarks within the same national framework.
• Limerick Sports Partnership: Local Sports Partnership delivering sport and physical activity programmes across Limerick city and county. Operates under the same Sport Ireland LSP structure with similar target demographics.
• Cork Sports Partnership: Another Local Sports Partnership operating under the same Sport Ireland framework, delivering community sport and physical activity programmes across a different Irish county. Directly comparable in funding model, programme structure, and target demographics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/laois-sports-partnership

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Laois Sports Partnership