ST JOHN’S, Antigua – The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) yesterday announced a historic US$360 000 grant programme which is aimed at supporting club cricket across the Caribbean. The Grassroots Cricket Support Facility will make available US$90 000 to clubs across the region in four periods over two years.
Clubs and organised cricket groups can apply to the WICB for a grant of up to US$5 000 each.
The grants will be issued to clubs to aid in one of three areas:
1.   Infrastructure development
2.   Strengthening training programmes
3.   Procurement of gear and equipment
The WICB Grassroots Cricket Support Facility is part of a broader partnership with Digicel on grassroots cricket.
“This is one of the most important initiatives the WICB will undertake to help strengthen cricket at the grassroots level. We are focusing on the clubs throughout the region who have expressed how difficult it is to organise and sustain cricket and we are lending a hand in a tangible way,” WICB CEO Dr. Ernest Hilaire said.
“West Indies cricket needs club cricket to be strong and we need to assist and give meaningful support,” Dr Hilaire added.
“Veteran cricket administrator and writer Tony Becca has been prominent in lamenting for years that club cricket is in dire need of a shoulder to lean on and this programme is one way in which we believe we can help to build and strengthen West Indies cricket from the ground up,” Dr Hilaire explained.
“We want to have partnerships with clubs all across the region because these are where West Indies players come from and we have to not only recognise that but demonstrate to the clubs that the WICB is serious about assisting them as they execute their programmes and activities which benefit all of West Indies cricket,” Dr Hilaire outlined.
The four periods of the grant execution are:
1.   March 2011 – June 2011
2.   July 2011 – December 2011
3.   February 2012 – June 2012
4.   July 2012 – December 2012
Deadline for applications for the first period is February 21.
Complete details of the programme, the application process and the selection criteria are available on www.windiescricket.com and clubs and cricket groups from across the region are encouraged to apply.