April 2025
The Jason Roberts Foundation (JRF) is launching a new Players’ Project Pilot, supported by the Premier League and Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA).
The Players’ Project Pilot aims to build stronger connections between players, communities and football clubs by putting players at the heart of local projects that help tackle inequalities, raise aspirations, develop thriving communities, and inspire positive change.
JRF will work closely with ten former, current, and Academy footballers to deliver the Players’ Legacy Project to connect with underrepresented groups from the local Brent area, and create long-lasting, meaningful engagement between footballers and their communities.
Founder of the JRF, Jason Roberts, MBE said; “It’s thanks to the support from the Premier League and the PFA, and the commitment from the players to be a part of the Players’ Project Pilot, that we are going to continue to be able to support young people.”
He urged the young audience to keep coming back and being a part of the programme because “what you will learn on the pitch and from the players involved will change your lives, whether in football or something else.”
Open to professional football club charities and player foundations, the Players’ Project Pilot will harness players personal interests to help address important societal issues.
Premier League Director of Community, Nick Perchard, said: “The Players’ Project Pilot is a powerful initiative that places players at the heart of community work, allowing them to use their influence to make a real difference.
“By combining players’ passions with the proven delivery of professional football club charities, this funding will respond to local need and create meaningful impact that extends far beyond the pitch.”
Professional Footballers’ Association Chief Executive, Maheta Molango, said: “Supporting the work that our members do in their communities has always been a priority for the PFA and I’ve personally enjoyed seeing the impact that they have and the way they use their platform.
“I know from conversations with players that they want to use their position to highlight work in their communities that really matters to them and where they feel that personal connection.
“We’ve been keen to give them opportunities to do that, and the Players’ Project Pilot is an excellent way of growing that connection between our members and the work they do off the pitch.”
In addition to the Players’ Project Pilot delivered by the Jason Roberts Foundation, the Premier League and Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) will be investing in a further 16 projects across England and Wales. Each charity has received a grant of up to £25,000 from the Premier League and PFA, which will be distributed by the Premier League Charitable Fund.
Funded projects within the pilot have been designed to positively impact people of all ages and include intergenerational activities designed to support female carers, inclusive initiatives for people living with dementia and intervention programmes devised to tackle child criminal exploitation.
To find out more, please visit www.premierleague.com
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Notes to editors
About the Players’ Project Pilot, supported by the Premier League and Professional Footballers’ Association
The Players’ Project Pilot is a year-long pilot project that aims to build stronger connections between players, football clubs and their local communities.
The Premier League and Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) are investing £375,000 over Seasons 2024/25 and 2025/26 into 17 player-led initiatives that help tackle inequalities, raise aspirations and inspire positive change in communities across England and Wales.
Grants between £12,500 and £25,000 are being made available to club charities in the Premier League and English Football League as well as Player Foundations.
Funding will be distributed by the Premier League Charitable Fund.
