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THE UK MARTIAL ARTS' FIRST

Club Grants Scheme

A cash grants scheme, self-funded, to support our members.

The BMABA Club Grants Programme is the first of its kind in UK martial arts. Entirely self-funded from our own revenue, receiving zero external support, we're re-investing right back into our clubs. Crucial support - from cash grants to funded provisions - across club growth, crisis support, charitable endeavours and more.

Clubs can apply on a monthly basis for multiple £500 cash grants, or benefits in kind (services and equipment we supply at no cost) if its more effective.

Club Development Fund (CDF)

Our Club Development Fund is open to all clubs, regardless of style, size or setup. Funds can be used for any capital purchase - whether that's mats for the dojo, contributions to a company vehicle, expansion of your gym, investment in office equipment or just about anything else aimed at helping your club grow.

Charitable Projects

Whether it's tackling violence against women and girls, helping men's mental health through workshops, tackling knife crime and youth violence, championing inclusion, supporting veterans or providing a funded place for children in poverty; our charitable projects fund helps you and your club make a real, lasting difference in the community.

Crisis Funding

If your club finds itself in the position of a sudden, unforeseen crisis that threatens to close an otherwise viable setup, our funding can help step-in and provide immediate financial relief.

Misc. Projects

Whether it's research projects centred on martial arts or something completely outside of the usual funding categories, we'll hear out your project and fund it if we can.

Award Winning Charitable Change

We're In Your Corner

We're On A Mission To Fund Some Of The Most Meaningful Martial Arts In The UK

Whilst upward of 85% of applications we receive every month are worthy of funding, we can only provide cash grants to a fraction of this figure. We allocate multiple £500 grant payments to try and get as much funding as we can ‘on the ground’ across the widest profile of clubs and communities. 

Any BMABA club that has been with us for atleast 6 months and has an account in good standing is free to apply. If you’re unsuccessful you can re-apply the following month.

Whilst we can’t guarantee every club will receive funding, we will continue to increase the amount of funding available and the size of the grants we run to help as many clubs and instructors as possible grow and make an impact in their communities.

Click here for the full guidance on the grant programme, including what we will and won’t fund, and how it works >>

What's the catch, and where's the money coming from?

You'll find the full details here but in short, there isn't one. It's not that complicated. We're re-investing our own money - the revenue we raise through memberships, subscriptions and merchandise etc - back into our membership base. It's an effective and fast way for us to make lasting change across the United Kingdom. Ultimately, it's a good incentive to be with BMABA but we don't want clubs joining just for funding - partly because there's no guarantee every club will access the fund, but more importantly it's because we need our members to be behind the mission that BMABA is on, and to feel apart of the community. If that's the case and we can help inject much needed funds - all the better.

Whether you want to run one of our already established Charitable Programmes (see below), you have your own idea for how to best make an impact within your community, or you want to grow your club and help more people into martial arts in your area; we hope to have a funding application with your name on it in due course.

We've been keen on social change since day 1, and our Fighting Chance Foundation helps make that happen.

In addition to our day to day work growing the core association and supporting clubs, our Fighting Chance Foundation works hard to effect social change on a national level, impacting grass roots matters with martial arts at its core. We do this by investing our own revenue into our grant programme, to help make as much change as possible.

Some Of What We've Funded

All of our grants are 100% self-funded, without any external support, grants or funding.

Trauma Informed Self Defence For Survivors Of Sexual Abuse

A specialist collection of short-courses for women and girls with lived experience of post traumatic stress following sexual abuse and rape. 

Purchase Of Equipment For Youth Martial Arts & Boxing Club

Purchase of multiple sets of otherwise unaffordable boxing gloves and martial arts equipment to assist a class aimed solely at local young adults, helping to provide safe and effective equipment to ensure the after club could continue to receive young people into safe, structured martial arts training.

Crash Mats & Floor Mats For Not-For-Profit Club

Assistance purchasing and fully equipping a dedicated martial arts facility for a not-for-profit dojo helping disadvantaged children within the community. 

Funding Scholarships For Children In Poverty

Through both dedicated scholarship applications and via our requirement for clubs receiving non-charitable funding to provide a free place for children in need, we’ve secured dozens of funded placements for children of all ages, right across the UK. This offers a route through martial arts and the various benefits attached to it, as well as for those gifted a chance to become an instructor when 18, fully funded.

Plus So Much More As Standard Just Some Of The Tools & Resources We Offer

  • Instructor Certification & Licensing
  • Student Insurance & Licensing
  • Free Instructor Qualifications
  • Safeguarding Qualifications
  • Enhanced DBS Checks
  • First Aid Training
  • Free Club Website
  • Club Management Support
  • Instructor Certification & Licensing
  • Logos & Accreditation Marks
  • SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) Platform
  • Local & National Networking
  • Stock Grading Certificates
  • Free Instructor Qualifications
  • Template Documents & Forms
  • Printing & Design
  • Safeguarding Code For Martial Arts
  • Best Practice Guidance
  • WordPress Hosting
  • a.i For Martial Arts
  • Event Management Checklists
  • Safeguarding Model Policies
  • Analytics & Tracking Tools
  • Budgeting Apps
  • Professional Webmail
  • Clothing & Uniform
  • Cyber Toolkit
  • Cash Grants & Funding
  • Risk Management Awards
  • Concussion & Head Injury
  • National Advertising
  • Entrepreneur's Support
  • Plus So Much More

FREE Club Management Software Exclusively Built By Us, Just For Our Clubs

ClubManager by BMABA is our in-house, professionally developed Club Management solution. It’s free for all of our members and comes with a tonne of essential and groundbreaking features as standard.

LEARN MORE >>

  • Attendance & Grade Tracking
  • Student Records Management
  • Class Bookings & Timetables
  • Flexible Payments & Memberships
  • Grading Certificates Generator
  • Licence Slip & Documents Generator
  • Customised Branding & Functionality
  • Data Freedom & Ownership
  • Manage Events & Competitions
  • Student Portal & Member's Content
  • Concussion & RtP Management
  • Digital Incident Log Book
  • Digital Risk Assessments
  • Task Management
  • Registrations & Waivers
EXCLUSIVELY FOR MEMBERS

Join BMABA From As Little As £4.99 Per Month To Access Everything We Offer, Including Access To Grants

Multi-Award Winning & Nationally Recognised

Best Sports Governing Body Initiative

Winners

Best Association Serving Sport

Finalists

Best COVID Response for Sports

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Sports Diversity Award

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Sports Association of the Year

Bronze

Best Sporting Association in the UK

Winners

Best Sport & Recreation Entrepreneur

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Best Association Website

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Association of the Year

Finalists

Executive Director of the Year Finalists

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Best Use Of Technology Award

Winners

Best Sport & Recreation Entrepreneur

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UK Business Leader of the Year

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Entrepreneur Of The Year

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Director Of The Year

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Young Entrepreneur Of The Year

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We’re Here When You Need Us.

We know choosing the right association—or just figuring out what support your club really needs—can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’re always happy to talk it through.

Whether you’re curious about membership, need help with something specific, or just want a no-pressure chat to see if we’re the right fit, our team is ready. No bots. No scripts. Just real people, working full-time from our UK office, here to help clubs like yours thrive.

THINKING OF JOINING?

Still Thinking It Over?

We know choosing a governing body isn’t something you rush. That’s why our team is always here to offer honest, impartial advice — no pressure, no sales scripts.

Whether you’re comparing support, questioning the value in your current membership, or just need to talk things through — we’re happy to help.

We’re a real team, working full-time from our UK office — not a voluntary outfit run from someone’s kitchen table. You’ll feel the difference the moment you get in touch.

Trusted by more than 6,500 instructors and clubs.

A National, Regulated, Award-Winning Not-For-Profit - Built From The Ground Up

BMABA CIC isn’t just another organisation claiming to serve martial arts — we’re a regulated, independently audited, multi-award-winning social enterprise leading from the front.

We hold ISO9001:2015 certification under UKAS accreditation — the same gold standard used to assess hospitals, universities, and major corporations. We’re also regulated by the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies (CIC Regulator), meaning we’re legally bound to reinvest every penny back into grassroots martial arts.

We haven’t been propped up by corporate sponsors or legacy funding. We’ve grown organically — one instructor at a time, by doing what we said we’d do and showing up when others didn’t. Since 2012, we’ve supported clubs through hardship, driven national reforms, and built a respected, professional home for independent martial arts.

Today, we’re trusted by more than 6,500 instructors and clubs and support over 100,000 members across 140+ disciplines. Along the way, we’ve earned national recognition — from awards in governance and inclusion, to features across BBC, ITV, and The Guardian.

We didn’t inherit status. We earned it — by raising the bar, and never compromising on our values.

Empower Your Club With A Platform That Works For You

Run your martial arts club smarter with our full-featured, professionally-built Club Management Platform — funded entirely by our not-for-profit mission, not a corporate agenda. No upsells. No hidden costs. Just powerful, intuitive tools included free with your membership.

Built to save you time, money, and stress — and trusted by thousands of clubs nationwide.

Plus So Much More As Standard Just Some Of The Tools & Resources We Offer

  • Instructor Certification & Licensing
  • Student Insurance & Licensing
  • Free Instructor Qualifications
  • Safeguarding Qualifications
  • Enhanced DBS Checks
  • First Aid Training
  • Free Club Website
  • Club Management Support
  • Instructor Certification & Licensing
  • Logos & Accreditation Marks
  • SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) Platform
  • Local & National Networking
  • Stock Grading Certificates
  • Free Instructor Qualifications
  • Template Documents & Forms
  • Printing & Design
  • Safeguarding Code For Martial Arts
  • Best Practice Guidance
  • Wordpress Hosting
  • a.i For Martial Arts
  • Event Management Checklists
  • Safeguarding Model Policies
  • Analytics & Tracking Tools
  • Budgeting Apps
  • Professional Webmail
  • Clothing & Uniform
  • Cyber Toolkit
  • Cash Grants & Funding
  • Risk Management Awards
  • Concussion & Head Injury
  • National Advertising
  • Entrepreneur's Support
  • Plus So Much More
Why Do Thousands Choose BMABA?

Not everyone understands what makes us different. But for those who do, the reasons are clear — from our award-winning governance to the groundbreaking support we offer clubs of all sizes.

Whether it’s our industry-leading safeguarding standards, our not-for-profit mission, or our powerful club tech funded purely by membership — there’s a reason more than 6,500 instructors and 3,500 clubs trust us.

Built For The Sector — Not For Shareholders

BMABA wasn’t inherited or bought — it was built. And in 2025, we made the bold decision to give it away.

Our founder, who grew up in poverty and built BMABA from scratch with just £20, voluntarily converted the organisation into a regulated not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC) — surrendering nearly £2 million in private value to protect its mission for the long term. That means no for profit shareholders, no dividends, and no profiteering — just an unwavering commitment to community impact.

We’re a registered social enterprise, governed by the CIC Regulator, certified to ISO9001:2015 under UKAS accreditation, and led by a multi-award winning social entrepreneur who believes martial arts should serve the people, not the few.

This isn’t a vanity project with self-appointed 8th dans — it’s a movement, built for clubs, by clubs.

Nationally Recognised Standards

Our Club Colours and Regulation Ready awards go far beyond branding or badges — they represent some of the most robust safeguarding and compliance standards available anywhere in UK martial arts.

Mapped directly against the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts (SCiMA) and formally approved by Sport England, our frameworks allow clubs to earn full SCiMA recognition directly through the MyBMABA platform — automatically and at no cost. We are the only independent governing body, and one of just two organisations nationwide, including Sport England’s own NGBs, granted the authority to issue SCiMA certification in this way.

No waiting. No third-party submission. No extra cost. Every BMABA member has access to this, included as part of our not-for-profit mission to raise standards from the ground up.

Others talk about safeguarding. We built a national infrastructure to deliver it.

Not Entirely Sure?

We offer a genuine 12 months of free membership — with absolutely no catches, obligations, or hidden clauses.

Why? Because we believe you deserve the chance to see, first-hand, what it feels like to be supported by an organisation that genuinely has your back. We know how often martial arts clubs have been let down by associations and governing bodies that overpromise and underdeliver — or worse, treat instructors as revenue, not people.

We’re not here to sell you on hype. We’re here to show you what real, modern martial arts governance and support can look like.

Whether you’re looking for insurance, safeguarding help, student tools, guidance, structure, or just a community that understands your club’s challenges — our free membership gives you access to the same resources, platform, and support we provide to thousands of instructors and clubs across the UK.

No commitment. No pressure. Just a genuine opportunity to explore what we offer — and decide for yourself.

The UK's Leading and Largest Multi-Style Trade Body For Martial Arts

BMABA CIC T/A British Martial Arts & Boxing Association
Registered Address: The Old Bakery. Golden Square, Petworth. GU28 0AP
Phone: 01798306546  | EMail: info@bmaba.org.uk

BMABA CIC. Reg. 10676965.
ICO Registration Number: ZA241917
Social Enterprise License No: 11677
VAT Registration Number: 373018216

Emergency Services, Armed Forces and NHS front line staff are all entitled to 10% discounts across all of our memberships for live. This applies to all ex-serving armed forces and emergency workers too.

 

BMABA CIC is proud to hold the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management certification, issued under UKAS accreditation (Certificate No. 267261) — the highest level of independent validation for quality management systems in the UK.

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