Community groups, sports clubs and businesses have the chance to bid for a portion of a £3m (US$3.8m, €3.4m) physical activity fund being made available by Sport Wales.

The National Lottery funding will be distributed via two pots - the Community Chest fund and Development Grants.

The former offers start-up grants of up to £1,500 for smaller organisations to stimulate sporting and physical activity, while the latter is offering individual funds of up to £25,000 for more established sport and physical activity offers.

Grants can be used for start-up equipment, upgrading local facilities, physical recreation projects and business development.

Wales is also the only nation in the UK that offers full financial support for volunteers, therefore money can be used for a volunteering strategy as well.

In 2016/17, 1,421 Community Chest awards totalled £1.7m (US$2.2m, €1.9m), while 82 Development Grants were made at an overall cost of £962,652 (US$1.2m, €1.1m).

The funding is part of a larger annual £42m (US$53.2m, €47.6m) pot earmarked by Sport Wales to stimulate community sport and support elite success.

New Sport Wales chair Lawrence Conway said that communities were “at the very core” of growing participation.

He added: “It’s so important because it’s about sport and activity but it’s much more than that. I see first hand how we can help build togetherness, give people new skills, help people get fitter and healthier and change people’s lives.”