League Two club Accrington Stanley have received a £100,000 grant from the Sky Bet EFL Building Foundations Fund.
The Accrington Stanley Community Trust will use the funding to finance a new small-sided 3G pitch at their Stanley Sports Hub facility.
The venue already serves many local grassroots clubs, sports groups and organisations, and was a training venue in the UK and Ireland's successful bid to host the 2028 European Championships.
Stanley are the first EFL club to net the maximum grant of £100,000 in the latest round of funding from the programme that aims to boost football community projects across England and Wales.
A total of £284,000 was paid out in the latest round of funding. Community organisations run by six other clubs - Rotherham United, Stevenage, Walsall, Crawley Town, Watford and Notts County - were also successful with their bids.
The Accrington Stanley Community Trust has received a grant of £100,00 from the Sky Bet EFL Building Foundations Fund
The trust will use the funding to finance a new 3G pitch at their Stanley Sports Hub facility
Construction of Accrington's new pitch has already begun and is expected to pave the way for a marked rise in the number of people playing football, from disabled groups to community sessions for over 50s.
The winning bids were selected by a panel of judges. Among them was talkSPORT Breakfast Show host and Sky Bet ambassador Jeff Stelling, who said: 'There's no doubt that this round of funding will play a crucial role in keeping communities across England and Wales active for years to come.
'What has really impressed me when judging these applications is the breadth of different programmes that the CCOs offer, and these new grants will be put to great use serving the whole community.'
Accrington Stanley chairman Andy Holt added: 'Community is key for every football club and this £100,000 grant from the Sky Bet EFL Building Foundations Fund is absolutely massive for the Hyndburn community.
'The new 3G pitch at the Stanley Sports Hub is now fully constructed, and it will mean more groups of every age and ability can use the excellent facilities that the Accrington Stanley Community Trust provide.'
A worker pictured working on the ground below the new pitch before the surface was laid
This aerial photograph was taken during the construction of the new 3G pitch in Accrington
The Building Foundations Fund was launched when Sky Bet extended its title partnership with the EFL last year. Sky Bet committed to investing a £6 million over six years.
Stevenage's funding will enable the purchase of a branded vehicle to transport Stevenage FC Foundation's StreetStadia portable pitch to communities in the local area.
Meanwhile, Walsall will use their latest funding to help start the delivery of the 'Back On Your Feet' programme, addressing unemployment and the skills gap to support individuals in the Walsall community back in to work.
Debbie Cook, director of EFL in the Community, said: 'Our Clubs are at the heart of our communities across England and Wales and are serving distinct and diverse local areas. The Sky Bet EFL Building Foundations Fund is enabling and strengthening the role of our network to change people's lives in EFL communities.
'The fund will continue to support the commitment to and significant impact that facility upgrades, and the delivery of new and existing programmes can create in communities up and down the country.'