Norwegian lottery operator Norsk Tipping is going to distribute NOK225m (€20.4m) to sports teams and charitable organisations as part of its Grasrotandelen initiative.
More than 30,000 associations in Norway will get benefit from the scheme, including grassroots sporting organisations, health bodies, animal charities and children’s associations.
For the first payment of this year, Oslo-based Association for the Relocation of Animals will receive the most funds, with Norsk Tipping to distribute NOK1.7m to the organisation.
Vålerenga Fotball, a football club also located in Oslo, will be given NOK1.1m in funds from the initial payment, while the Fredrikstad arm of community group Lions Club will receive NOK979,999.
Norsk Tipping noted that the overall payment of NOK225m will be only NOK3m less than at the same point last year, despite the operator having been impacted by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.
“Due to the coronavirus, we have had to put many of the activities we love so much on hold. The Grasrotandelen scheme means a lot to many teams and associations, and it is with great pleasure that we now pay out grassroots funds for the first four months of 2020,” Åsne Havnelid, managing director of Norsk Tipping, said.
