The Premier League side is donating £20,000 ($32,000) with its launch of the North Staffordshire 2012 Aspiring Athlete Fund.

The initiative has the support of Olympic gold medallist Imran Sherwani, the Stoke-on-Trent hockey star who won gold at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.

He will join a panel of judges who will decide on where the funding is distributed.

City will invite people to make nominations of athletes who are considered to be worthy of financial support to help them win selection for the 2012 London Games.

"We consider it very important to support sporting talent in other fields who have the potential to bring further recognition to the region," said Stoke City chairman Peter Coates.

"There are a lot of young people out there with the dedication and commitment to achieve excellence in their particular sport and I am sure with more financial support they can fulfil their dreams of competing at the Olympic Games in this country.

"We have seen as a club that sporting success can generate a feelgood factor within the region and we hope this funding will help others to achieve that too.

"In the current economic climate there has been a squeeze on funding due to cutbacks, so I am sure this money can help to make a difference to the needs of individuals and if there are local companies who want support the fund then it would be welcome."

Athletes who wish to be considered for the funding must live or compete in North Staffordshire and must also be currently representing Great Britain or a Home Country.

Applications must be made by December 31 and should be sent to the North Staffordshire 2012 Aspiring Athlete Fund, Stoke City Football Club, Britannia Stadium, Stanley Matthews Way, Stoke-on-Trent.