Sport & Physical Activity Grants & Funding
There are 172 UK funders offering grants for sport & physical activity charities, with typical awards from £100 to £500,000.
Sport and physical activity grants support charities and community organisations using sport as a tool for positive change. Funding comes from dedicated sports bodies — Sport England, sportscotland, Sport Wales, and Sport Northern Ireland — as well as from trusts, foundations, and corporate funders. Projects range from grassroots participation programmes and facility improvements to elite athlete development and sport-for-development initiatives. Many funders in this space focus on using sport to achieve broader social outcomes: reducing youth crime, improving mental health, building community cohesion, and tackling health inequalities. Women's and girls' participation, disability sport, and engaging inactive populations are current priorities. Capital grants are available for facilities — pitches, courts, equipment, and changing rooms — from several dedicated programmes. The emphasis across the sector is on sustainability, inclusion, and reaching those who face the greatest barriers to participation. Community sports clubs, coaching programmes, and outdoor activity projects all attract strong funding support.
Quick Stats
- Total Funders
- 172
- Grant Range
- £100 - £500,000
- Open to Applications
- 62%
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Clear filtersFilters use programme details verified from each funder's own published guidance. Funders we haven't verified yet are listed separately below, never hidden.
Sport & Physical Activity Funders
22 of 172 match your filtersChecked against verified programme data for 39 of 172 funders. 133 not yet verified are listed below; 17 that don't fit were excluded.
Charities of Thomas Wade and Others
Verified openMatching programme: Small Grants Programme
Charities of Thomas Wade and Others, known as Wade's Charity, is a historic Leeds-based grant-making trust established in 1530 by Thomas Wade during H...
Dan Maskell Tennis Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Group/Club/Project Grants
The Dan Maskell Tennis Trust, established in 1997 and named after the legendary 'Voice of Wimbledon' Dan Maskell, is a UK charity dedicated to advanci...
England and Wales Cricket Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Interest Free Loan Scheme (Clubs with Junior Section)
The England and Wales Cricket Trust (EWCT), a registered charity (no. 1112540), promotes community participation in cricket as a means of healthy recr...
Football Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund
The Football Foundation, established in 2000 by the Premier League, The FA, and the UK Government via Sport England, is the UK's largest sports charit...
Invictus Games Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Domestic Grants
The Invictus Games Foundation, established in 2014 by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, harnesses adaptive sport and adventurous challenges to drive p...
J G Graves Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching programme: General Grant Programme
The J G Graves Charitable Trust, founded in 1930 by Sheffield businessman and philanthropist John George Graves, is a legacy-driven funder dedicated t...
J P Marland Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching programme: The J P Marland Charitable Trust
The J P Marland Charitable Trust is a family-founded discretionary grantmaker with a mission to support worthy charitable causes delivering public ben...
Keith Howard Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Main Grant Programme
The Keith Howard Foundation is an independent charitable trust founded in 2008 with a mission to create lasting societal change and positive impact in...
Letchworth Civic Trust
Verified openMatching programme: School Grant
Letchworth Civic Trust, established in 1914 as a company limited by guarantee, is a longstanding grant-making charity rooted in Letchworth Garden City...
Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Local Grants
The Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust is an independent Welsh grant-maker founded to harness the legacy of the Millennium Stadium for enhancing qual...
Monmouthshire County Council Welsh Church Act Fund
Verified openMatching programme: Monmouthshire County Council Welsh Church Act Fund
The Monmouthshire County Council Welsh Church Act Fund, rooted in the 1914 Welsh Church Act, is a charitable trust managed by Monmouthshire County Cou...
Norman Garon Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Norman Garon Trust Main Grant Programme
The Norman Garon Trust, established by local benefactor Norman Garon, drives youth development through scouting, sports, and recreation, harnessing in...
Norton Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Individual Grants
The Norton Foundation is a UK-based charitable trust dedicated to enhancing the lives of young people under 25, primarily in Birmingham, Solihull, Cov...
Poundland Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Colleague Match Funding
The Poundland Foundation, a UK-registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation established in April 2021, channels Poundland's charitable legacy to tr...
Ross Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: John Ross MBE Community Fund
The Ross Foundation, formally the David Ross Foundation, was established in 2007 by UK entrepreneur and philanthropist David Ross, co-founder of Carph...
Samworth Brothers Community Opportunity Fund
Verified openMatching programme: Colleague Sponsored Award
The Samworth Brothers Community Opportunity Fund drives community flourishing through equitable opportunities for disadvantaged young people, rooted i...
Sheffield Grammar School Exhibition Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Sheffield Grammar School Exhibition Foundation Grants
Sheffield Grammar School Exhibition Foundation advances educational opportunity for financially needy local city residents through scholarships, bursa...
Sported Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Female Coaches for Girls Fund
Sported Foundation, a UK-wide charity established in 2008, empowers children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds through grassroots sport ...
sportscotland
Verified openMatching programme: Club Support Programme
sportscotland, established in 1972 as the Scottish Sports Council by royal charter, serves as Scotland's national agency for sport and an executive no...
Team Forces Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Good Causes Fund
Team Forces Foundation, a UK-registered charity established in 2011, delivers social impact to the armed forces community through funding sport, chall...
Whirlwind Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Standard Grants
The Whirlwind Charitable Trust, established in 2007 by the Lister Charitable Trust and endowed by Noel and Sylvia Lister, is dedicated to enhancing li...
Woodsmith Foundation Limited
Verified openMatching programme: Community Grants
Woodsmith Foundation Limited, established in 2012 as the York Potash Foundation and now funded by Anglo American via a unique 0.5% revenue share from ...
133 funders not yet verified against these filters
We haven't confirmed these funders' programme details yet, so they may or may not fit. Showing the first 10.
Tips for Applying to Sport & Physical Activity Funders
Align your application with Sport England's Uniting the Movement framework, which prioritises connecting communities, positive experiences for children, active environments, and tackling health inequalities through movement. Reference Active Lives Survey data to demonstrate participation levels and inactivity rates in your target community, showing the specific gap your project addresses. Focus your application on engaging inactive populations rather than serving those who already participate in sport — funders in this space are shifting resources toward the people who face the greatest barriers to being active. Describe your behaviour change approach, referencing models such as COM-B or the transtheoretical model to show that your programme is designed around how people actually change habits rather than assuming that providing activities is sufficient. Address safeguarding in sport explicitly, detailing your policies, training, and culture around protecting participants, particularly children and vulnerable adults. Present sustainability plans that show how participation will continue beyond the funded period — through volunteer coaching capacity, club development, or integration with existing community sport infrastructure. Strong applications demonstrate that your project creates lasting behavioural change rather than short-term participation spikes, and show how you will measure physical activity levels alongside broader social outcomes.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Sport & Physical Activity Grants
What grants are available for sport & physical activity charities in the UK?
There are 172+ UK funders offering grants for sport & physical activity charities. These range from small community grants under £5,000 to large multi-year funding programmes exceeding £100,000. Use Fundermatcher to find the best match for your organisation.
How much funding can sport & physical activity organisations get?
Grant amounts for sport & physical activity charities vary widely depending on the funder and project. Typical grants range from £1,000 to over £100,000. Many funders offer multi-year funding for established organisations with a strong track record.
How do I apply for sport & physical activity grants?
Start by identifying funders whose priorities align with your sport & physical activity work. Fundermatcher matches your charity's profile against 172+ funders to find the best fit. Our AI assistant can then help you draft compelling grant applications.
How to Find the Right Sport & Physical Activity Funders
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Which of These 172 Funders Are Right for You?
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