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
31 of 172 match your filtersChecked against verified programme data for 45 of 172 funders. 127 not yet verified are listed below; 14 that don't fit were excluded.
Active Essex Foundation
Matching programme: Sport and Youth Crime Prevention programme (SYCP)
Active Essex Foundation is an independent charity established in 2016 to tackle health and social inequalities in Essex, Southend, and Thurrock throug...
Active Travel England
Matching programme: Active Travel Community Grants
Active Travel England champions walking, wheeling, and cycling as the preferred everyday travel modes in England, rooted in values of inclusivity, inn...
Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation
Matching programme: Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation Grants
The Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation, established in June 2011 as the official charity arm of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship golf tournament, ch...
Boris Karloff Charitable Foundation
Matching programme: Single Annual Grant Round
The Boris Karloff Charitable Foundation, established in 1985 by Evelyn Karloff in memory of the iconic actor Boris Karloff, is a UK grant-making trust...
Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation 2014
Matching programme: Recreational Facilities Development
Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation 2014 serves as trustee for CISWO, a national charity dedicated to advancing health, relieving poverty and ha...
Fletchers Trust
Matching programme: The Fletchers' Trust
The Fletchers Trust, rooted in the philanthropic heritage of the Worshipful Company of Fletchers, drives a mission to enable disabled people to partic...
Football Foundation
Matching programme: Grass Pitch Creation Grant
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...
Great Dunmow and District Round Table Charitable Trust
Matching programme: Donation Programme
Great Dunmow and District Round Table Charitable Trust strengthens Essex communities through volunteer-led, event-based fundraising that channels reso...
Greenham Trust Ltd
Matching programme: Community Wellbeing Fund
Greenham Trust Ltd, founded in 1997 as Greenham Common Community Trust following the closure of RAF Greenham Common, reinvests commercial income from ...
Hamilton Davies Trust
Matching programme: Grants
Hamilton Davies Trust is a community-rooted grantmaker founded to strengthen the social fabric of local neighborhoods through regeneration, local prid...
Hargreaves Foundation
Matching programme: Main Grant Programme
The Hargreaves Foundation, established in 2020 by Peter Hargreaves—co-founder of Hargreaves Lansdown—and his family with a £100 million endowment, dis...
Huntingdon Freemen's Trust
Matching programme: Apply for funding
Huntingdon Freemen's Trust is a longstanding grantmaker rooted in community stewardship, dedicated to enhancing the well-being and quality of life for...
Invictus Games Foundation
Matching 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
Matching 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
Matching 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...
John Jackson Charitable Trust
Matching programme: Grants
The John Jackson Charitable Trust, established in 2011 through the will of lifelong Eastbourne resident John Alan Jackson, is a permanent endowment de...
London Marathon Charitable Trust Limited
Matching programme: Active Spaces Fund
London Marathon Charitable Trust Limited, operating as the London Marathon Foundation and founded in 1981 by marathon co-founders, champions the life-...
Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust
Matching 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...
Norman Garon Trust
Matching 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...
People's Postcode Trust
Matching programme: People's Postcode Trust Main Grant Programme
People's Postcode Trust is a registered Scottish charity established in 2009, dedicated to supporting smaller charities and community causes across Sc...
Poundland Foundation
Matching programme: Strategic Partnership Grants
The Poundland Foundation, a UK-registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation established in April 2021, channels Poundland's charitable legacy to tr...
Scottish Children’s Lottery Trust
Matching programme: General Grant Programme
The Scottish Children’s Lottery Trust, established in 2015 (Scottish Charity SC046177) and funded by the Scottish Children’s Lottery, is dedicated to ...
Sheffield Grammar School Exhibition Foundation
Matching programme: Sheffield Grammar School Exhibition Foundation Grants
Sheffield Grammar School Exhibition Foundation advances educational opportunity for financially needy local city residents through scholarships, bursa...
Team Forces Foundation
Matching 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...
Tim Henman Foundation
Matching programme: THF Grants
The Tim Henman Foundation, a UK-registered youth charity relaunched in June 2015 by former world No.4 tennis player Tim Henman OBE, is dedicated to tr...
Wellbank Foundation
Matching programme: Wellbank Foundation Grant
The Wellbank Foundation is a small, family-run grant-making charity established in 2020 by the Robson family, with trustees from the family guiding it...
Whirlwind Charitable Trust
Matching 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...
Will Houghton Foundation
Matching programme: Will Houghton Foundation Grants
The Will Houghton Foundation, established in 2016 in memory of Will Houghton—a passionate cyclist, student, and outdoor advocate who tragically died a...
William Wates Memorial Trust
Matching programme: Main Grants Programme
The William Wates Memorial Trust, established in 1998 by the Wates family in memory of William Wates—who died tragically during his 1996 gap year—cham...
Wimbledon Foundation
Matching programme: Get Set, Get Active Fund
The Wimbledon Foundation, established in 2013 as the official charity of the All England Lawn Tennis Club and The Championships, channels Wimbledon's ...
Woodsmith Foundation Limited
Matching 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 ...
127 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
Describe Your Charity
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Which of These 172 Funders Are Right for You?
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