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 36 of 172 funders. 136 not yet verified are listed below; 5 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...
Barbarians Rugby Charitable Trust
Matching programme: Barbarians Rugby Charitable Trust
The Barbarians Rugby Charitable Trust, established in 2004 by the iconic Barbarian F.C., channels rugby's values of teamwork, inclusion, leadership, a...
Betty Riseley Trust for Children
Matching programme: The Betty Riseley Trust for Children Grant
The Betty Riseley Trust for Children embodies compassion, community spirit, and inclusivity to enrich lives of children and young people under 18 in S...
Chess Trust
Matching programme: Grant Applications
The Chess Trust, a UK-registered charity established in 2015 with initial funding from a major bequest by Richard Haddrell and input from the English ...
Dan Maskell Tennis Trust
Matching 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
Matching programme: County Grants Fund
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
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...
Greaves & Withey Foundation
Matching programme: Main Grant Programme
The Greaves & Withey Foundation, formerly the Robin Greaves Foundation, is a family-led independent charity established by the Greaves and Withey fami...
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...
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...
Johnnie Johnson Trust
Matching programme: Johnnie Johnson Trust Grants
The Johnnie Johnson Trust, established in 1961 by aviator V.H. 'Johnnie' Johnson, embodies a founding mission of advancing personal development for di...
Keith Howard Foundation
Matching programme: Emergency Fund
The Keith Howard Foundation is an independent charitable trust founded in 2008 with a mission to create lasting societal change and positive impact in...
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-...
Mayor's Fund for London
Matching programme: Maths Week London School Activity Grant
The Mayor's Fund for London is an independent, non-partisan charity established in 2008 with the patronage of the Mayor of London, dedicated to tackli...
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...
Norton Foundation
Matching programme: Vocational and Personal Development Grants and Minor Capital 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...
Ross Foundation
Matching programme: Major Strategic Grants
The Ross Foundation, formally the David Ross Foundation, was established in 2007 by UK entrepreneur and philanthropist David Ross, co-founder of Carph...
Rowing Foundation
Matching programme: Equipment Grant
The Rowing Foundation is a UK-based charity established in 1980, initially focused on getting young people on the water through rowing and water sport...
Samworth Brothers Community Opportunity Fund
Matching programme: Community Development Award
The Samworth Brothers Community Opportunity Fund drives community flourishing through equitable opportunities for disadvantaged young people, rooted i...
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...
Sported Foundation
Matching programme: Barclays Community Sport Fund £1000 Access Grant
Sported Foundation, a UK-wide charity established in 2008, empowers children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds through grassroots sport ...
Sussex Cricket Foundation
Matching programme: ECB County Grants Fund 2025
The Sussex Cricket Foundation, established in 2015 as the charitable arm of Sussex Cricket Limited, harnesses cricket to transform lives and build res...
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...
UK Sport
Matching programme: ChangeMakers Fund – Try It
UK Sport, established by Royal Charter in 1997 as the United Kingdom's high-performance sport agency, drives elite Olympic and Paralympic success to p...
United by 2022 Charity
Matching programme: Ideas Made Real
United by 2022 Charity, founded in March 2021 as a legacy of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, drives enduring social impact in the West Midland...
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...
Wembley National Stadium Trust
Matching programme: EURO 2028 HOST CITIES Fund
Wembley National Stadium Trust, trading as Wembley Stadium Foundation, is an independent charitable grant-maker established in 1998 (originally as the...
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...
136 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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