This is the London Marathon Charitable Trust’s funding programme to improve sports spaces and inspire activity in London.
Grants of between £10,000 and £80,000 are available over the next three years to support community groups and organisations to improve and create spaces where children and young people and marginalised groups and communities can participate in sport and physical activity.
There may be exceptional awards made for capital projects to apply for more than £80,000. This is by invitation-only and at the Foundation’s discretion. If you would like to discuss applying for more than £80,000, you must contact them first.
Funding facilities will be a core component of the Fund, along with a broader range of projects to offer greater flexibility to more organisations and support a wide range of projects.
To apply to this fund, projects must:
- Provide opportunities for the least active children and young people and/or marginalised groups and communities to be active
- Improve and/or activate spaces, places and facilities
- Take place in London (defined by the borough boundaries).
Priority will be given to projects that:
- enable the least active children, young people and underserved groups and communities to lead active and healthy lives
- take place in areas of greatest need, for example, areas with fewer spaces, places and facilities for sports and physical activity or where communities are likely to be affected by high levels of deprivation
- are delivered by organisations with a close connection to the community they want to support
- will improve and activate spaces, places and facilities beyond the funding period.
There is a two-stage application process, beginning with an initial Expression of Interest which can be submitted at any time.
If your project is eligible to submit a full application, you will be advised within 20 working days.
There are four rounds of application each year. The deadlines for funding requests under £100,000 are listed below, along with when you can expect to hear the outcome of your application.
| Application deadline | Application outcome |
| 8 January 2025 | End of February |
| 25 March 2025 | End of May |
| 8 July 2025 | End of August |
| 25 September 2025 | End of November |
If you’re requesting funding over £100,000, it will take about a month longer to communicate the outcome but you will receive email updates.
For full details, including guidance and FAQs, visit the Active Spaces Fund webpage.
