London Marathon Group Active Spaces Fund

Our Active Spaces Fund is for projects that will improve and activate spaces, places and facilities in London that will help the least active children, young people and underserved groups and communities to lead active and healthy lives.

About the Active Spaces Fund

We want to support capital projects that will build or renovate spaces, places and facilities that will last for years to come, but we know that sometimes what’s needed is revenue funding to deliver sports and physical activities at these sites. We can support both types of cost through this Fund.

This is an open fund with opportunities to apply all-year round.

Types of Projects

Being active looks different for everyone, and we fund a wide range of inclusive sports and physical activities – from boxing to wheelchair basketball, street dance to seated exercise classes and play to Pilates.

We can fund capital projects, revenue projects, and projects with both capital and revenue costs.

By capital projects, we mean building works, renovations or major equipment that will create new or improve existing spaces, places and facilities that support our priority audiences to be active. Examples include park and playground areas, gyms and sports halls. We expect most projects supported by this Fund to include capital elements.

By revenue projects, we mean the costs towards activating spaces, places and facilities that support our priority audiences to be active. Examples include venue hire, coaching costs and salaries. While we expect most projects to include capital elements, we will consider providing revenue funding only. If applying for revenue funding only, it’s important to show how you plan to continue the activities beyond the funding period and how your project will transform your place, space or facility.

Eligibility Criteria and Priorities

We only accept applications for projects that:

Take place in London (within the 32 borough boundaries and the City of London).

Support our priority audiences to be active (children, young people and underserved groups and communities).

While most organisations can apply, we’re unable to fund individuals, organisations or groups set up to make a profit for private distribution.

Read our FAQs for more information about who and what we’ll fund.

As our funding is limited, we will prioritise 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.

Available Funding

Funding between £10,000 and £80,000 is available.

We expect capital costs to be spent and claimed within two years while revenue costs can be spent and claimed for one, two or three years.

We may invite capital projects to apply for more than £80,000 where an exceptional case for inspiring activity for our priority audiences is made. This is by invitation-only and at our discretion. If you would like to discuss applying for more than £80,000, you must contact us first by emailing: [email protected].