Go! London Fund

Background

The Mayor of London, London Marathon Charitable Trust and Sport England, with strategic guidance from London Sport and London Marathon Events, have come together in a new Go! London partnership comprising a five-year, multi-million investment in youth sport.

The fund will run for at least five years from March 2023 and provide a number of funding opportunities each year.

Objectives of Fund

This fund aims to increase activity levels among those at greater risk of poverty, social exclusion, or discrimination.

In addition to increasing physical activity levels, funded projects can also include activities that aim to improve community and social connection, mental well-being, employability skills, and safety.

Value Notes

Foundation Grants of up to £40,000 (£55,000 for specialist support) for up to two years are currently available.

Who Can Apply

To apply, groups must:

• Be a not-for-profit organisation.
• Have a governing document (non-constituted groups can apply through a sponsor).
• Have at least two trustees, directors, or committee members (groups will have to recruit a third, unrelated member within six months of receiving a grant).
• Have a bank account in the organisastion's name.
• Be able to provide 12 months of annual accounts.
• Have a total income of less than £500,000 in their most recent financial year.
• Receive less than £50,000 in revenue grants from Go! London partners.
• Have experience working directly with underserved children and young people.
• Pay at least the London Living Wage for any paid posts funded by the grant.
• Have appropriate safeguarding measures in place.

Priority will be given to organisations and projects that:

• Involve young people in project design and organisation decision-making.
• Are led by and for marginalised communities, with trustees, staff, or volunteers who have lived experience of the issues being addressed or belong to the communities being supported. This includes:
  • Communities experiencing racial inequality.
  • Deaf and disabled people.
  • LGBTQ+ people.
  • Women and girls.
• Have strong connections, trust, and a proven track record of working effectively in a specific area or with a defined target group.
• Address gaps in local provision and make effective use of existing facilities and infrastructure.

Location

London.

Restrictions

The following are not eligible for funding:

• Local authorities.
• Schools.
• Private companies and companies that are limited by shares.
• Private partnerships.
• Sole traders.

Eligible Expenditure

Funding can be used for the delivery of physical activity-based provision across three tiers of support:

• Participation tier - Broad-reach activities designed to increase physical activity levels among underserved children and young people.
• Targeted support tier - Structured programmes for groups facing specific barriers to participation, with support aimed at achieving a measurable outcome.
• Specialised support tier - Longer-term support for young people with complex needs, combining regular physical activity with tailored wraparound and specialist support to achieve a measurable social outcome.

All funded projects must:

• Deliver sport and physical activity sessions that align with one or more of the support tiers outlined above.
• Engage underserved children and young people in London, aged between 4 and 24.
• Expand reach by increasing participation.
• Engage new participants through additional sessions or increased capacity.
• Ensure that at least 30% of participating children and young people should be new to the organisation.

Funding can be used for project-related costs. Groups can allocate up to 20% of their total budget towards management or overhead expenses.

Projects solely under the Specialised support tier may be eligible for a larger grant to help cover the costs of delivering tailored wraparound and specialist support. For example, this could include:

• Intensive one-to-one support.
• Staff with mental health qualifications.

How To Apply

The deadline for applications is 5 May 2026.

Guidance notes and an online application form are available from the Go! London website.

Contact Go! London for further information.