The new £160 million, four-year Movement Fund offers grants of between £300 and £15,000, crowdfunding pledges, and resources to improve physical activity opportunities for the people and communities who need it the most across England.

The new fund replaces Sport England’s existing Small Grants Programme, which is now closed to applications, and Active Together fund, which will close soon.

The Movement Fund has been established to help close the ‘significant activity gap’ between people based on where they live, how affluent they are, their sex, ethnic background or whether they have a disability or long-term health condition.

The funding is intended for local not-for-profit groups and organisations whose projects promote physical activity, including active travel, walking, cycling, dance, fitness and sporting activities.

Priority will be given to projects where there is the most need.

There is particular interest in projects providing opportunities for groups facing barriers to activity, such as:

• People living on low incomes.
• Disabled people or those with long-term health conditions.
• Older people.
• People from culturally diverse communities.
• Pregnant women and parents with very young children.
• Girls aged 5-16.
• LGBTQ+ people.
• People who are in foster care.
• People who provide care without pay.

And in projects that address combined hurdles, such as people with long-term health conditions alongside caring responsibilities.

The funding could cover, for example:

• Equipment: support purchasing new or improved equipment that’s required for the delivery of the activity.
• Refurbishing or upgrading facilities: support to improve or create spaces that can provide opportunities to get more people active.
• Developing new capabilities and leadership skills: providing formal training for staff and volunteers to improve their skills and leadership abilities to help improve how the group tackles inequalities and gets more people active.
• Delivery costs: paying for the people and facilities needed to deliver the project, where these are new costs to the project.
• Emergency relief: helping with costs during a crisis, like damage from extreme weather, that could not have been avoided or insured.

Applications will be accepted from not-for-profit organisations working with people living in England. Applicants must be formally constituted with a clear purpose, have at least three non-related trustees or directors who do not live together and ensure decision making and voting rights are equally distributed between their trustees or directors.

There are no deadlines for applications.