Opportunities from Go! London, Laureus Sport for Good, Skateistan and 12 others.

The definitive guide to finding opportunities, building partnerships and generating new income in the sports industry.

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On The Ball is a fortnightly newsletter and digital platform sharing opportunities, tools, tricks, and templates to help you unlock new income for your business or non-profit in sport.

We’ve got some BIG announcements coming over the next few months - watch this space!

This week we have 15 events, grants and/or funding competitions for you to consider. Don’t forget, only paid members get full access to the list.

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So, let’s get into it:

Laureus Sport for Good have just announced two new funding grant opportunities s through their collaborative SESLA grant funding programme, in partnership with the International Olympic Committee.. Focused on using sports-based approaches to improving pathways for young people, the first is the Open Call for proposals; supporting the education and employability of young people in Africa, with grants of between $40,000 to $50,000. Secondly, is the collaborative project grants, supporting organisations to test innovative approaches and ideas on how sport can be used to promote employability pathways and create sustainable livelihoods for young people in Africa, with grants of between $70,000 and $100,000. An online webinar to provide more detail on the SESLA programme and the funding opportunities will be held on 17th September. The Open Call application period will close on 27th September and the Collaborative Calls application period will close one week later on 4th October 2024.

Go! London is back, welcoming applications from not-for-profit organisations that deliver sport and physical activity for children and young people facing economic disadvantage across the capital. Beneficiaries must be based in London, with grants of up to £40,000 on offer for a maximum of two years. Successful applicants will use the funding to expand or adapt current services, or to avoid a reduction in service delivery. Organisations must have an annual income of less than £500k and only one application per organisation is permitted. Prospective applicants are invited to an online information session for further details about the fund on September 9th and 12th respectively, with the deadline for proposals being September 30th at 5pm. 

For a new 2025 funding round, Skateistan is prioritising racial justice and gender equity, and is currently looking to select up to ten new partners that tackle these areas through their work. Using skateboarding as a vessel for social change, Skateistan works with social organisations across the globe to mobilise responses to social need and increase inclusion on a local level. Applicants must be officially registered organisations running social skateboarding programs, or willing to start a new skateboarding program. Selected partners will receive a grant of between USD 7,000 and 15,000, depending on program size and structure, along with hands-on support with programmatic implementation, training, and materials. Skateistan welcomes one application per organisation, and the deadline is September 22nd at 11.59pm CEST time.

The Gupta Family Foundation has opened its 2025 international funding round for organisations operating in India, the US, Kenya, Mexico, Mongolia, Rwanda, South Africa, and Thailand. Applicants must align with the mission and priorities of the Foundation: to provide direct, focused intervention in the lives of any individuals who have been held back from realising their potential. Smaller organisations are prioritised, which convey the original inspiration and passion of the founder through their work. Annual and multi-year grants of between USD $5,000 and over $250,000 are available; the deadline has not been announced, so we anticipate the funding round to close after a certain number of applications have been received.