Call for Active Futures Grant Programme (United Kingdom)

Deadline: 24-Aug-2026

The Active Futures Programme provides grants of up to £20,000 to organisations in Cheshire and Warrington delivering sport and physical activity programmes for children and young people aged 0–18 who may be vulnerable to serious youth violence and child criminal exploitation. The programme supports early intervention, prevention, diversionary activities, youth leadership, trauma-informed practice, and sustainable community-based approaches. What Is the Active Futures Programme? The Active Futures Programme supports community organisations using sport and physical activity as a tool for early intervention and prevention among children and young people in Cheshire and Warrington. The programme responds to concerns around serious youth violence and child criminal exploitation by creating safe, positive and accessible opportunities that help young people develop skills, build relationships and remain engaged in constructive activities. The programme builds on learning and evidence gathered during its first two years and focuses strongly on primary prevention. What Does the Programme Aim to Achieve? Active Futures aims to reduce young people’s vulnerability to harmful behaviours and exploitation by providing positive alternatives within their communities. Supported projects should use sport or physical activity to: Engage children and young people in positive activities. Provide safe and welcoming community spaces. Reduce vulnerability to serious youth violence. Help prevent child criminal exploitation. Develop confidence, skills and positive relationships. Encourage healthy and constructive lifestyles. Strengthen young people’s connection with their communities. Organisations can request up to £20,000 for an eligible project. The programme may award several grants at different levels, meaning applicants do not necessarily need to request the full £20,000. Applicants should request an amount that is proportionate to the scale, activities and expected outcomes of their project. Who Can Benefit From the Programme? Projects should support children and young people aged 0–18. The programme particularly focuses on young people who may face increased vulnerability to serious youth violence, criminal exploitation or related risks. Activities should be accessible and designed around the needs of the communities being served. What Types of Activities Are Supported? Funded projects must involve sport or physical activity as a central part of the intervention. Projects should provide meaningful engagement rather than simply offering isolated sporting events. What Approach Should Projects Take? The programme encourages projects that use sustainable, youth-led and trauma-informed approaches. Projects should recognise the circumstances and experiences that may increase a young person’s vulnerability and create supportive environments where participants can engage safely. Youth participation is also important. Young people should have opportunities to influence activities and contribute to the development of programmes where appropriate. Who Is Eligible to Apply? Eligible organisations must have experience delivering sport or physical activity programmes for children and young people.

Applicants must also:

Have a relevant track record of delivery. Operate in areas identified through the Cheshire Commissioning Dashboard. Demonstrate an understanding of serious youth violence and/or child criminal exploitation. Show commitment to sustainable approaches. Demonstrate youth-led practice. Incorporate trauma-informed approaches. Have the capacity to monitor and evaluate their work. Are Partnership Applications Allowed? Yes. Partnership bids are welcome. Where organisations apply together, there must be: A clearly identified lead applicant. Defined responsibilities for participating partners. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the partners. The lead organisation should have the appropriate capacity to manage the grant and coordinate delivery. What Should Funded Projects Look Like? Projects are expected to provide year-round interventions rather than short-term or isolated activities. The programme particularly encourages delivery in community settings, where activities can be accessible to young people in their local areas. Projects should also incorporate workforce development to improve the skills and capacity of staff, coaches, volunteers or other people involved in delivery. What Is Workforce Development? Workforce development involves strengthening the knowledge, skills and confidence of people delivering the programme. Depending on the project, this could include training or development relating to: The aim is to ensure organisations have the capacity to provide effective and sustainable interventions. Monitoring and Evaluation Requirements Successful applicants must monitor their projects throughout the year. This includes collecting and reporting information about:

Participation

Engagement. Activities delivered. Young people reached. Outcomes achieved. Progress against project objectives. Regular monitoring and evaluation will help demonstrate whether sport and physical activity are contributing to improved outcomes for participating young people. How to Develop a Strong Application Demonstrate Local Need Explain the challenges affecting the young people and communities the project will serve. Applicants should demonstrate an understanding of serious youth violence and/or child criminal exploitation and explain why the proposed intervention is needed. Connect Sport to Prevention It is important to clearly explain how sport or physical activity will contribute to prevention. Rather than simply describing sporting activities, applicants should show how participation will support engagement, relationships, confidence, resilience or other relevant outcomes. Focus on Sustainable Impact Explain how the project can create benefits beyond individual sessions. This could include devel