Go! London Open Innovation Challenges 2026 – Funding for Sport and Physical Activity Solutions in London

December 19, 2025

The Go! London Open Innovation Challenges 2026 invite bold ideas that use physical activity and sport to build Go! London Open Innovation Challenges 2026 – Funding for Sport and Physical Activity Solutions in London, more resilient communities for children and young people in London. Launched by Go! London, these Challenges aim to support innovative solutions that address systemic barriers to access, ensuring that sport and physical activity become powerful tools for equity, belonging, and long-term community resilience.

By engaging local organisations, stakeholders, and change leaders, the Open Innovation Challenges aim to co-design solutions rooted in lived experience while leveraging the influence and resources needed to scale impact. The Challenges are open for applications from organisations and partnerships delivering initiatives in London, with funding and capacity-building support available for promising projects.

Applications for the 2026 Open Innovation Challenges are open now, with a submission deadline of 5pm on 17 February 2026. Winners’ projects are expected to commence in September 2026.

About Go! London Open Innovation Challenges

Open Innovation Challenges are structured opportunities for communities and organisations to collaborate on shared priorities and generate measurable impact. They emphasize a “learning by doing” approach, encouraging prototyping, testing, and iterating innovative ideas to solve real-life challenges.

Go! London is running two themed Challenges for 2026:

Sport for Climate Action
Reimagining Spaces for Sport and Play

Both Challenges are designed to foster collaboration across communities, landowners, local authorities, and individual change leaders. Participants gain the opportunity to shape solutions that are both locally relevant and scalable, ensuring long-term benefits for young people in London.

Challenge Details and Structure

The Open Innovation Challenges follow a three-stage approach:

Peer Review and Feedback – Eligible applicants review each other’s proposals, gaining feedback, strengthening ideas, and building peer connections.
Finalist Support and Seed Funding – Up to 10 finalists per Challenge receive grants of up to £10,000, along with capacity-building support to refine and develop their ideas.
Winner Grants and Implementation – Three to six winners per Challenge receive grants of up to £100,000 to deliver their project, with grant amounts tailored based on solution maturity, impact potential, and community needs.

The Open Innovation Challenges provide participants with an opportunity to experiment, connect with the right partners, and gain confidence in scaling innovative solutions.

Challenge Themes

1. Sport for Climate Action

The Sport for Climate Action Challenge aims to harness sport and physical activity to drive climate awareness, engagement, and sustainable behaviours among young people. Projects can focus on:

Promoting climate awareness through sport
Capacity-building initiatives that enable climate-resilient participation
Engagement strategies to encourage environmentally sustainable practices in physical activity

2. Reimagining Spaces for Sport and Play

The Reimagining Spaces for Sport and Play Challenge seeks solutions that increase access to safe, inclusive, and affordable spaces for sport and physical activity. Projects can focus on:

Adapting underutilised spaces for sport and play
Making existing spaces more inclusive and welcoming for previously excluded young people
Ensuring relevance and accessibility to strengthen participation across communities

Eligibility Criteria

To participate in the Go! London Open Innovation Challenges, initiatives must meet the following criteria:

Applicants must be over 18
Initiatives must be designed for and delivered in London
The lead applicant must be a UK-registered legal entity, and must be a non-profit organisation, including schools, universities, or local authorities
For-profit organisations may participate as partners but cannot be the lead applicant
Previous and existing Go! London grantees may apply or be part of an applying partnership

Initiative Stage

Initiatives at all stages (early, mid, late) are eligible
Projects not yet implemented at scale must have a minimum viable solution (prototype, pilot, or proof of concept)
Applicants must demonstrate a track record in London among the partnership or consortium

What Applicants Will Need to Do

Eligible participants are expected to engage in peer review and capacity-building activities:

Peer Reviews: Applicants review 5–10 proposals after the application phase, gaining feedback and participating in roundtables
Capacity-Building Programme: Finalists must be available from mid-March to end of April 2026 for workshops and support sessions
Funding Agreement: Winners will sign a Go! London funding agreement with the Greater London Authority (GLA), including quarterly progress reporting and impact documentation
Acknowledgements: Finalists and winners are required to acknowledge Go! London and funding partners in annual reports, publicity, and communications for a defined period

How to Apply

The Open Innovation Challenges are delivered by Ashoka and Play Verto. Applicants should visit the Go! London website to access the guidance, terms, and application portal.

Challenge Application Links:

Applicants are encouraged to review the guidance and terms & conditions carefully before applying.

Important Dates

Application Portal Opens: 3 December 2025
Application Deadline: 5pm, 17 February 2026
Finalists’ Capacity-Building Programme: Mid-March to End-April 2026
Winner Project Start Date: September 2026

Info Sessions

Info Session #1 – 9 January 2026, 2pm UK time
Info Session #2 – 16 January 2026, 2pm UK time

For accessibility support, contact: golondonchallenges@ashoka.org