More than £18 million has been raised for grassroots sport across the UK since 2018, thanks to a trailblazing partnership between Crowdfunder and Sport England — a milestone celebrated last week at a special event in the House of Commons.
The event brought together MPs, funding partners, sports bodies, and community leaders, who gathered to reflect on the success of the matched crowdfunding model and to discuss how it can become a cornerstone of future sports funding in Britain.
Through the collaboration, over 1,000 community-led campaigns have successfully received funding — with Sport England’s +Extra Funding programme matching local fundraising efforts to double the impact. The result has been a wave of investment into sports clubs and grassroots initiatives that might otherwise have struggled to survive.
“This event is a real celebration of two things: the power of sport and the power of community to transform lives,” said Dawn Bebe, Co-CEO of Crowdfunder. “What we’ve built with Sport England is proof that when the two come together, real change is possible.”
Tim Hollingsworth, CEO of Sport England, emphasised the urgency of finding sustainable, innovative models of community funding as traditional sources like the National Lottery become increasingly constrained.
“Lottery tickets are not on the increase,” he said. “That’s why every penny counts. Community-driven, match-funded initiatives like this are vital for the future of sport in this country.”
The message was echoed by Stephanie Peacock MP (pictured), Minister for Sport, who called the Crowdfunder-Sport England partnership “phenomenal” and praised the model for enabling access to sport despite financial and regional inequalities.
“Despite economic pressures, crowdfunding continues to unlock opportunities for better health, stronger communities and increased participation,” she said.
For Lisa Dodd-Mayne, Director of Places at Sport England, the event underlined the need to rethink how sport is funded and accessed across the country.
“Where you live affects your ability to be active. Your bank balance shapes your life opportunities. And that’s not fair,” she said. “We’re changing how we work — going to the places and people that need it most.”
The event was not just a celebration but a call to action, with attendees encouraged to think boldly about the role of brands, policymakers, and corporate partners in backing this emerging model of distributed, community-led giving.
An executive summary from the event is now available, offering key insights ahead of a forthcoming report from Sport England, which will explore how crowdfunding can play a transformative role in the UK’s future sports funding ecosystem.
Crowdfunder and Sport England are inviting new partners and organisations with ideas or initiatives to join the conversation and help reshape how sport is supported from the grassroots up.
For communities across the UK, the message is clear: when local passion meets matched funding, real impact follows — and the future of sport may well lie in the hands of the crowd.