Uniting the global sporting community’s efforts to protect vulnerable children and young people in the aftermath of Covid-19
Uniting the global sporting community’s efforts to protect vulnerable children and young people in the aftermath of Covid-19
The Sport for Good Response Fund is now closed for applications. Should more funding be made available, we will reopen the fund for new applications.
The Sport for Good Response Fund has been able to support more than 60 organisations across the world with grants to meet challenges related to the secondary effects of the pandemic and public health restrictions.
Thank you to the hundreds of organisations who applied. Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applications we will not be able to reply to all, and we will not be able to provide feedback on all applications. Only applicants receiving a grant will be contacted directly.
In the current crisis, vulnerable children and young people risk being left behind. Organisations are having to close their doors, leaving many without the safe and inclusive spaces to find help and support that are usually provided by programmes and their partners. Whilst people from all backgrounds are being affected by the virus, many of the world’s most vulnerable groups face challenges that have been compounded overnight. For some of the 2.34 billion children currently under some form of confinement due to COVID-19, this increases their risk of exposure to violence, including sexual abuse, exploitation and challenges to their mental health.
The Sport for Good Response Fund launches with grant funding and in-kind support already committed by partners including Laureus Sport for Good, Comic Relief US, LA84 Foundation, Hong Kong Rugby Union Community Foundation and Beyond Sport Foundation. These organisations are collectively calling on the wider sporting industry to join us in uniting the sporting world to raise further funds to support the amazing sport for development and community sports organisations that care for millions of children around the world.
The Sport for Good Response Fund aims to ensure that Sport for Development programmes can continue in times of crisis and that vital new channels to young people can be created to ensure that they get the support they need both now and when we begin to emerge from this pandemic. We are calling on the world’s sporting community to join this collaborative movement to use their power and influence in a united way to support the sector that in turn supports so many.
We’re already seeing worrying rises in the very issues that the sport for development sector works to address, for example:
Laureus Sport for Good will manage the central fund and receive donations from funding partners and/or individuals. The Fund's partners will also provide extensive in-kind support as well as the funding available. For example, organisations will be able to apply for strategic support from Beyond Sport, while LA84 Foundation will be amongst the organisations investing in research to ensure the Fund achieves its maximum potential in supporting the sector.
All donations will be restricted to the Sport for Good Response Fund to ensure maximum support for those most in need. For many children and young people globally, the unfortunate truth is that safety is often found in spaces outside of their homes. During a time in which children do not have access to schools, sports-based activities or a wider support network, this Fund will enable sport for development organisations in the following ways:
Laureus Sport for Good partners, as well as any organisation around the world who is already using sport to deliver development outcomes, can apply for funds to:
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