Great Run Community Fund
Backing grassroots sport. Breaking down barriers. Helping communities thrive.
The Great Run Community Fund is a partnership between the Great Run Company and Sported, created to help grassroots sports clubs and community groups make an even greater difference through sport and physical activity. Launching in the North East in 2026, the programme will combine grant funding with practical, hands-on support to help local organisations grow stronger, reach more people and build a sustainable future.
Community leaders work every day to keep sessions running, engage participants and create welcoming places where people can be active. The Great Run Community Fund will give them more than a financial boost: Sported’s experienced team will also provide practical advice and tailored support, helping groups strengthen their organisations, respond to local needs and continue changing lives.
Cost, awareness and access can all prevent people from taking part. The programme will focus on the communities most affected by these barriers, supporting the trusted local clubs and volunteers who create safe, welcoming opportunities to get active. By investing where sport already has a powerful local impact, the fund will help ensure that opportunity is not determined by postcode, income or ability.
The Great Run Company has inspired millions of people to get active through more than 40 years of major mass-participation events, including the AJ Bell Great North Run. Through the Great Run Community Fund, it is extending that commitment beyond the finish line and investing directly in the places where participation begins.
Working with Sported, the UK’s leading grassroots sports charity and a trusted network of more than 5,000 clubs and community groups, means support can reach the people delivering change every day. Together, the Great Run Company and Sported bring national reach, grassroots expertise and a shared ambition to make sport more accessible for all.
One of the pillars of the Great Run Company is to give back to local communities and ensure they’re able to participate in sport. Through the AJ Bell Great North Run and our other events, we have worked to open the doors to mass participation. However, we know there are still many barriers at a community level. We also know the amazing work that goes on at local clubs and groups to not only level the playing field but to change people’s lives, especially for young people and the disability community. That benefits all of us. Teaming up with Sported means we can get support straight to those making a massive difference, helping them keep going and keep going the extra mile.
Local clubs are a lifeline. They get people active — but they also build confidence, create belonging, nurture potential and support mental wellbeing. That impact ripples across whole communities”. “But we know how hard it is for them to raise funds and simply keep the lights on. That’s why this partnership with Great Run will be a game-changer for groups across the North East
Contact our North England Manager Kathryn Foley to find out more
