The Parkinson’s UK Physical Activity Grants Programme, started in 2021, supports activity providers, communities, networks and organisations to develop opportunities for people with Parkinson’s to become and stay active.
The programme is funded by Parkinson’s UK and Boost Charitable Trust.
The funding is for projects that can demonstrate the following desired impact:
- People with Parkinson’s become and stay active, and/or significantly increase their levels of activity if they are already active.
- More physical activity provision for everyone with Parkinson’s across the UK.
- Improved social wellbeing in people with Parkinson’s as a result of attending the project.
Priority will be given to innovative and new projects that will help people with Parkinson’s:
- Become and stay active, or
- Who are already active to significantly increase their levels of physical activity.
Parkinson’s UK has announced that later in 2025 it ‘will also be providing specific grants to support physical activity projects for people with Parkinson’s from marginalised communities and underrepresented groups.
Who Can Apply
Applications will be accepted from activity providers, national governing bodies, Parkinson’s groups and branches, and sports and healthcare professionals.
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Be based in the UK.
- Have a business bank account.
- Consult with a local staff member of Parkinson’s UK and enter their name in the application form.
- Be able to explain how they intend to reach and engage with their target community or audience and how they will promote the project.
- Explain how they plan to continue the activities and ensure their longevity and continuing impact after the funding ends.
Restrictions
The following are not eligible for funding:
- Coaching costs for existing activities that do not show expansion or enhancement (applications must show how they will help more people to be active – not just to fund an existing class or activity with no plan on how to attract or support new participants)
- Increasing the payment to an existing provider without a significant increase in quality or frequency of provision
- Relevant Insurances
- Non-essential enhancements that have no impact on sustainability (purchasing any items that are not directly involved with project delivery).
- Individual activity providers or personal trainers (for example, one on one training).
- Applications from individuals to participate in activity (for example, paying for a gym membership).
- Qualifications for activity providers/instructors.
- Transport costs (including travel costs) for activity providers/instructors and participants.
- Refreshments.
- Competition entry fees.
- Trophies, medals, prizes.
- Accommodation.
- Overseas transport.
- Feasibility studies or research.
- IT or technology not directly used in sport or physical activity.
- Costs associated with supporting elite athletes.
- Retrospective projects or activities.
Eligible Expenditure
Funding is for new activities for people affected by Parkinson’s to participate in physical activity and sport or increased participation in these areas.
Projects must run for a minimum of three months and a maximum of 12 months and must start within three months of receiving the grant.
Projects should reach and engage with a wide range of people with Parkinson’s especially those who may be from the following groups:
- Newly diagnosed.
- Young onset.
- People and groups seen as ‘under represented’ – including socially isolated, not digitally connected or ethnic communities.
- People who are not engaged with Parkinson’s UK.
- People who are inactive, or active at low levels.
- People who are still working.
Examples of the types of projects and activities that can be supported include:
- New physical activity provision for people with Parkinson’s.
- New physical activity that significantly increase the level of physical activity of people with Parkinson’s who are currently active.
- Buying equipment that will facilitate or enhance activities (for example, people want to try indoor curling so the award will fund the purchase of equipment).
- Essential maintenance or replacement of equipment that will lead to greater participation or increased impact (for example, an indoor archery set is too old to be used properly, so the award would pay for the kit to be refurbished or replaced).
- Facility hire (for example, as part of the bid, groups may need to hire gym space or a studio).
- Coaching fees (for example, to pay a trainer to deliver the activity).
- Specific training (for example, a volunteer gaining a coaching qualification to enable sustained delivery).
- Developing community activities that demonstrate a pathway into sustained activity (for example, to work with an organisation to enable their activity to be accessible for people with Parkinson’s).
- Helping people to access Parkinson’s specific online support to become more active (for example, an organisation offering help people to become active at home in a structured and safe way).
- Up to 10% of the applicant’s core cost, (the day to day running of the charity, which include rent, utilities and broadband rental, governance costs, accountancy and audit costs, insurance, senior management and admin/finance/HR staff salaries, stationery and cleaning costs.
How To Apply
Applications will be accepted until all of the funding has been allocated. Please note this is a rolling programme, and it may close early should funds be allocated sooner due to the number of applications received and the popularity of the programme.
Guidance notes and the application form can be found on the Parkinson’s UK website.
There is a two-step application process:
- The first step in the application process is for applicants to contact their local PUK Area Development Manager. Details can be found in the guidance notes on the Parkinson’s UK website. Parkinson’s UK colleagues are not there to help with writing applications, but may offer information and support by connecting applicants with people with Parkinson’s, linking them to existing networks or advising on provision and community priorities in the area.
- The second step is to submit the application through a google form on the grants page.
Notification of decisions takes around five weeks and an additional five weeks to receive the payment.
Contact Parkinson’s UK for further information.
Documents & links
Contacts
For further information on how to obtain this fund, please contact the following:
- Enquiries
Parkinson’s UK
215 Vauxhall Bridge Road
London
SW1V 1EJ
Tel: 020 7931 8080
Email: pa************@************rg.uk
