Created in 1981 by London Marathon co-founders Chris Brasher and John Disley, the London Marathon Foundation is one of the UK’s major charitable funders of initiatives that supports people to lead active and healthy lives.

Previously known as The London Marathon Charitable Trust, the charity became the London Marathon Foundation in February 2023 as part of an exciting rebrand designed to extend its funding reach and impact.

The London Marathon Foundation is the parent charity of London Marathon Events (LME) – organiser of the London Marathon – and both organisations share a mission to Inspire Activity. Every year, after costs, the surplus generated by LME is passed as corporate Gift Aid to the London Marathon Foundation, which uses this funding to support projects that encourage, inspire and champion participation and diversity in physical activity.

The London Marathon Foundation supports a wide range of activities, from team sports like football and rugby to individual activities like running and swimming, as well as other activities like play, dance, walking and gardening.

In 1981, the London Marathon Foundation awarded a total of £10,000 to seven different projects. As LME and its portfolio of events has grown, so too has the London Marathon Foundation, which this year celebrates awarding an incredible £100 million to more than 1,600 projects. Thanks to this funding, millions of people in London and across the UK have been able to participate in sport and physical activity, continuing the legacy of the London Marathon co-founders.

Within the past twelve months, the London Marathon Foundation has achieved the following:

• Partnered with the Mayor of London and Sport England to found Go! London – the biggest community sports fund in the capital. The London Marathon Foundation will award up to £7.5 million to Go! London over the next five years (with £1.5 million being awarded in 2023) so the power of sport and physical activity can change the lives of young people. To find out more, visit golondon.org.uk.
• Awarded more than £750,000 to 39 projects through its Active Spaces Fund, which opened in October 2022. These projects include Bronx Boxing in Camberwell – founded by The Apprentice finalist Marnie Swindells – which makes boxing more accessible for women and girls, and Saracens Foundation’s DisABILITY Hub, which helps children and young people with disabilities to participate in activities. 
• Awarded more than £500,000 to 28 projects through its Active Communities Fund, supporting grassroots organisations offering activities in Barking and Dagenham, Newham and Tower Hamlets. These projects include sports sessions in Newham for young refugees and asylum seekers and Chrisp Street Community Cycles Hub in Tower Hamlets.

Today, the London Marathon Foundation’s ambition is to be recognised both as an impactful funder – supporting millions more people to be active for decades to come – and as a leading voice for change in the sport and physical activity for development sector, championing groups who need the most support in leading active lives.

The London Marathon Foundation’s Active Spaces Fund is currently open to applications of between £5,000 and £50,000 for projects that will improve and activate spaces, places and facilities in London, and which will help the least active children and young people and marginalised groups and communities lead active and healthy lives.

For more information, visit londonmarathonfoundation.org and follow @LMFoundation_ on Twitter.
London Marathon Foundation is the operating name of The London Marathon Charitable Trust, a registered charity (283813) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (01550741). Its registered office is 190 Great Dover Street, London, SE1 4YB.