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In mathematics, 2025 is a “perfect square year” – an extremely rare occurrence which last happened in 1936 – and highly symbolic. According to numerous theorists, it typically symbolizes balance, symmetry and order. However, we’re certain that most would agree that this year was not that; instead, it was typified by geopolitical instability, unrest and never-ending change. But perfect square years are also associated with other characteristics, namely reflection, mindful action and transformation.
We truly felt that as we reimagined our approach to how we showed up for our communities, making sure to align our actions to our values. In 2025, that meant a strong prioritization on adaptability to help ensure that sport continues to rise to society’s increasing challenges in a rapidly changing world.
OUR YEAR AT A GLANCE
Despite this year’s global challenges, we took pride in actually increasing our financial and capacity-building support, programs, reach and impact from the previous year. Of particular importance to us was providing multi-year funding, better positioning the organizations we support for increased stability and opportunities to sustain their effectiveness in their communities. We also worked to remain flexible to changing needs and circumstances.
These are the key social challenges the Beyond Sport family targeted this year:
A LOOK BACK AT 2025
Read on for highlights of how Beyond Sport, our partners and grantees used sport to drive opportunity, equity and community across the year, including through two new initiatives!
*new Futures in Motion: We expanded our partnership with New Balance Foundation with the April launch of a multi-year collaboration to promote youth wellbeing, education, employment opportunities and inclusion through sport and physical activity. Developed and operating in close collaboration with in-country experts, Futures in Motion will ultimately encompass seven international locations by 2027. The program is already active in Australia and Japan, and our Poland grantees and the next two locations will be announced in 2026. Read more about our first four grantees and a unique workshop opportunity Beyond Sport, New Balance Foundation, V4Sport Foundation and New Balance Poland recently held in Warsaw for the six shortlisted Polish projects.
*new Flutter Tech4Good Awards: To address global declines in physical, mental and cognitive wellbeing, in October we partnered with Flutter on an initiative to reimagine what healthy adults and more active communities can look like. We received applications from organizations around the world ranging from cloud computing and software development to AI and assistive robotics technology. All are combining technology and sport to inspire adults to move more, strengthen wellbeing and bring communities together. Early next year, we will announce the five organizations who will receive funding and targeted organizational support to scale their projects. Learn more about the Awards and stay tuned for the winners!
Beyond Sport X Under Armour: Since 2023, our #SportForSocialChange retail donation campaign with Under Armour – currently including 56 stores – has raised more than $75,000 for nonprofit community organizations in 10 countries across Europe and the UK. 23 organizations that are using varied sports to positively impact youth health, personal growth and future success. This year, we were excited to add Belgium to the program and support hands-on activations that helped the stores and nonprofits connect more deeply. In 2026, we’ll be adding more retail locations and grantees so that we can reach even more young people. Read more about a year of growth and engagement.
Head In The Game: As the first phase of our program to advance youth mental wellbeing in the U.S. approaches its completion, we’re proud to recognize another year of collaborative work to support teen mental health and strengthen their support systems. We’d particularly like to thank the 43 sports-based youth development organizations who are committed to improving outcomes for young people and our five expert providers who trained over 2,300 coaches! We were also thrilled to have the NFLPA invest in the program, bringing us on as a 2025-6 charitable partner. Read about this year’s milestones.
Hoops + Health: Since 2023, our program with Sun Life has used free basketball sessions, court refurbishments, equipment donations, inclusive community festivals and coaches’ trainings to inspire healthy living among young people in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam. With diabetes and obesity increasingly becoming a problem for youth across the region, we are extremely proud to report that all the program’s young participants have an increased awareness of the importance of physical health and wellbeing. In 2025, we reached 48,000 people across Asia and will build on the momentum as the partnership grows. Watch the Year 2 impact video.
NFL Foundation Community Partnerships: In 2022, Beyond Sport supported the rollout of this program in the UK, which used NFL Flag football to empower young people in disadvantaged areas in London, Birmingham, Greater Manchester and Leeds. This year, we were pleased to build on the collaboration, expanding the program into Brazil, Germany, Ireland and Spain. These grants will support organizations to further engage young people by incorporating Flag Football into their existing programming with a focus on improving physical and mental health, building community and reducing inequality for 9 to 20-year-olds. Be on the lookout for news on the grantees early next year. Learn more about the program.
Return to Play Fund: In 2025, we concluded our program with ESPN to address inequities in access to sport and play for Black and Brown communities across the U.S., emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic. With generous support from ESPN, The Pincus Family Foundation and TeamSnap, the four-year initiative engaged more than 20 organizations, built eight safe spaces for play across six states and supported culturally grounded, wellness-driven programming that has empowered thousands of young people. Thank you to everyone who joined us in advocating for systemic change and in providing safe spaces for recreation!
Rexona Breaking Limits Program: In 2021, we began a partnership with Rexona (also known as Sure, Degree or Shield) to help young people improve their confidence to move more by leveraging sport to overcome barriers related to gender, race or ability. Through the program, we have since granted £4.2 million to 70 NGOs across nine countries, upskilled 7,000 coaches in inclusive sports across 24 countries and empowered hundreds of thousands of 12–24-year-olds. Click here to access the program’s digital Training Series created in partnership with expert sport for development organizations around the world – available in English (UK, US and Global), Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.
Sport Together Fund: Our Fund provides grants and capacity-building resources to organizations that are using sport to support refugees, asylum seekers and their host communities. In 2023, we first began our partnership with New Balance Foundation through this Fund to help young people with refugee experiences rebuild their lives. We are pleased to have their continued support with the renewal of their grants to five organizations across Europe. In October, we traveled with the Foundation to the New Balance office in Vigo, Spain to join with 40 associates and program grantee Fútbol Más Spain for an annual back packing event. Read all about it and watch our on the road video!
Olympism365 (O365) Innovation Hub: Since launching in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Women Win in 2024, the O365 Innovation Hub has supported 77 Innovators reaching nearly 124,000 participants in 184 communities across 42 countries – all committed to advancing new ideas and technologies to maximize sport’s impact on sustainable development. Going forward, we are looking forward to expanding Knowledge Exchange opportunities and resources to support Innovators in taking their work to the next level, as well as welcoming more people and organizations to the global community. Learn more about the Innovators across the program’s Collective, Enterprise, Grassroots, Ignite and Tech strands.
CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY
- In November, nearly 200 representatives from professional teams, leagues and community impact organizations came together in Manhattan for our annual Beyond Sport United event. Attendees were able to curate their schedule from 12 purpose-focused, primarily team-led workshops focused on remaining “Rooted in Purpose” while navigating “Sport’s Role in a Shifting World.” Read about the interactive and insightful day.
- Alongside our programs and events, we’re proud to showcase and celebrate sport for social change around the world, which included 200+ features in our bi-monthly Bulletin this year. Read our top 10 Moments That Moved Sport Forward in 2025.
Make sure you’re subscribed to our Bulletin for all the latest news in sport for social change, our programs, partners and events! You can also follow us on social media on: Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | X
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