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From shared purpose to collaborative funding models, key themes from a day of conversation in the sport for good sector
At the end of February, fundraisers, grant-makers and partners in the sport for good sector gathered in London for the Sport Fundraising Summit, hosted by Remedy, a UK-based organization that supports nonprofits and foundations working in sport. Held at Bounce Farringdon, the day created space to step back from day-to-day delivery and take stock of how organizations are approaching fundraising in a changing landscape.
Following its inaugural 2025 edition, the Summit continues to grow as a space where practitioners share experience, build connections and explore how fundraising strategies are evolving in different regions and contexts.
Conversations throughout the day pointed to a sector in transition. Shifting funder priorities, increased competition for limited resources and tighter timelines continue to shape the reality for many organizations. At the same time, new approaches are beginning to take hold.
That energy carried into the opening panel, Fundraising in 2026, where Beyond Sport Executive Director Fred Fikouhi-Turner joined fellow sector leaders to examine what lies ahead. The discussion grounded the day in a clear view of the current fundraising environment while highlighting where organizations are starting to adapt, from rethinking partnerships to exploring new sources of income.
For Beyond Sport, the Summit also created space to examine the role partnership continues to play in shaping the sector.
Beyond Sport’s Senior Programs Manager Tarryn Horner joined Paola Bethmage of the New Balance Foundation for a fireside chat focused on how their partnership has evolved in practice. Drawing on collaborative initiatives including Futures in Motion and the Sport Together Fund, the conversation explored what it takes to build and sustain long-term, values-aligned partnerships.
As Tarryn reflected, the conversation centered on “shared purpose, trust, co-creation and growing together over time,” alongside the realities of navigating challenges and balancing priorities when building partnerships designed for long-term impact.
Several themes surfaced consistently. Participants emphasized the importance of authentic, long-term partnerships and showed growing interest in collaborative funding models, in which funders and partners pool resources and align on shared goals rather than working independently. Many also pointed to a stronger willingness to share learning, compare approaches and build a more connected sector.
Looking ahead, the direction feels clear. Fundraising is becoming more collaborative, more relationship-driven and more open to shared learning. The challenge now is putting that into practice.
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