Explore five award categories that reward projects using sport to boost physical activity, inclusion, volunteering, intergenerational connection and peace
The awards programme honours projects that harness the power of sport and organised physical activity to create measurable social benefits. In this overview we explain the five award categories, the types of initiatives each category seeks to reward, and how the prize money is distributed.
Readers will find clear definitions, examples of suitable activities, and a transparent breakdown of the funding model that supports winners and finalists. The following text uses key terms and concise descriptions and highlights what organizers mean by each category so applicants and stakeholders can quickly grasp eligibility and objectives.
What the awards celebrate
The programme is structured around five distinct categories that reflect different social aims achieved through sport. The first category targets physical activity, rewarding initiatives that successfully encourage people of all ages to be more active. Here physical activity refers to organised or informal movement designed to improve daily health and fitness across settings such as schools, workplaces and community spaces.
The second category, inclusion, recognises sport projects that remove barriers and promote equality, addressing issues like gender balance, disability access and ethnic minority participation. Each category focuses on measurable impact rather than scale alone.
Category focus and examples
To clarify the kinds of projects each category targets: physical activity might include curriculum-linked programmes in education or workplace wellness schemes that integrate daily movement; inclusion covers projects that adapt facilities, train staff in inclusive coaching, or design outreach for underrepresented groups. The volunteering category highlights contributions by unpaid staff or community organisers whose leadership expands access to sport. Across generations rewards initiatives that intentionally build connections between age groups through shared activity, and peace celebrates projects that use sport as a bridge between divided communities to foster dialogue and cooperation. These descriptions use illustrative examples rather than prescriptive rules, so a wide range of formats can qualify.
Budget and prize allocation
Overall funding
The awards operate with a fixed prize pool of €125,000. This total is allocated across the five categories, with each category awarding one winner and two finalists. The design ensures that recognition is both concentrated and shared: the top project in each category receives a larger sum while two additional projects receive support to further their work. The funding model balances celebration of excellence with encouragement for promising initiatives that demonstrate tangible community benefit and sustainable thinking. Importantly, the distribution aligns with the programme’s aim to amplify impact across diverse contexts.
Per-category breakdown
Each category distributes funds in the same way: the winner receives €15,000, while each of the two finalists receives €5,000. That means every category awards a total of €25,000, and the five categories together account for the full €125,000 budget. This clear structure makes it easy to understand how individual projects will be supported financially, and shows how recognition and financial backing are paired to help scale or sustain successful approaches to sport-based social change.
Impact, recognition and why this matters
Beyond monetary support, these awards are intended to spotlight effective practice in using sport to address social needs. The volunteering category emphasises qualities like dedication and leadership, recognising how volunteers catalyse participation and strengthen local networks. Projects that qualify under across generations aim to build long-term social capital by connecting younger and older people in meaningful activity, while peace-oriented projects prioritise dialogue, tolerance and collaborative problem solving. Collectively, these categories reflect a holistic view of sport as a tool for health, social cohesion and civic engagement. The awards therefore celebrate initiatives that produce measurable outcomes and inspire replication.
How projects are assessed
Selection highlights evidence of reach, sustainability and social effect. Judges look for concrete results in increasing physical activity, reducing participation gaps under inclusion, demonstrating volunteer-driven growth in the volunteering category, fostering meaningful intergenerational exchanges for across generations, and showing clear contributions to dialogue and cooperation for peace. Submitted initiatives that combine strong impact metrics with a plausible plan for continued delivery tend to stand out. The awards therefore act as both recognition and a platform to encourage best practice in sport-based community development.
