The adidas Foundation has opened applications for the Moving for Change 2026 Request for Proposals, a major funding opportunity designed to advance gender equality through Sport for Development initiatives in Eastern Africa.

International non-governmental organizations working in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, or Uganda are invited to develop and submit joint proposals with locally based Sport for Development organizations. Selected partnerships will receive multi-year financial support to design and implement projects that use sport as a practical platform for promoting gender equality, strengthening opportunities for girls and women, and embedding Sport for Development approaches into institutional strategies and systems.

The application period opened on July 6, 2026, and proposals must be submitted no later than August 21, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Central European Summer Time. Applications submitted after the deadline or outside the official submission platform will not be considered.

Overview of the Moving for Change Programme

Moving for Change is an adidas Foundation programme that supports international development organizations in integrating sport-based approaches into their broader development work.

Rather than treating sport only as recreation or competition, the programme promotes Sport for Development, commonly abbreviated as S4D. This approach uses structured, inclusive and carefully designed sport activities to help address social challenges and improve development outcomes.

Through Moving for Change, sport may be used as a platform to:

Promote gender equality.
Increase the participation and leadership of girls and women.
Reduce gender-based violence and harassment.
Challenge harmful gender norms.
Encourage positive and non-violent models of masculinity.
Improve access to education, mentorship and economic opportunities.
Strengthen social cohesion among divided or marginalized communities.
Build trust, confidence, safety and shared belonging.
Strengthen the institutional capacity of development organizations.
Generate evidence about how sport contributes to sustainable development.

The programme is particularly aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality. Applicants must demonstrate how their proposed interventions will use sport intentionally to advance outcomes for girls and women while responding to the realities of the selected community and country.

Key Information at a Glance

The main details of the Moving for Change 2026 opportunity are as follows:

Programme name: Moving for Change
Lead funder: adidas Foundation
Application opening date: July 6, 2026
Application deadline: August 21, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CEST
Total funding available: €2,200,000
Maximum funding per project: €700,000
Project duration: Three years
Expected project start: First half of 2027
Geographical focus: Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda
Thematic focus: Sport for Development contributing to gender equality
Application language: English
Required partnership: One eligible INGO and one eligible locally based Sport for Development organization
Minimum financial co-funding: 10% of the amount requested from the adidas Foundation
Minimum allocation to the local S4D partner: 20% of the total project budget

The adidas Foundation expects applicants to be informed of the initial selection outcome by the end of September 2026. Due diligence and contracting are expected to take place during September, with agreements expected to be signed by October 30, 2026.

Funding Available Under Moving for Change 2026

The adidas Foundation has allocated a total of €2.2 million to this Request for Proposals. Each selected project may receive up to €700,000 for implementation over a three-year period.

The Foundation may award less than the maximum amount requested, depending on the project’s scope, budget justification, feasibility, quality and alignment with the programme’s objectives.

Organizations submitting proposals in more than one eligible country must also observe a cumulative funding ceiling. The maximum cumulative amount that one organization may receive under this call is €1.5 million, including applications submitted through its headquarters, affiliated entities and country offices.

Existing adidas Foundation funding awarded to an organization outside this particular call does not count toward the €1.5 million cumulative ceiling.

Mandatory 10% Financial Co-Funding

The lead INGO must provide financial co-funding equal to at least 10% of the amount requested from the adidas Foundation.

For example, an organization requesting the maximum €700,000 must provide at least €70,000 in financial co-funding. The resulting total project budget would therefore be at least €770,000.

The required contribution:

Must be a financial contribution.
Must be reflected in the overall project budget.
Must be provided by the lead INGO.
May be mobilized and documented throughout the three-year implementation period.
Does not necessarily have to be deposited or spent at the beginning of the project.

In-kind contributions may be included where they are directly connected to the project and appropriately documented. However, in-kind support does not count toward the mandatory 10% financial co-funding requirement.

Countries Covered by the Opportunity

Proposed projects must be implemented in one of the following countries:

Ethiopia
Kenya
Rwanda
Tanzania
Uganda

Each proposal must focus on one country only. Multi-country projects will not be accepted under this call.

An eligible INGO may apply in more than one country, but it must submit a separate application for each country. It may submit no more than one proposal per country of implementation, and its cumulative funding requests must remain within the programme’s funding limits.

Required Partnership Structure

Applications cannot be submitted by one organization acting alone. Every proposal must be jointly developed by:

One eligible international non-governmental organization serving as the lead applicant and grant recipient.
One eligible, nationally based Sport for Development organization serving as the designated strategic and implementation partner.

The quality of this partnership is a central part of the programme. The local Sport for Development partner should not be treated merely as a contractor or downstream service provider. It must participate meaningfully in the design, implementation, learning and capacity-strengthening elements of the project.

Role of the Lead INGO

The lead INGO will be responsible for:

Submitting the official application.
Receiving and managing the funding.
Coordinating overall project implementation.
Managing the partnership.
Submitting financial and programme reports.
Ensuring compliance with the funding agreement.
Integrating Sport for Development approaches into its organizational strategies, systems and programmes.
Participating in the Moving for Change Community of Practice.
Coordinating monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning activities.
Ensuring that safeguarding, governance and financial controls are maintained.

Role of the Local Sport for Development Partner

The local S4D organization will be expected to:

Contribute directly to project design.
Provide contextual and technical Sport for Development expertise.
Co-deliver the proposed activities.
Apply established S4D methodologies.
Help strengthen the INGO’s institutional capacity.
Contribute to safeguarding and implementation quality.
Participate in project-level monitoring and learning.
Support the long-term uptake of S4D approaches within the lead organization.

The designated S4D partner must receive at least 20% of the total project budget. Applicants may allocate more than 20% where the organization’s responsibilities and contribution justify a higher allocation. There is no requirement that the remaining 80% must be retained by the lead INGO.

Can Additional Partners Participate?

The required application structure consists of one lead INGO and one designated local S4D partner. However, additional organizations may also participate where their involvement strengthens the proposed project.

Additional participants may include:

Local civil society organizations.
Academic institutions.
Research organizations.
Technical experts.
International organizations.
Multilateral institutions.
United Nations agencies.
Community-based organizations.
Government stakeholders, where appropriate and consistent with the programme rules.

United Nations agencies and other multilateral institutions cannot serve as the lead applicant because they are not classified as INGOs under the call. They may nevertheless participate as additional strategic or technical partners.

The designated local S4D organization must still independently demonstrate the required Sport for Development expertise. The expertise cannot be substituted entirely by an additional technical partner.

Who Can Serve as the Lead Applicant?

The lead applicant must be an International Non-Governmental Organization.

For this call, an INGO is defined as a formally registered, non-profit organization that:

Operates independently of government control.
Conducts activities across at least three countries.
Has legal registration in the proposed country of implementation, either directly or through an affiliated country office.
Has maintained at least three years of its own operational presence in the country where the proposed project will be implemented.

An organization may be headquartered outside Eastern Africa and still apply. However, having only local implementing partners in an eligible country is not sufficient. The lead organization itself, or its formally affiliated country office, must have a legally recognized presence and at least three years of operational experience in that country.

An informal partnership, memorandum of understanding, fiscal sponsorship or contractual arrangement with a local organization does not, by itself, satisfy the registration requirement.

Lead Applicant Eligibility Requirements

Eligible lead applicants must meet all mandatory legal, organizational, governance, safeguarding, financial and experience requirements.

Legal and Organizational Requirements

The lead organization must:

Be a legally registered non-profit entity.
Be registered in the proposed country of implementation, directly or through an affiliated country office.
Demonstrate at least three years of operational presence in that country.
Operate independently of government control.
Conduct activities across at least three countries.
Remain politically and religiously independent.
Submit no more than one application per country.

Political and religious independence means that the organization must not promote political or religious ideologies, participate in political or religious activism, attempt to convert project participants, or restrict access to services to people who support a particular belief or political position.

Relevant Programme Experience

The lead applicant must demonstrate:

Experience in programming connected to SDG 5 and gender equality.
Experience working with girls and women.
Experience serving communities affected by discrimination or exclusion.
Interest in using sport as a development tool.
Commitment to integrating S4D learning into its broader institutional work.
Capacity to participate in a three-year partnership.
Ability to engage in monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning processes.
Willingness to participate actively in a Community of Practice.

The lead INGO does not necessarily need to be an existing specialist Sport for Development organization. However, it must demonstrate meaningful experience in gender equality programming and a genuine commitment to embedding S4D approaches into its work.

Governance and Safeguarding Requirements

Strong safeguarding and governance systems are mandatory.

The lead organization must have:

A documented safeguarding policy or equivalent framework.
Safeguarding standard operating procedures.
Systems for identifying and managing safeguarding risks.
Accessible mechanisms for reporting concerns.
Appropriate response and referral procedures.
Measures for protecting participant information and communication materials.
Transparent governance structures.
Effective internal control systems.
Procedures for vetting and monitoring downstream recipients of funding.
Inclusive and non-discriminatory organizational practices.

Applicants must demonstrate that their policies cover inclusion across characteristics including race, gender, gender identity, social class, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age and ethnicity.

During due diligence, shortlisted organizations may be asked to provide more detailed evidence of their safeguarding, governance, ethics, financial controls and decision-making arrangements.

Eligibility Requirements for the Local S4D Partner

The designated Sport for Development partner must be a nationally based, legally registered non-profit organization in the country where the project will be implemented.

The organization must:

Have at least three years of continuous operational presence and programming in the country.
Demonstrate substantial Sport for Development expertise.
Have experience designing and delivering S4D activities.
Apply established or evidence-based S4D methodologies.
Provide technical guidance to other organizations.
Be capable of strengthening the institutional S4D capacity of the lead INGO.
Have sufficient organizational and financial capacity to manage its responsibilities.
Participate centrally in project design and implementation.
Receive at least 20% of the total project budget.

The local partner does not have to work exclusively in sport. A civil society organization with a broader development mandate may qualify if it can independently demonstrate substantial and relevant Sport for Development experience.

For-profit companies and social enterprises are not eligible to serve as the designated local S4D partner, even where they have a social or sport-related mission.

Financial Capacity Requirement

The amount requested each year cannot exceed 50% of the lead applicant’s most recent audited annual income.

This requirement is applied to the annual value of the requested funding rather than the total three-year project amount.

For example, a €700,000 award distributed over three years would represent approximately €233,333 per year. To request this amount, the organization would need to demonstrate audited annual income of at least approximately €466,666.

Organizations with lower audited annual income may still apply, but they must request a smaller amount that remains within the 50% threshold.

Applicants should therefore review their audited financial statements carefully before deciding the amount to request. An application may otherwise be technically ineligible even where the proposed programme is strong.

Communities the Projects Should Support

Moving for Change projects must primarily support girls and women. Applicants are expected to apply an intersectional approach, recognizing that gender inequality may overlap with other forms of exclusion and discrimination.

Projects may focus on girls and women affected by factors such as:

Gender identity and expression.
Sexual orientation.
Ethnicity or race.
Disability.
Nationality.
Migrant status.
Refugee or displacement status.
Religion, belief or faith background.

These categories are intended to guide inclusive and context-sensitive programme design rather than create rigid definitions. Applicants should use appropriate local terminology and consider the legal, cultural, social and policy environment of the country and communities involved.

Projects must therefore demonstrate a clear understanding of how overlapping identities may affect access to safe sport, education, economic opportunities, leadership and community participation.

Expected Project Outcomes

Every proposed project must contribute to at least one community-level outcome and both mandatory organizational outcomes.

Community Outcome 1: Reduced Gender-Based Violence and Harassment

Projects may use sport to:

Challenge harmful gender norms.
Promote gender-transformative practices.
Develop positive and non-violent models of masculinity.
Create safer spaces for girls and women.
Improve understanding of consent, respect and equality.
Build the confidence and leadership of participants.
Reduce tolerance for violence and harassment.

Community Outcome 2: Increased Access to Opportunities

Projects may support improved access for girls and women to:

Education.
Mentorship.
Leadership development.
Employability support.
Skills development.
Economic opportunities.
Professional networks.
Community participation.

These activities must be meaningfully connected to Sport for Development. Sport should function as a platform, entry point or engagement mechanism, although the eventual economic opportunities created do not have to be within the sport sector.

Community Outcome 3: Stronger Social Cohesion

Projects may use safe and inclusive sport-based activities to:

Build trust among different groups.
Reduce community-level violence.
Encourage dialogue and cooperation.
Promote shared belonging.
Increase the participation of marginalized girls and women.
Create inclusive community spaces.

Mandatory Organizational Outcome 4

The project must increase the capacity of the lead INGO to design, implement and sustain Sport for Development initiatives independently.

Mandatory Organizational Outcome 5

The project must support the adoption of Sport for Development principles within the INGO’s strategic frameworks, programmes, policies or institutional systems.

Organizational outcomes are expected to be demonstrated primarily at the country level. Applicants may also explain how the project’s learning could influence broader regional or global organizational practice.

Required Project Components

All proposals must include three interconnected components.

Component One: S4D Implementation With a Local Organization

This component should involve the practical delivery of inclusive sport-based activities contributing to gender equality.

Possible activities include:

Co-designing interventions with local communities.
Delivering structured sport sessions.
Creating safe and inclusive participation spaces.
Engaging girls and women in leadership roles.
Using participant feedback to improve implementation.
Working with coaches, families and community leaders.
Integrating safeguarding into all sport activities.

Component Two: S4D Capacity Strengthening for the INGO

This component should build the knowledge and practical ability of the lead organization.

Activities may include:

Training employees and partners.
Providing technical mentoring.
Organizing peer learning.
Developing S4D implementation tools.
Improving safeguarding knowledge.
Strengthening gender-transformative coaching.
Building inclusive programme-design capacity.
Developing guidance for future S4D initiatives.

Component Three: Organizational Learning and S4D Uptake

This component should ensure that learning continues beyond individual project activities.

Possible actions include:

Conducting internal learning and reflection sessions.
Documenting implementation experiences.
Identifying challenges and lessons.
Developing organizational tools and policies.
Using evidence to strengthen future programming.
Integrating S4D principles into strategic planning.
Sharing knowledge across country offices or departments.

The three components should be presented as one coherent project model rather than as unrelated activities.

Community of Practice Participation

Selected organizations will participate in the Moving for Change Community of Practice. This learning platform will be facilitated by a Technical and Learning Partner appointed by the adidas Foundation.

The Community of Practice will support:

Peer learning among funded organizations.
Technical exchanges.
Knowledge sharing.
Safeguarding guidance.
Institutional capacity building.
Reflection on implementation challenges.
Documentation of effective practices.
Portfolio-wide learning.

Each lead organization must nominate at least one employee to serve as its Community of Practice Lead. The expected commitment is approximately 15 to 20 hours per year.

Participation will include:

Quarterly virtual peer-learning sessions lasting approximately 90 minutes.
Thematic discussions on safe sport and safeguarding.
Exchanges on gender-transformative coaching.
Sessions on engaging girls and young women.
Learning about measuring gender equality outcomes.
An annual regional workshop.
Contributions to shared knowledge and evidence.

Up to 5% of the total project budget may be allocated to Community of Practice participation, including staff time, peer-learning activities and relevant travel costs.

Budget Development Guidance

Applicants must use the official budget template and clearly explain how requested resources will support implementation.

Important budget rules include:

The designated local S4D partner must receive at least 20% of the total project budget.
The lead INGO must provide financial co-funding equal to at least 10% of the requested adidas Foundation amount.
Indirect cost recovery may represent up to 15% of the requested budget.
Up to 5% of the total project funding may support Community of Practice participation.
Applicants are encouraged to allocate approximately 5% of the total project budget to monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning.
The annual amount requested cannot exceed 50% of the lead organization’s latest audited annual income.
The budget must be reasonable, clearly justified and aligned with the proposed activities and responsibilities.

Indirect costs may include eligible organizational expenses such as administrative salaries, office rent, utilities, communication expenses, insurance, office equipment and general operational support.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning

Applicants must submit an Indicator Tracking Table as part of the application and explain how progress will be measured.

The programme provides a list of suggested indicators, but applicants may propose additional indicators where necessary. Any additional indicators should be:

Clearly defined.
Measurable.
Relevant to the intervention.
Aligned with the intended outcomes.
Realistic within the three-year timeframe.

Applicants should clearly connect activities, outputs and outcomes through the project logframe and theory of change.

Strong applications will explain:

What changes are expected.
Who will experience those changes.
How progress will be measured.
Which organization will collect and analyze data.
How participant feedback will be obtained safely.
How learning will influence implementation.
How evidence will support institutional S4D uptake.

Approximately 5% of the total project budget should, where appropriate, be allocated to MEAL activities.

Reporting Requirements for Selected Organizations

Selected partners will participate in structured financial, programme and learning reporting throughout the three-year period.

The lead INGO will remain responsible for submitting reports to the adidas Foundation while coordinating information from the local S4D partner.

Expected reporting includes:

Annual financial progress reports.
Biannual implementation updates.
Biannual Indicator Tracking Table updates.
Biannual check-in calls with the adidas Foundation.
Annual narrative reports.
Documentation of achievements and challenges.
Lessons learned and implementation reflections.
Photographs accompanied by appropriate consent documentation.
Stories of change from participants and organizations.

Organizations will not normally be required to submit individual receipts or vouchers with regular reports. However, they must maintain complete, accurate and verifiable financial records and make supporting documents available for audits, spot checks or compliance reviews when requested.

Documents Required for the Application

Applicants must complete a full application and submit all required templates and supporting documents in English.

Project Application Documents

The online application must include:

A detailed project proposal.
The proposed implementation approach.
Information about organizational experience and capacity.
An explanation of the community context.
Details of the partnership approach.
Plans for integrating S4D into organizational systems.
A completed draft budget.
A project logframe.
An implementation schedule.
An Indicator Tracking Table.

Organizational Documents

Applicants must also provide:

Proof of legal registration.
Evidence of non-profit status.
A safeguarding policy or equivalent framework.
The most recent audited financial statements.

The audited financial statements should include, where available:

A statement of financial position or balance sheet.
An income statement.
A cash-flow statement.

Documents must be submitted in English. An unofficial English translation may be accepted at the initial application stage for proof of registration, but official or certified translations may be required during final selection and due diligence.

Two-Stage Selection Process

Stage One: Full Application Submission

Eligible organizations must complete the official online application and upload all required project and organizational documents before the deadline.

The adidas Foundation will assess the proposal’s eligibility, strategic relevance, partnership quality, design, safeguarding approach, financial alignment and expected results.

Stage Two: Due Diligence

Shortlisted organizations will undergo a detailed due-diligence process.

They may be required to submit:

Certified evidence of legal registration.
Statutes or bylaws.
Governance and oversight arrangements.
Organizational structures and organograms.
Financial management procedures.
Accounting and internal-control systems.
Evidence of the ability to track restricted funds.
Detailed safeguarding procedures.
Reporting and referral mechanisms.
Codes of conduct.
Ethics policies.
Details of senior management and key employees.
Authorized signatory information.
Additional compliance documentation.

Shortlisting does not automatically guarantee final funding. Final selection will depend on successful completion of due diligence and contracting.

How Proposals Will Be Evaluated

Applications will be assessed according to seven weighted criteria:

Strategic relevance and contextual understanding — 20%
Focus-community engagement and partnership quality — 20%
Project design and feasibility — 20%
Safeguarding — 10%
Outcomes and MEAL readiness — 10%
Community of Practice engagement and change readiness — 10%
Budget and financial alignment — 10%

The three highest-weighted areas collectively account for 60% of the assessment. Applicants must therefore present strong evidence that the intervention responds to a clearly defined local need, has been developed through a credible partnership, and can realistically be implemented within the proposed timeframe and budget.

Safeguarding, monitoring systems, institutional change readiness and financial alignment must also be treated as core proposal elements rather than administrative additions.

Practical Recommendations for Preparing a Competitive Proposal

Organizations preparing an application should begin by confirming technical eligibility. A strong project idea cannot compensate for failure to meet a mandatory registration, operational-presence, financial-capacity or partnership requirement.

Applicants should:

Verify the lead organization’s legal status.
Confirm that the INGO is legally registered, directly or through an affiliated office, in the proposed country.
Confirm three years of operational presence.
Evidence should relate to the lead applicant’s own operations rather than activities implemented only through external partners.
Select an experienced local S4D partner.
The partner should have a documented record of designing and implementing evidence-based Sport for Development initiatives.
Develop the proposal jointly.
The S4D partner should participate from the design stage rather than being added after the proposal has already been developed.
Build the project around community realities.
Proposals should reflect the barriers, risks, needs and opportunities faced by girls and women in the specific location.
Create a credible theory of change.
Clearly show how sport-based activities will lead to outputs, community outcomes and institutional change.
Integrate safeguarding throughout the project.
Safeguarding should be reflected in activity design, staffing, risk management, participant feedback, communication and reporting.
Explain institutional uptake.
The application must show how S4D principles will become part of the INGO’s long-term strategies, systems or policies.
Prepare a realistic budget.
Confirm compliance with the 10% co-funding requirement, 20% S4D allocation, annual-income limit and indirect-cost ceiling.
Demonstrate MEAL readiness.
Include practical indicators, data-collection responsibilities, baselines, targets and learning mechanisms.
Review all documents before submission.
Applications submitted outside the official platform, after the deadline or without required documents will not be accepted.

Common Reasons an Organization May Be Ineligible

An organization is likely to be ineligible where:

The lead applicant is a national NGO that does not operate across at least three countries.
The lead applicant has no legal registration or affiliated country office in the implementation country.
Its operational presence exists only through independent local partners.
The proposed local S4D partner is a for-profit social enterprise.
The local partner lacks substantial S4D experience.
The application includes more than one country.
More than one proposal is submitted for the same country.
The annual funding request exceeds 50% of the lead applicant’s audited annual income.
The lead organization cannot provide the required financial co-funding.
The S4D partner is allocated less than 20% of the total project budget.
The organization lacks documented safeguarding policies.
The application is submitted after the deadline.
Application materials are not submitted in English.
The proposal is not submitted through the official application platform.

How to Apply

Eligible applicants must access the Moving for Change application form and official templates through the adidas Foundation’s RFP webpage.

Applicants should complete the online form, upload the required budget, logframe, implementation schedule, Indicator Tracking Table and organizational documents, and submit the complete application through the official platform.

Applications sent through another channel or received outside the designated application period will not be accepted.

Questions about the application process may be sent to programs@adidasfoundation.org. The recommended email subject line is:

[INGO name] Moving for Change RFP Application Support

Applicants should submit questions early enough to allow time for a response before the application deadline.

Click HERE to apply.

Important Dates

Applications opened: July 6, 2026
Application deadline: August 21, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CEST
Applicant notification: By the end of September 2026
Due diligence and contracting: Expected during September 2026
Agreements expected to be signed: By October 30, 2026
Expected project commencement: During the first half of 2027

Organizations should not wait until the final day to submit. The application requires several technical documents, partnership decisions, financial calculations and organizational approvals that may take considerable time to finalize.

Conclusion

The adidas Foundation Moving for Change 2026 programme offers a significant opportunity for international development organizations and locally based Sport for Development organizations to build long-term partnerships that advance gender equality in Eastern Africa.

With total available funding of €2.2 million and up to €700,000 available for each three-year project, the initiative can support substantial interventions in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

However, the opportunity has strict organizational, financial and partnership requirements. The lead applicant must qualify as an INGO, have legal registration and at least three years of operational presence in the implementation country, demonstrate experience in gender equality programming, maintain strong safeguarding and governance systems, and work with one qualified local S4D organization.

Successful proposals will go beyond delivering sport activities. They will show how sport can produce measurable improvements for girls and women while also strengthening the lead organization’s long-term capacity to integrate Sport for Development into its policies, systems and programmes.

Eligible organizations should begin partnership planning, financial verification and document preparation well before the August 21, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CEST deadline.

For more opportunities click HERE.

Adidas Foundation Moving for Change 2026: Up to €700,000 for Gender Equality Through Sport in Eastern Africa ·Unknown