Breaking Barriers: How our Tackling Inequalities Network is driving change

By Holly Grimes, Strategic Lead - Sport Partnerships | 24 April 2025 | TAGS: Inequalities, Inclusion, commitment to inclusion, disability, Women & Girls, Cycling, "GM Walking"

Launched in April 2024, our Tackling Inequalities Network was established to support groups and organisations who are tackling inequalities through sport, physical activity and movement.

The network provides opportunities for community groups and organisations to meet, share learning and ideas, pool resources, and access support from others. It also seeks to raise awareness of how organisations are working to tackle inequalities, highlighting challenges and celebrating successes. The network emerged from the Together Fund, to continue the work and funding from earlier projects. Since then, more members have joined, and the group has become more diverse, with many different voices taking part and sharing their experiences. 

This February, the network met for the fourth time, bringing over 50 people and organisations together to share, learn, and act. This was a great opportunity to celebrate the success of network members across the year, and reflect on the progress and impact we’ve made. The Tackling Inequalities Network sessions have grown into a powerful space where community groups, charities, and people come together to break down barriers and make movement, sport, and physical activity more accessible for everyone in Greater Manchester. 

Celebrating community-led change 

When we first launched this network a year ago, we didn’t know much interest there would be or what impact it would have. Four sessions later, each one more inspiring than the last, it’s clear that this network is a valuable space. We’re giving people and communities a voice, and changing the way we think about tackling inequalities in movement and sport. 

One topic that comes up again and again is funding—especially how to challenge the traditional systems that often make it difficult for money to reach those who need it most. In response, the network decided to try a different approach using a Community Soup model, inspired by the original Detroit Soup funding format. 

The goal of this model was to support smaller organisations or individuals who wanted to test projects focused on tackling inequalities. The process was designed to be open and flexible—there were few restrictions on how the funding could be used, collaboration between groups was encouraged, and evaluation was kept light so that learning could easily be shared across the network. 

Network members pitched their ideas during two meetings, and the group itself decided who would receive the funding. 

At our last gathering, we celebrated the incredible community-led projects funded through the initiative this year. These included LGBTQ+-inclusive football teams, faith-led walking and swimming groups, sporting opportunities for blind and visually impaired people, and so much more. Each project is making a real impact—not just by helping more people get active, but by creating welcoming, inclusive spaces where everyone feels they belong. 

Whether a project became a big success, sparked new interest in an activity, created positive ripples in the community, or didn’t go quite as planned, the focus remains the same: scale up what works, and learn from what doesn’t. In this space, there’s no such thing as failure—only learning and growth. 

Through the Community Soup grant process, we set out to try something different. It took trust, openness, and a genuine belief in the power of community. The process wasn’t perfect—and we’re still learning and adapting—but it’s already shown us that there are better, more inclusive ways to support grassroots projects. 

A huge thank you to everyone who stepped outside their comfort zone to explore this new approach with us. In total, we funded nine ideas—each one unique, powerful, and making a difference in its own way.  
Alongside the learnings from these individual projects, there were common themes and takeaways that we heard from the network over the course of the process:  

Key Takeaways from the Community Soup 

• Funding needs to work for people, not systems: Right now, traditional funding can be too complicated. Long applications, confusing rules, and strict reporting often make it difficult for smaller groups to access. Many talented individuals want to make a difference in their communities but are held back by red tape. By listening to those with lived experience, we can simplify the process and make funding more effective, with greater impact. 

• Collaboration is key: The most successful projects weren’t just about one organisation—they were about people coming together. Whether it was a network of GP surgeries working with a mental health group or a walking group connecting different communities, collaboration helped them reach more people and make a bigger impact. We achieve more when we work together and support each other. 

• Trust and flexibility make real change possible: We need to move away from strict, top-down funding models and put more trust in communities. Open and transparent funding processes help build stronger relationships and give power to the people who know their communities best. When funders let go of control and focus on trust, real change can happen. 

What’s Next? 

First and foremost, a huge thank you to everyone who has attended, contributed, and supported the growth of the network. A special thank you to the Manchester BME Network for their outstanding help in turning ideas into action and creating an innovative, inclusive space. 

Now, we need to turn these lessons into action. If you’re working on innovative, community-led funding approaches, we’d love to connect and learn from each other. 

Together, we can break down barriers and ensure that movement is truly accessible to everyone in Greater Manchester. 

We hope to continue growing and diversifying the network, so please stay tuned for updates and contact [email protected] to be added to the mailing list.  

Some of the people who have attended the Tackling Inequalities Network will be speaking at our Conference on 12 May 2025. If you would like to hear more about their work and our collaboration, claim a ticket here to join us on the day.