European Funding Report
26th January 2026
New report highlights far-reaching impact of the loss of European funding
LEAP Sports has published a new report, European Funding and the Impact of Its Loss, documenting the profound and long-term consequences of the UK’s withdrawal from key European programmes such as Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps.
Drawing on more than a decade of LEAP’s work across Europe, the report shows that the loss of European funding has had impacts far beyond finance. It has reshaped Scotland’s ability to participate in international collaboration, limited opportunities for young people and adult learners, and weakened our leadership role in LGBTIQ+ inclusion in sport.
Between 2017 and 2021, European programmes formed the backbone of LEAP’s international work. During that period, LEAP coordinated and partnered in 40 European projects, securing an average of €240,000 per year in funding and supporting 488 direct mobility experiences. These projects enabled youth exchanges, staff and volunteer placements, international research collaborations, training programmes and the co-creation of educational resources that continue to be used across Scotland and Europe.
Since the UK’s withdrawal from Erasmus+ and related programmes, that funding has fallen to zero. The report outlines how no domestic alternative has matched the scale, reciprocity or scope of European programmes, particularly for non-formal learning, community development and sport. As a result, all forms of funded international mobility linked to LEAP’s work have ceased, access to major research consortia has been lost, and Scotland can no longer host or participate in reciprocal exchanges on equal terms.
Crucially, the report highlights that those most affected are people with fewer opportunities. European programmes prioritised inclusion, enabling young people facing additional barriers to access safe, supported international experiences that built confidence, skills and long-term engagement in sport and community life. These pathways no longer exist in the same way.
Through detailed case studies and stories of impact, the report illustrates what European funding made possible: landmark research on LGBTIQ+ inclusion in sport, innovative training tools for educators and coaches, international solidarity networks, and life-changing opportunities for individuals. It also makes clear what has been lost: networks, learning pathways, influence, and Scotland’s ability to shape European good practice.
While documenting loss, the report also points to opportunity. It calls for renewed commitment to international mobility and learning, either through the UK rejoining Erasmus+ with long-term safeguards, or through the creation of a fully reciprocal Scottish mobility programme that explicitly includes sport and non-formal learning.
European Funding and the Impact of Its Loss is available to read and download here.
