Developing an evidence-informed funding application with Black Swimming Association for the Waterloo Foundation
Key Information
Lead Researchers: WIPAHS team, with input coordinated through project leads working with Black Swimming Association
Subject Area: Physical activity, sport participation, equity, inclusion, swimming, children and young people
Project Duration: 2025-ongoing
Funding Body: The Waterloo Foundation (application development)
Partners: Welsh Institute of Physical Activity, Health and Sport (WIPAHS), Black Swimming Association (BSA)
Further Information: maggie.miller@swansea.ac.uk; WIPAHS@swansea.ac.uk
Challenge
Securing funding for community-led and equity-focused work often depends on being able to combine a compelling social case with credible supporting evidence. For Black Swimming Association, this means demonstrating both the scale of need and the potential value of targeted interventions that address inequalities in swimming participation, access, and confidence.
This matters because well-supported applications can unlock resources that enable practical change, particularly in areas where inequalities have persisted and where communities may have been underserved by mainstream provision.
Method
WIPAHS is supporting the development of the Waterloo Foundation application by helping gather, interpret, and frame relevant evidence that can strengthen the proposal. This includes drawing together data and insight linked to swimming participation, inequalities, and the wider case for targeted support.
Impact
If funding is secured, this will enable further evidence-based research and practical change in aquatic spaces and related curriculum. This would help ensure that future activity is informed by identified patterns of participation, access, and unmet need, particularly in areas where inequalities in swimming and aquatic engagement appear to persist and where communities may have been underserved by mainstream provision.
