Switch The Play Partnership with The Jacobs Futura Foundation
Posted on: 04 August 2025 by Switch the Play
Switch the Play Foundation enters into transformative 3-year partnership with the Jacobs Futura Foundation
Switch the Play Foundation today announced an exciting milestone having secured a significant three-year grant from the Jacobs Futura Foundation.
This provides exciting impetus behind our 5-year ambition to empower 15,000 current and former athletes with a transformational impact on 1,500 beneficiaries. This funding will directly support the ambitious goals outlined in the charity’s new five-year strategy, enabling Switch the Play Foundation to have an even greater impact on current and former athletes as they navigate to their life beyond sport.
Switch the Play was founded 10 years ago initially as a social enterprise and converted to charitable status in 2020. Over that time, we have supported thousands of athletes in preparing for a future beyond sport. The partnership will support the charity in developing a more resilient fundraising strategy, increasing awareness amongst both athletes and potential supporters, and deepening the provision available to beneficiaries.
This will include investing into more transition support programmes like Evolve to Thrive, an increased support for mental health and wellbeing, enhanced opportunities to explore different career pathways, and mentoring programmes. The partnership will also help the charity to play an active role in collaborating with sporting bodies, player associations and other providers of athlete transition support, making it easier for athletes to navigate to the support they need.
At Switch the Play Foundation, our values are at the heart of everything we do. This partnership builds on previous funding which allowed us to deliver our Switched On and Evolve to Thrive programmes over the past 12 months. Through these programmes we have empowered current and former athletes to take control of their personal development and transition beyond sport with confidence and courage.
"Our 3-year partnership with the Jacobs Futura Foundation is great news for current and former athletes. We exist to help the hidden majority of high-performing athletes across all sports to redefine their path. We have immense pride that Jacobs Futura Foundation has chosen to enter into this 3-year partnership with us. We share a common purpose and, having first partnered together in 2024, it is great to extend our relationship through to 2028. Switch the Play’s journey over the last 10 years has not always been a smooth one, particularly in navigating the challenges of Covid as a new charity. However, the commitment to our purpose has never wavered and our partnership with Jacobs Futura Foundation enables us to look forward with excitement about how we can deliver a transformational impact for athletes over the next 3 years whilst creating the sustainability and resilience to ensure a legacy of support for future generations of athletes," said Rob Young MBE, Co-Founder and CEO of Switch the Play Foundation.
“The Jacobs Futura Foundation is pleased to be extending our partnership with Switch the Play Foundation until 2028. Our organisations share a deep commitment to supporting high-performing athletes as they navigate the critical transition beyond their sporting careers. Over the past year, we’ve seen firsthand the real impact of our partnership through programmes like Switched On and Evolve to Thrive, and we’ve valued working alongside Rob and his dedicated team. Switch the Play Foundation’s work aligns with our strategic objectives - raising awareness of transition challenges, increasing athlete preparedness, and transforming the support landscape for those navigating life beyond high-performance sport. We’re excited to take our collaboration to a more strategic level, helping to create lasting, transformational impact for current and former athletes, while building the foundation for sustainable support for generations to come.” Justin Johnson, CEO Jacobs Futura Foundation