Frequently asked questions

Cities for Better Health, led by Novo Nordisk, is a global initiative anchored in cities globally dedicated to narrowing the health equity gap in urban environments with a primary focus on children and young people.
 

The Active Play Challenge responds to growing evidence that many children are experiencing fewer opportunities for everyday movement and play. Unsafe public spaces, unequal access to playful spaces, activities and services, and increasingly structured daily routines are limiting active play for children and young people globally. The Challenge supports practical and innovative solutions to improve the design of urban spaces, but also embed active play into everyday routines, with the aim of creating more enabling environments for play, supporting healthier childhoods and stronger communities.

Active play is vital for children’s physical and mental well-being, supporting learning, creativity, independence, and social connection. Yet not all children have equal access—unsafe environments and limited play spaces and services can prevent daily activity. This matters because reduced physical activity increases the risk of childhood obesity, non-communicable diseases and can also affect mental health and social development. By improving the built environment and social infrastructure, communities can create safe opportunities for children and young people to play, grow, learn and thrive.

The Active Play Challenge focuses on children and young people aged 0–25 and prioritises initiatives that reduce health disparities and strengthen community resilience by expanding access to safe, inclusive, and engaging opportunities for active play.
 

The Play for Early Years category focuses on children aged 0–5, together with their parents and caregivers. This recognises the critical importance of early childhood development and the role of supportive environments and relationships in enabling active play from the earliest years. 

The Active Play Challenge is delivered by Novo Nordisk, Arup and RMIT University, in partnership with Save the Children, Right To Play, and the International Sport and Culture Association (ISCA). The early years category is supported by the Van Leer Foundation.

The Active Play Challenge brings together organisations with complementary expertise in urban development, public health and well-being, child rights, active play, applied research, and community engagement. Each partner contributes distinct knowledge and experience, enabling a more holistic approach to creating healthier, more inclusive environments for children and young people. Addressing complex societal challenges such as physical inactivity and health inequities requires cross-sector collaboration. By working together, these partners strengthen the Challenge’s global reach, enhance the quality of support provided to participating initiatives, and increase the potential for larger and lasting impact.

A: Partners will provide expert support throughout the Challenge, including learning opportunities and technical guidance for finalists and winners. Through coaching and tailored feedback, they will help finalist teams strengthen and refine their proposals and support winning teams in delivering scalable, inclusive, and impactful solutions. The Van Leer Foundation is supporting the Play for Early Years category, with a particular focus on early childhood development and improving outcomes for young children and their caregivers.

Novo Nordisk is the primary funder of the Active Play Challenge, supporting both its development and the implementation of the winning initiatives. The Van Leer Foundation is also contributing funding for winning initiatives in the Play for Early Years category. In addition, all partners will provide in‑kind support through technical expertise, learning opportunities, and tailored guidance for both finalists and winners.

The Challenge is open to legally registered organisations worldwide that have the mandate, expertise, and capacity to lead and implement initiatives that create opportunities for active play. Applicants must be able to receive and manage funding in accordance with applicable laws and comply with all relevant local regulations. We strongly encourage legally established organisations, led by young people aged 18 to 25, to apply.
 

For the Play for Early Years category, we particularly encourage applications from Africa-based organisations. This category is supported by the Van Leer Foundation, in line with its mission to support early childhood development and improve outcomes for young children and their caregivers across Africa. 

We are looking for innovative and practical initiatives that make active play more accessible, inclusive, and equitable for children and young people aged 0-25, with a strong focus on underserved communities who face barriers to safe, everyday active play.
 

Applications can be submitted under one of the following three categories:
 

Play by Design: Spatial and physical interventions that integrate everyday active play into the design of homes, streets, schools, buildings, or public spaces.
 

Play in Action: Activities and services that embed active play into daily routines and existing spaces.
 

Play for Early Years: Design solutions, activities, or services that promote active play for children aged 0–5, their parents and caregivers, supporting healthy early development. Applications should be presented with a clear, structured approach and include a realistic plan for implementation, scalability, and long-term impact. Applications should also describe how play can foster creativity and artistic expression, and how it can strengthen social connections across communities and generations. Where relevant, proposals are encouraged to engage with indigenous cultures and knowledge in meaningful and respectful ways.

Read the full application guidance.

Each lead organisation can submit only one application to the Challenge and must select one primary category. However, proposals can take an integrated approach and incorporate elements from other categories. For example, a “Play by Design” proposal may also include activities or services, and a focus on early years (0-5) and caregivers.

Each organisation can submit only one application as the lead applicant and must select the category that best fits their proposal. Partner organisations may be involved in more than one application, provided they are not the lead applicant. 

All countries. This is an international challenge, and we welcome applications from organisations worldwide that have the mandate and capacity to lead and implement an active play initiative. The organisers reserve the right to determine eligibility based on applicable sanctions, export controls, anti-money laundering requirements, and other legal or regulatory restrictions.
 

Organisations located in, organised under the laws of, owned or controlled by, or acting on behalf of persons or entities subject to applicable sanctions or other legal restrictions may be ineligible to participate, receive funding, or enter into agreements under the Challenge. The organisers may conduct due diligence and request additional information at any stage of the application, evaluation, or award process. Failure to provide requested information or to satisfy compliance requirements may result in disqualification.

Applications must be submitted via the official platform.

Please read the application guidance before applying.

Applications must be submitted in English to ensure a fair and consistent evaluation process across all submissions. 

Yes, you can apply with an existing or new initiative. We welcome proven approaches seeking support to test, expand, or scale their impact, and new initiatives that propose promising, innovative solutions to increase everyday active play. 

Submissions will be reviewed by an independent jury to select the shortlisted finalists, who will receive feedback to help them refine their proposals ahead of the final selection stage. Up to six winning initiatives will then be selected by the jury and receive financial and technical support to implement their project.

Proposals will be reviewed and selected by an independent jury of internationally recognised experts and practitioners in play, child rights, public health, urban design, education, and youth participation. The jury, to be announced in June, brings together diverse perspectives from across sectors and regions, including young people themselves, ensuring the selection process reflects the global scope and child‑centred values of the Challenge.

All applications are assessed through a structured, multi-stage evaluation process. First, proposals are screened for eligibility, viability, and compliance. Only those that meet the requirements at each stage proceed to a final scoring phase. Based on a defined set of criteria, the jury will select a group of finalists. Shortlisted teams will receive feedback and be invited to further develop and refine their proposals before resubmitting them for final evaluation. The jury will then review the updated submissions and select the six winning initiatives. 

Applications will be evaluated by the independent jury using a set of clearly defined criteria. Proposals must demonstrate feasibility, scalability, and potential for replication in different contexts, as well as the strength of the approach, relevance to the target communities, and potential for long-term impact. They should also demonstrate a clear and measurable positive impact on the physical, mental and social health and well-being of children and young people.
 

Read the full application guidance here.

Information about your initiative will not be publicly shared without consent from your organisation. The names of shortlisted and winning organisations will be shared by the Challenge partners and affiliated organisations for communication purposes. All application data will be securely stored on the Zealous platform and handled in accordance with its privacy policy.
 

Access the Zealous platform privacy policy.

Applicants keep ownership of the ideas, concepts, and materials they submit to the Active Play Challenge. By applying, applicants give the organisers and partners permission to use submitted materials for purposes related to running, reviewing, promoting, and learning from the Challenge, including communications about shortlisted finalists and winning initiatives. This does not transfer ownership to the organisers. Applicants should make sure they have the right to use any images, designs, data, or other third-party content included in their submission.

Finalists will receive:
 

• “Play Masterclass” video (2 hours): A pre‑recorded online course on active play, prepared by experts at RMIT. This content will support teams during the refinement period as they strengthen and resubmit their proposals.
• Online masterclass series (4 sessions): Four live, 2‑hour online masterclasses held quarterly from February 2027, led by experts in urban play and experts in healthy cities from the Active Play Challenge partners.
• Visibility: Promotion on the Challenge website and across the Active Play Challenge communication channels and partner networks.
• Certificate: An official certificate of participation, recognising their achievement, issued by Novo Nordisk Cities for Better Health and the Active Play Challenge partners.

In addition to all the prizes offered to the finalists, winning initiatives will also receive:

• Funding (USD 50,000 – 100,000): Each winning initiative will receive between USD 50,000 and USD 100,000 to develop, test, or scale their initiative, in line with agreed funding conditions.
• “Play Masterclass” Week in Barcelona: One representative from each winning initiative will be invited to Barcelona in January 2027 for a one-week intensive learning programme on active play and healthy cities. This week will include thematic sessions, hands-on play labs, site visits with local experts, one-to-one meetings with specialists, and dedicated time for winners to connect as a cohort and build a global network of practitioners working to make cities more playful and healthier.
• Expert technical assistance during implementation: Ongoing online advisory support (for example, one-hour meetings every two months) with specialists in play, child-friendly cities, youth well-being, and the built environment, helping teams troubleshoot challenges, strengthen their approach, and scale their impact.