Community Sport Fund

This funding program aims to enhance sport and wellness opportunities for Indigenous communities across Ontario. Join us in fostering a healthier, more active lifestyle through accessible funding.

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Community Sports Fund

About the Fund

The Community Sport Fund (CSF) is an initiative of ISWO’s Well Nation program. The program is intended to increase opportunities for participation in sport, recreation, and physical activity while building community capacity and decreasing behaviours that can have long-term negative consequences. The CSF supports projects that utilize sport as a positive agent to impact social change, helping to achieve social development outcomes in Indigenous communities. Proposals that outline how culturally grounded sport, recreation and physical activity opportunities will support overall wellness will be considered for funding.The CSF is dedicated to removing barriers, providing access to resources, and reducing at-risk behaviours. Proposals that demonstrate how culturally grounded sport, recreation, and physical activity opportunities can enhance overall wellness are highly encouraged.

Applicants must show:

Fund Targets

ISWO encourages applications from remote and rural communities where sport-related opportunities are fewer, and large urban Indigenous populations where low participation rates may exist.

Enhance Capacity

This initiative is funded by the Government of Canada under STREAM 1 of the Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities (SSDIC) initiative, which is managed by Sport Canada.

Apply For Funding

Program Eligibility

For the purposes of this fund, “sport” is being defined broadly. Activities that could be viewed as recreation or physical activity are permissible if they include a physical activity component and are chosen and supported by the community. The CSF is distinct from sport development as it is focused on the achievement of community social development needs. Your project must also be designed in a way that includes measurable outcomes for the four community social development needs.

Applicants must demonstrate how their project will:

  • Lead to new or continued sport participation opportunities;
  • Increase the number of people involved in organized sports activities in their community;
  • Increase the capacity of the community to deliver additional or enhanced sport, recreation, and physical activity programming as a direct result of this funding; and
  • In addition, stream 2 applicants must demonstrate how their project will encourage and enhance women and girls’ participation in sport through all stages of life.

Who Can Apply for ISWO Funding Programs

ISWO assesses applicant eligibility, project suitability, and related expenses. The CSF supports Ontario-based communities and organizations, with all activities occurring within the province.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • First Nation, Métis, or Inuit (FNMI) community associations located in Ontario.
  • Established Indigenous youth groups in Ontario.
  • Indigenous not-for-profit organizations located in Ontario.
  • A First Nation, Inuit, or Métis governing body, or an Indigenous provincial/territorial organization or authority in Ontario.
  • Not-for-profit organizations, clubs, and associations in Ontario that directly influence organized sport delivery in Indigenous communities, in consultation and collaboration with those communities.

Community Sport Fund Streams

STREAM 1 focuses on projects that aim to increase sport participation and enhance community capacity. This stream is ideal for initiatives that seek to introduce new sports programs or expand existing ones, particularly in communities with limited access to such opportunities. Projects under STREAM 1 should demonstrate how they will foster community engagement and promote healthy lifestyles through sport.

Stream 1

Stream 1 funding supports broad community sport and recreation programs. It aims to build capacity, enhance safety, boost confidence, and reduce at-risk behaviours. Applications for general First Nation, Métis, or Inuit programs are eligible.

Stream 2

Funding in this stream is for sport and recreation initiatives specifically aimed at supporting the participation and/or retention of Indigenous women and girls within communities through social development outcomes as identified in Stream 1.

CSF Application Process

ISWO is responsible for determining the eligibility of each applicant, their project, and project-related expenses. The Community Sport Fund is specifically designed to support the Indigenous population in high need areas across both rural and urban communities in Ontario.

Step 1:
Review fund eligibility by reading reviewing the criteria above.

Applying for funding is straightforward  to best support your initiatives.

Review Eligibility

Step 2:
Complete the online application form with accurate information.

Double-check your entries to avoid delays in processing.

Start Application

Step 3:
Wait for confirmation and follow-up from ISWO Staff

A member of the ISWO team will get in touch with eligible applications.

Contact Us

Submit Your Funding Application

Complete the form below to apply for 2026-2027 funding opportunities. This application closes on June 15, 2026.

Fund Guidelines

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Please note that we do not fund retroactively, so choose your project start date so that it falls after the date when you would receive notification that your grant has been approved.
Please select all the social development outcomes that your project will address. Ensure that the ones you select are clearly outlined in your project description.
Describe your organization's experience undertaking similar projects. What has been learned? What will you continue to do? What changes will occur, if any, for future projects? Include any relevant information to support your organization's ability to successfully deliver and report about this project (i.e., what were other projects delivered; who managed them; what was the result?).
Describe your project and the main objectives (number of participants, frequency of programming, target of age group, potential community partnerships, etc.) you would like to accomplish. Please clearly describe how this project will enhance opportunities for your community to access and participate in sport, recreation or wellness programming.
Please specify if this fund is supporting a new program or enhancing an existing program within the community.
Please upload a document providing an estimate cost of your project by activity and item. Only project-related expenses, which can be of cash and in-kind, are eligible. Please refer to the guidelines for the full list of eligible expenses. This file you attach must include: Program Items (Honorarium, equipment, supplies, other, etc.), Description of Cost, Quantity, Cost Per Item, and Total.
Thanks for submitting the form.

latest updates

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Sport can start as something you do, but it often becomes something that shapes who you are. For Indigenous youth, that transformation can be especially powerful. Beyond the competition, sport offers a space to grow, belong, and lead. From the Field to Everyday Life On the field of play, athletes build skills that extend far beyond the game. Youth learn how to communicate under pressure, how to work with different personalities, and how to stay focused when things get hard. Youth also learn accountability through showing up for your team, owning your mistakes, and putting in the work to get better. Leadership also shows up in the small moments: encouraging a teammate, helping someone learn a new skill, or setting the tone with a positive attitude. Over time, those habits build confidence and responsibility. That's why we say sport is more than competition. It can be a pathway from athlete to leader, with lessons youth carry into school, work, and community for the rest of their life. Building Confidence, One Day at a Time Confidence doesn't show up overnight. It's built every time a young person tries something new, keeps going, and realizes they can do hard things. That's exactly what Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario (ISWO) designs its sports camps to do. At an ISWO camp , youth set goals, practice, and see their progress in real time. Maybe it's learning a new skill, completing a challenging drill, or stepping into a scrimmage with courage. Those small wins add up and build a sense of believing in oneself that lasts. When things don't go according to plan, sport teaches resilience. Youth learn to bounce back, keep practicing, and try again. That lesson is just as valuable as any trophy. Leadership Starts Here Being part of a team builds confidence, too. Youth learn to communicate, support each other, and step
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