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 NRCRF 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.

NRCRF Application Process

ISWO is responsible for determining the eligibility of each applicant, their project, and project-related expenses. The Community Sports 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