Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario (ISWO) offers several grants for First Nation, Métis, and Inuit communities, organizations, and groups across Ontario to fund sport, recreation, wellness, and leadership programs. Grants range from $5,000 to $15,000 and cover equipment, community programming, improving women and girls' participation, and youth leadership development in urban, rural, and remote areas.
What Types of Grants Does ISWO Offer?
ISWO provides a range of targeted funding programs designed to break down barriers to sport and recreation in Indigenous communities across Ontario. Each grant serves a specific need, from equipment access to youth leadership, and all prioritize culturally grounded approaches to wellness. Here's a closer look at each one.
How Can Communities Get Funding for Sport Equipment?
Equipment costs are one of the most common barriers to sport participation, especially in remote communities. The Power 2 Play Equipment Grant addresses this directly by providing up to $5,000 in funding for equipment, or the option to request 10 to 15 sets of Bauer hockey equipment per applicant organization. Proposals that demonstrate how culturally grounded sport and physical activity opportunities can enhance overall wellness are strongly encouraged.
Timeline: Accepting applications in the summer.
What Funding Is Available for Remote and Rural Indigenous Communities?
The Northern & Remote Communities Recreation Fund is designed specifically for remote and rural communities. It offers up to $10,000 for new, existing, or expanded projects that address community social development needs through sport, recreation, and physical activity. Like all ISWO programs, it prioritizes culturally grounded approaches that support overall wellness.
Timeline: Accepting applications in the fall.
Are There Grants Specifically for Indigenous Women and Girls in Sport?
Yes. The Women & Girls Sport Fund (WGSF) is an ISWO initiative focused on creating more opportunities for Indigenous women and girls to participate in sport and physical activity while building confidence, skills, and knowledge. Funded by the Government of Canada through Sport Canada's Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities (SSDIC) initiative, the WGSF awards $5,000 grants to successful applicants, with 10 grants available each year.
Timeline: Accepting applications in late summer to early fall.
How Does the Community Sport Fund Use Sport for Social Change?
Part of ISWO's Well Nation program, the Community Sport Fund (CSF) supports projects that use sport as a tool for positive social change in Indigenous communities. Funded under STREAM 1 of the SSDIC initiative, the CSF is open to communities across Ontario. ISWO encourages applications from remote and rural communities where sport opportunities are limited, as well as large urban Indigenous populations with low participation rates.
Successful applicants must demonstrate how their project will:
- Lead to new or continued sport participation opportunities
- Increase the number of people involved in organized sport in their community
- Build community capacity to deliver sport, recreation, and physical activity programming
- (Stream 2 applicants) Encourage and enhance women and girls' participation in sport through all stages of life
Timeline: Accepting applications annually in the spring.
What Is the CLAW Fund and Who Is It For?
Originally launched in 2021 and now revived through ISWO's Standing Bear program, the CLAW Fund focuses on Indigenous youth leadership development in Northern Ontario. In 2026, grants ranging from $10,000 to $15,000 were available to eligible programs in Sudbury, the surrounding areas, and across Northern Ontario. Programs must be Indigenous youth-focused and centred on leadership, wellness, or cultural initiatives.
Timeline: Accepting applications annually in the winter.
Who Is Eligible to Apply for ISWO Grants?
ISWO grants are available to eligible organizations and groups in Ontario, including:
- First Nation, Métis, or Inuit (FNMI) community associations
- Established Indigenous youth groups
- Indigenous not-for-profit organizations
- First Nation, Inuit, or Métis governing bodies, or Indigenous provincial/territorial organizations or authorities
- Not-for-profit organizations, clubs, and associations that directly support organized sport delivery in Indigenous communities, in consultation and collaboration with those communities
Does ISWO Provide Funding for Individual Athletes?
ISWO's grants are community and program-based, not individual. ISWO does not cover individual registration fees, personal equipment costs, travel expenses, or competition-specific costs for individual athletes.
This approach is intentional. ISWO's funding is primarily public and partnership-based, which means resources must be directed where they can create the greatest collective impact: reaching many participants, supporting long-term programming, and building sustainable opportunities across urban, rural, and on-reserve communities.
Where Can Individual Athletes Find Financial Support?
If you're an individual athlete or family looking for direct financial support, there are other avenues worth exploring:
- Band or community funding programs
- Local Friendship Centres or community organizations
- School-based bursaries or support programs
- Municipal recreation subsidies
- National or provincial sport organization grants
- Charitable foundations or scholarship programs focused on sport
Speaking with a local community coordinator, school counsellor, or band office is a great place to start.
Building a More Inclusive Future for Indigenous Sport
ISWO's grant programs reflect a broader commitment: that every Indigenous community in Ontario, no matter how remote, deserves access to sport, wellness, culture, and leadership opportunities.
By investing in programs rather than individuals, ISWO is helping to build the infrastructure, capacity, and cultural connection that communities need to thrive for generations to come.