Access to sport, health, culture, and leadership programs shouldn't depend on where you live or how much money your community has. Yet for many remote and rural Indigenous communities across Ontario, these barriers are very real. Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario (ISWO) is working to change that, one grant at a time.

Through a range of targeted funding programs, ISWO supports First Nation, Métis, and Inuit communities, organizations, and groups across Ontario in building meaningful, culturally grounded opportunities for sport, recreation, wellness, and leadership. Here's a closer look at some of the key grant programs making a difference.

The Grants Making an Impact

Power 2 Play Equipment Grant

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 10–15 sets of Bauer hockey equipment per applicant organization. Proposals that show how culturally grounded sport and physical activity opportunities can enhance overall wellness are strongly encouraged.

Timeline: accepting applications in the summer

Northern & Remote Communities Recreation Fund

Designed specifically with remote and rural communities in mind, this fund 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

Women & Girls Sport Fund (WGSF)

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 along the way. 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

Community Sport Fund (CSF)

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

CLAW Fund

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 Can Apply?

These funds 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 Individuals?

It's worth clarifying that 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.

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.