Alberta Same Game Challenge Application

An opportunity to develop and bring to life your unique gender equity vision 

Canadian Women & Sport is pleased to extend an invitation to Alberta sport and recreation organizations to apply for the Same Game Challenge. Applications are open from November 1st to 15th, 2020 and the Challenge runs from January to July, 2021 with onboarding in December 2020. Thanks to funding from Makadiff Sports, Canadian Women & Sport will support and connect 10 sport and physical activity leaders working to advance gender equity in their organization. 

Ready to apply already? Click this link.

Who is eligible? 

This application is open to local community sport and recreation organizations in Alberta such as minor sport organizations, recreation facilities, or other organizations that offer physical activity or sport in their community.    

What is the Same Game Toolkit? 

Same Game is a step by step online toolkit to help you bring your gender equity vision to life. You’ll walk through a systematic process for embedding gender equity into your organization – from creating your vision, to implementing initiatives, to reflecting and revising what you’ve done, and all the steps in between.   

Once you’ve completed the Same Game toolkit, you’ll be able to: 

• develop effective solutions to engage more women and girls in your sport over the long term, 
• collect and analyze data about your progress to help you make strategic decisions, 
• get buy in from key stakeholders like your board, staff, coaches, and volunteers, who are instrumental in helping move gender equity projects forward; and, 
• communicate your goals and assess your performance, so you can adapt and adjust as necessary.

By following the steps, your organization will have greater confidence in the initiatives you undertake, make better use of resources, and generate greater results. It helps leaders make strategic choices and build a foundation for lasting engagement of girls and women, benefiting their sport and those who play it.  

What is the Same Game Challenge? 

The Same Game Challenge is a project that will support sport and physical activity organizations in actively engaging women and girls by implementing The Same Game Online Toolkit. With one-on-one support from local leadership, Alberta is one of the first provinces in Canada to actively support sport and physical activity organizations in the implementation of Same Game.   

How will my organization benefit? 

Successful applicants will receive:  

• Coaching and mentorship – guidance and advice for embedding gender equity into their organizational strategies, process, and programs 
• Opportunities to share and learn with others – connect with 9 other leaders who will be working through Same Game simultaneously 
• Professional Development – Access to 5 free licenses of the Gender Equity LENS e-learning module for organization leaders 
• Financial Support – $1,000 honorarium to support organizational gender equity activities 
• Knowledge and Competency – Effective solutions and a better understanding of how to engage women and girls in sport 

What is the commitment required by my organization? 

• Capacity to explore and implement initiatives to embed gender equity into your organization 
• Support from Board of Directors and senior leaders
• Attend monthly one-on-one and group meetings with Same Game mentor and other organization leaders 

How do I apply? 

Click on this link to open the electronic application 

What are the key timelines? 

• November 1-15, 2020 – application opens
• November 30th, 2020– organizations will be notified of the status of their application
• December 2020 – onboarding and Same Game Challenge kick off meeting
• January-July 2021 – Work through the Same Game Challenge process, one-on-one support and group meetings
• August/September 2021 – Share learnings and successes

Selection Criteria  

Organization applying should meet the following criteria:  

• Local community organizations whose mandate is to provide sport, recreation or physical activity related activities and services to their community
• Approval and support of the CEO and/or Board Chair 

Canadian Women & Sport is committed to the equitable distribution of funds to all communities and underrepresented groups. We welcome and encourage applications from organizations led by or directly serving women and girls who are: 

• Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) 
• People of Colour (people who are non-white, regardless of birthplace) 
• LGBTQI2S+ 
• Deaf Persons, Persons with Disabilities 

We also encourage applications from organizations in a variety of communities (rural, suburban, urban, reserves) and sport and activity types (individual, team, recreational, summer, winter).