Canadian Women & Sport is excited to invite organizations across the province of Ontario to apply for The Next Play, a grant program aimed at better engaging girls and gender-diverse participants in active recreation. This project is made possible by the Government of Ontario.

Recent insights from the Rally Report 2022 show that girls and women are facing unprecedented barriers to fully participating in active recreation. Meanwhile, there is immense pressure on sport leaders and organizations to re-engage girls and gender-diverse participants in active recreation.  

The Next Play aims to address these challenges by empowering sport leaders from 40 organizations in Ontario with the tools they need to meet this opportunity head-on.

As part of The Next Play, participating organizations will: 

  • Complete girl-centered program design training to help equip their leaders with effective approaches for engaging girls and gender-diverse participants in recreation post-pandemic. A $1,000 honorarium will be provided to organizations to support with training.  
  • Develop and submit a project proposal aimed at better engaging girls and gender-diverse participants in active recreation. Proposals should reflect the unique needs of their communities and organizations, and learnings from the program design training. Successfully completed proposals will receive a $2,500 grant to support their initiative. 
  • Start active recreation initiatives in April 2023 and complete final reporting by July 31, 2023.  

Who is The Next Play for?  

The Next Play is for Ontario-based active recreation organizations who are ready to engage more girls and gender-diverse participants from diverse backgrounds. Active recreation includes sport and physical activity programs as well as cultural and game-based programming.  

When do applications open? 

Applications open on Friday, February 24, 2023, and close on Monday, March 13, 2023 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time.  

How do I learn more and where do I apply?

To learn more, please review our application guide for important information and additional eligibility requirements.

Ready to apply?

If you have any questions related to the program or application process, please email us at nextplay@womenandsport.ca.

This project is made possible by the Government of Ontario.

Applications Open for The Next Play: Grant Opportunity for Ontario Organizations

Canadian Women & Sport is excited to invite organizations across the province of Ontario to apply for The Next Play, a grant program aimed at better engaging girls and gender-diverse participants in active recreation. This project is made possible by the Government of Ontario. Recent insights from the Rally Report 2022 show that girls and […]

Learn More

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