Call for Proposals: Micro-Grants Program in Canada

Deadline: 30-Oct-2026

The RE.sport Micro-Grants Program supports youth-led and community-led projects that create new opportunities for young people to participate in sport and physical activity across Canada. Funding ranges from up to $500 for youth-led initiatives to up to $5,000 for community-led projects, with mentorship and guidance provided to successful applicants. The programme encourages new, community-rooted ideas that have not been tried before, with particular encouragement for initiatives serving equity-deserving youth and communities. Projects must be completed within the applicable project period, and all grant funding must be used by January 15, 2028. The Micro-Grants Program is designed to help young people access sport and physical activity through new and locally relevant initiatives.

The programme supports both:

Youth-led projects created and delivered by young people. Community-led projects developed by organizations and groups working with youth. The overall goal is to increase opportunities for young people to participate in sport, particularly where existing opportunities may not adequately meet local needs.

Eligibility depends on the type of micro-grant being requested

Youth-led funding is available to:

Individual youth aged 12–18. Small groups of youth aged 12–18. Youth who live in Canada. Successful youth applicants can receive funding of up to $500 and guidance from the RE.sport team throughout their project. Community-led funding is available to organizations and groups across Canada, including: These applicants can receive up to $5,000 to launch a new sport or physical activity initiative for young people up to age 18. Projects are ideally designed to involve approximately 15–20 participants. The programme supports projects that create new opportunities for youth sport and physical activity.

A proposed initiative should:

Be a new or novel idea. Respond to the needs of the local community. Create an opportunity for young people to participate in sport or physical activity. Be appropriate for the intended youth participants. Be achievable within the programme’s project timeframe. Use the grant funding for the approved project activities. The programme is intended to support ideas that have not been tried before, rather than simply maintaining an existing activity. Applications from equity-deserving groups and communities are especially encouraged. The programme identifies groups and communities including: Black youth and communities. Indigenous youth and communities. Racialized youth and communities. Newcomer youth. Low-income youth. 2SLGBTQ+ youth and communities. Rural and remote youth and communities. Disabled youth and communities. Applicants can explain how their project responds to barriers that may prevent young people from participating in sport or physical activity. Youth-led grants provide young people with an opportunity to develop and implement their own sport or physical activity ideas. Funding is available up to $500.

Youth applicants also receive:

Guidance from the RE.sport team. Ongoing project support. Check-ins. Access to information sessions. Mentorship throughout the project. The youth-led stream can therefore support young people not only with funding but also with practical assistance in developing and delivering their ideas. Community-led grants provide up to $5,000 for organizations and community groups launching new sport or physical activity opportunities for youth up to age 18. Potential applicants include schools, sports clubs, nonprofits, youth councils, parent groups, and other community organizations. Projects should ideally involve 15–20 young participants and demonstrate how the initiative addresses a local need. Access to sport and physical activity can be influenced by factors such as location, income, community resources, and whether existing programmes meet the needs of particular groups. The Micro-Grants Program aims to address these challenges by supporting locally developed ideas that create new and accessible participation opportunities. The programme places particular emphasis on reaching communities that may experience barriers to traditional sport programmes. Financial assistance is only one part of the programme. All successful applicants receive ongoing support from the RE.sport team, which can include: Project guidance. Regular check-ins. Mentorship. Information sessions. Assistance throughout project implementation. This support is available to both youth-led and community-led grant recipients. Projects must be completed within the timeframe associated with the relevant grant stream.

Youth-led initiatives: Up to 8 months.

Community-led initiatives: Up to 12 months.

Final funding-use deadline: All funds must be used by January 15, 2028.

Applicants should develop a realistic project schedule that accounts for planning, implementation, participation, and completion.

The programme follows a simple structure:

A youth or eligible community organization develops a new sport or physical activity idea. The applicant explains the local need and intended youth participants. The applicant requests funding through the appropriate grant stream. Successful applicants receive financial support. RE.sport provides mentorship, guidance, check-ins, and information resources. The project is implemented within the applicable timeframe. Grant funds are used by the required final deadline. Applicants should prepare their proposal around the specific community or youth need they want to address.

A practical application process is:

Choose the appropriate grant stream. Determine whether the project qualifies as youth-led or community-led. Confirm eligibility. Youth applicants should confirm their age and Canadian residency. Organizations should confirm that they fall within an eligible community or organizational category. Develop a new idea. Describe a sport or physical activity opportunity that has not previously been tried in the relev