Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities — Sport Support Program | Stream Three

Description

The Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities (SSDIC) component of the Sport Support Program funds eligible organizations to deliver sport for social development projects in Indigenous communities in Canada.

The SSDIC component offers a flexible program that can be tailored to address the self-identified social goals of individual Indigenous communities.

Funding is delivered through 3 streams to expand sport programming in Indigenous communities across Canada:

• Stream One: $5.3 million is available annually to the 13 Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sport Bodies (PTASBs) and the Aboriginal Sport Circle (ASC) for the development of sport community projects
• Stream Two: $3.6 million is available annually to Indigenous governments, communities and other not-for-profit Indigenous organizations, as well as non-Indigenous not-for-profit delivery organizations in authentic partnership with an Indigenous organization(s), for projects that promote sport in Indigenous communities
• Stream Three: $2.5 million is available annually to ensure that Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people have access to meaningful sports activities through the SSDIC component

Sport for social development

Sport for social development is defined as the use of sport for social development for the purpose of achieving targeted social goals. The SSDIC component is a response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action, which identified 4 key social development needs of Indigenous communities.

Those needs form the specific social development goals of the SSDIC component for Stream One and Stream Two:

• improved health, education, and employability
• the reduction of at-risk behaviour

Stream Three — Reconciliation and Strength for Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ People through Sport was created in response to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). Drawn from the MMIWG Calls for Justice, Stream Three has unique social development goals which focus on:

• physical and mental health
• suicide prevention
• sexual trafficking awareness and prevention
• safe and healthy relationships
• sexual positivity (2SLGBTQI+)

Stream Three of the Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities (SSDIC) funds Indigenous governments, communities and other not-for-profit Indigenous organizations to deliver sport and recreation projects that meet the needs and priorities of Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ peoples in Canada.

Funding is available annually to provide opportunities for Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ peoples to participate in meaningful sport, recreational, and physical activities that support 1 or more of the Stream Three social development goals. Drawn from the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Calls for Justice, the Stream Three social development goals focus on:

• physical and mental health
• suicide prevention
• sexual trafficking awareness and prevention
• safe and healthy relationships
• sexual positivity (2SLGBTQI+)

Who can apply

To be eligible for Stream Three funding, your organization must be 1 of the following:

• a First Nation or Band Council recognized by the Government of Canada
• a Tribal Council recognized by registered First Nation Bands
• an Inuit community as recognized by the Nunavut Land Claim Agreement, James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, and other recognized provincial/territorial/federal agreements with Inuit populations
• a Métis Nation or government recognized by the Government of Canada
• a representative not-for-profit organization who is Indigenous-owned and/or Indigenous-operatedFootnote1 (51% + Indigenous shareholders and/or staff) and who primarily serves Indigenous women, girls and/or 2SLGBTQI+ peoples, for example, have a mandate to provide services, programs or lobbying for Section 35 rights holders (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) and urban and non-status women, girls and/or 2SLGBTQI+ peoples

Application deadline

The application intake period will take place from August 25, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. (ET) to October 6, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. (ET).

How to apply

Applicants are required to:

• read the Application Guidelines
• email us to request the application form
• meet all eligibility requirements and submit a complete application form and supporting documents (if applicable) before the deadline

The maximum amount of SSDIC funding that can be requested is $249,999 over two years. This is to ensure that a diversity of projects can be recommended for funding that serve Indigenous women, girls, and/or 2SLGBTQI+ people across Canada. You are required to submit your application form by email in the fillable PDF format (no scans). If you are unable to submit your application by email or use the fillable PDF format, please contact us for assistance.