LeadForward Grant

Grant Guidelines

An Expression of Interest (EOI) must be submitted by September 25, 2026. Questions: email grants@viasport.ca. Applicants shortlisted through the EOI process will be invited to apply for the LeadForward Grant in October.

Background

Organizations are eligible if they are currently designated by viaSport and fall into one of the following The LeadForward Grant: Advancing Balanced Representation in Sport supports eligible organizations that are committed to advancing gender equity in sport. This grant was updated in 2026 to prioritize funding organizations that have a clear plan to address the structural and cultural barriers that limit participation and leadership opportunities for women and gender-diverse individuals.

Through this grant, viaSport aims to support initiatives that strengthen inclusive leadership and better reflect the diversity of communities across British Columbia. Diverse leadership plays an important role in fostering equitable, welcoming, and positive sport experiences for all participants.

Strong applications will demonstrate a well-defined action plan with measurable objectives, meaningful resource allocation, and strategies to create lasting organizational change. Proposed projects should reflect a strong understanding of the barriers within the applicant’s sport and build on previous equity initiatives through new, expanded, or more impactful approaches.

Funding of up to $5,000 will be awarded to a maximum of eight successful applicants.

Who can apply?

Applications are open to viaSport Designated Provincial Sport Organizations and Disability Sport Organizations.

For more information on viaSport’s Designation Sport Program please visit: https://viasport.ca/accredited-recognized-affiliated-sports-in-bc/

Expression of Interest and Application Process

Grant funding is awarded through a two-phase process.

An Expression of Interest (EOI) is used to identify a short-list of strong candidates who will be invited to complete a full application.

The EOI is being used for both Lead Forward and Coaches BC Legacy grant funding. This approach is intended to help eligible organizations determine which grant opportunity best aligns with their needs while supporting a balanced distribution of funding across the sector. Organizations that receive a Lead Forward grant in this cycle may not be prioritized for future Lead Forward funding for a period of time.

After completion of an Expression of Interest (EOI), up to 15 organizations will be invited to submit a full application through the SurveyMonkey Apply system. Applications for funding will only be accepted through the online system. A link to the final application will be provided to short listed candidates.

For organizations who are looking to apply for funding in future years or were not successful in the EOI process, can develop readiness through a range of approaches, including participation in structured programs (e.g., Gender Equity Playbook, Same Game Challenge, or consultations with Canadian Women & Sport), independent strategy development, or targeted consultation and advisory support.

Eligible Timeline

Only activities taking place between October 1, 2026 and October 30, 2027 are eligible for consideration during this grant cycle.

Grant Statistics

The LeadForward program has been updated for the 2026-27 grant cycle with a single intake in the fall of 2026. Previously, the fund had an annual budget of $15,000, awarded across two intakes. With approximately 32 applications seeking funding per intake and approximately seven applications awarded funding in each intake, the expected success rate was approximately 20%. The average funding request was $2,000, while the average amount awarded was $800.

For 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26, this grant received additional funding from the Province to bring its annual budget to $40,000 for those years.