COMMUNITY GRANTS
HOW WE GIVE
Community Action Grants will open for the 2026/2027 year on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 12:00 PM EST.
MLSE Foundation’s grant funds are dedicated to supporting Ontario-based organizations who are using sport and recreation to build a more equitable tomorrow. The Community Action Grant enables us to grant up to $50,000 to organizations that are creating positive outcomes for youth.
WHO WE FUND
Governed by the Income Tax Act, MLSE Foundation is only able to grant funds to organizations that are classified as a Qualified Donee by the Canadian Revenue Agency as follows:
- a registered charity
- a registered Ontario amateur athletic association
- a registered housing corporation in Ontario
- a registered Ontario municipality
- Métis, Inuit or First Nation community/Band
- Organizations that do NOT have Qualified Donee status are still eligible to apply in partnership with a Trustee Organization who has Qualified Donee Status. Schedule a call with MLSE Foundation staff to review your options
- Organizations performing services in Ontario
MLSE Foundation prioritizes the following demographics:
Primary Focus
MLSE Foundation prioritizes the following demographics:
Primary Focus
- Black youth
- First Nations, Inuit, and Métis youth
- Women & Girl – identified youth (in the case of gender specific programming)
Emerging Focus
Emerging Focus
- Newcomer youth
- 2LGBTQ+ identifying youth
- Youth facing low-income barriers
Step 1: Once you confirm your organization is eligible, follow the prompts to register and create an Organization Profile in our Online Portal.
○ If you have applied for a Community Action Grant in the past, your login information should be unchanged and you can skip directly to the Expression of Interest.
Step 2: Once your Organization is accepted (1-2 days), complete the short Expression of Interest questions that will become available in your Online Portal.
○ Read the Grant Guidelines to help in completing your application. It has valuable information about how applications are evaluated.
Step 3: Once submitted, a diverse Selection Circle will evaluate every Expression of Interest and short-list top applicants.
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Learn more about how we evaluate applications in the Grant Guidelines 2026-2027.
○ Organizations not shortlisted can sign up for a feedback call in June 2026 and will be provided feedback to improve their application for next year.
Step 4: Shortlisted Organizations will be contacted to complete a Full Application that will become available in your Online Portal.
Step 5: Full Applications will be evaluated by the Selection Circle.
○ Organizations not selected for a grant can schedule a call (closed) to review comments from the Selection Circle.
MLSE Foundation invites you to apply to take part in our annual Community Action Grant review, by serving as a member of our Grant Selection Committee. In this role, successful participants will contribute to the equitable distribution of sport-for-development funding across Ontario. If selected, your input will be critical in empowering youth facing barriers with vital access to sport programming & development opportunities!
Important Dates & Timelines
○ Expression of Interest (EOI) Submission Opens: November 3, 2026 – December 15, 2026
○ Applicants notified of EOI outcomes: January 28, 2027
○ Full Application Submissions Open: February 2, 2027 – March 2, 2027
○ Applicants notified of Full Application outcomes: April 1, 2027
○ Final Decisions & Award Acceptance: March 17th, 2027
The Community Action Grant team will be hosting a live webinar on November 17, 2026 at 11am - 12:30pm for all prospective applicants. Registration details will be posted in November.
Please see the attached outline for grant program background, eligibility, and timelines. An application link can be found at the bottom of the guidelines here, and at the link here: MLSE Foundation CAG – Selection Committee Application
We encourage applications from a wide background and across sectors, particularly those with experience in the philanthropic, non-profit, or community/youth development landscapes. Experience working with, or demonstrated knowledge of, equity-seeking communities is an asset.
Between 20-25 members will be selected for this Committee. Applications are live until October 14, 11:59 PM. Please reach out to stephen.sullivan@mlse.com with any questions.
Please reach out to FoundationGrants@MLSE.com with any questions.