Application Guidelines – Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities (SSDIC) 2026-2028 (Stream Two)

On this page

• List of acronyms
• Who we are
• SSDIC Stream Two
• Eligibility
• Funding limits
• Application and assessment process
• How applications are evaluated
• Funding decisions
• How funding is provided
• Reporting requirements
• Contact us
• Additional information
• Glossary
• Appendix A
• Appendix B
• Appendix C
• Appendix D

List of acronyms

2SLGBTQI+

Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Plus

MMIWG

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

PCH

The Department of Canadian Heritage

SSDIC

Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities

SSP

Sport Support Program

TRC

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

CTA

Calls to Action

CFJ

Calls for Justice (from the National Inquiry into MMIWG)

ET

Eastern Time

Who we are

We are the Indigenous Sport Unit (ISU) at Sport Canada. In addition to supporting the Aboriginal Sport Circle (ASC), we manage and deliver the Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities (SSDIC) component of the Sport Support Program (SSP).

Our SSDIC program funds eligible recipients to deliver sport for social development projects in Indigenous communities in Canada.

These Guidelines speak specifically to SSDIC Stream Two:

• For more information on the creation and goals of the SSP, please see Appendix A.
• For more information on SSDIC Stream One, please see our website.
• For more information on SSDIC Stream Three, please see our website.

Definition of sport

Recognizing and respecting that there are many important cultural approaches to health and wellness in Indigenous communities, the definition of sport is broader for the SSDIC program than that which Sport Canada uses for high performance sport. Eligible activities under the SSDIC program can include:

• Traditional and cultural sports (for example, snowshoeing, Inuit games, snow snake game, traditional dance)
• Non-traditional sports (for example, skateboarding, bowling, dance)
• Physical activities (for example, pow-wow dancing, berry picking, etc.)

Ultimately, it is up to the Indigenous organizations and communities receiving project funding to determine what is appropriate for their needs.

SSDIC Stream Two

Stream Two has funding available annually to fund projects across Canada. It seeks to provide opportunities for Indigenous peoples to participate in meaningful sport, recreational, and physical activities that support one or more of the Stream Two social development goals. Drawn from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action, the Stream Two social development goals focus on:

• improved health;
• improved education;
• improved employability;
• the reduction of at-risk behaviour.

SSDIC Stream Two outcomes

Stream Two has two specific outcomes that our clients and our team report on. This helps to ensure that Indigenous peoples benefit from this funding.

Outcome #1. Increase the opportunities for Indigenous peoples to participate in sport, recreational, physical, and cultural activities.

This is captured by identifying:

• the number of communities reached;
• the number of participants included.

Outcome #2. Support communities’ self-determined social development goals.

This is captured during the project’s reporting phase by asking:

• Do participants report feeling they have improved on the project’s identified social development goals?
• Do participants report feeling more positive about their own health and wellness?

Eligibility

The Indigenous Sport Unit is responsible for determining the eligibility of each applicant, its project, and project-related expenses.

Stream Two is highly competitive. Requests for funding typically exceed our available resources. Meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee funding.

Eligible recipients

To be considered eligible for SSDIC Stream Two funding, applicants must be one 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.
• Representative not-for-profit organizations who are Indigenous-controlled and/or Indigenous-operated (51%+ Indigenous board members and/or staff) and who primarily serve Indigenous 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 Indigenous peoples.

NOTE: As eligible recipients under Stream One, Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sport Bodies and the Aboriginal Sport Circle are ineligible under Stream Two.

Eligible activities

To be considered eligible for SSDIC Stream Two funding, your project must:

• Propose activities that create opportunities for Indigenous peoples, including Indigenous peoples with a disability, to participate in culturally relevant sport or physical activity.
• Address one or more of the following social development goals drawn from the TRC Calls to Action:
  • improved health;
  • improved education;
  • improved employability;
  • the reduction of at-risk behaviour.
• Address the needs identified by participants and communities being served.
  • Propose activities occurring between April 1, 2026, and March 31, 2028.
  • Request funding up to $249,999 over two years.

Eligible expenses

See Appendix B

Ineligible expenses

See Appendix B

Note: The expenses for which this funding is intended must be incurred between the period of April 1, 2026, and March 31, 2028. Expenses incurred prior to April 1, 2026, are not eligible for Stream Two funding. It is possible that approvals of recommended projects may occur after April 1 and recipients could receive their funding after the start of the fiscal year. If you incur expenses for your project before receiving written confirmation of your funding approval, you will be doing so at your own risk.

Funding limits

The total financial assistance received from the Sport Support Program and other levels of government (federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal) cannot exceed 100% of total programming-related costs.

Sport Canada can fund up to 100% of eligible expenses per fiscal year.

Each intake of the SSDIC program is vastly oversubscribed. This means that the amount of requested funding far exceeds the total available. Therefore, the maximum amount of 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 peoples across Canada.

Application and assessment process

How to apply

Read these Application Guidelines in their entirety before completing your application.

You must meet all eligibility requirements and submit a complete application package to be considered for funding.

A complete application package includes the Application Form and the following required documents (if applicable):

• Not-for-profit organizations must provide a copy of their proof of incorporation.
• Not-for-profit organizations requesting $100,000 or more must provide a copy of their most recent Financial Statements (audited if available).

Application process

• Complete, sign and date the Application Form.
• Attach all the required supporting documents.
• Submit your application package electronically to the following email address: sportcanada.ssdsca-ssdic.sportcanada@pch.gc.ca.

If you are unable to submit your application by email or using the fillable PDF format, please contact us for assistance.

How applications are evaluated

Immediately following the application deadline, all applications will be reviewed for eligibility and then scored according to the Assessment Criteria listed below. This scoring will serve as a foundational assessment of all project proposals. After the assessment process, an external Review Committee made up of diverse Indigenous representatives will make funding recommendations by consensus, while also taking the following into consideration:

• Funding priority is to support:
  • communities directly
  • grassroots organizations
  • projects serving communities where need is significant.
• Altogether, the recommended 2026-2028 Stream Two projects should reach all Indigenous identity groups (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit), including Indigenous peoples with a disability, in every province and territory, with off-reserve, remote, rural, and urban community representation.
• If any partnerships are needed to adequately deliver the proposed projects, they are clearly identified

Failure to comply with any conditions of a previously provided funding agreement will be considered in the evaluation of the applicant’s new application and could result in a rejection of the new application.

Evaluation Criteria

The following are the Assessment Criteria for each section of the Application Form:

Project need & description

• The description provides a clear understanding of the overall project.
• The need for the project in the community(ies) is clearly identified.
• There is a clear description of how the project will address the community need.
• The project has shown how it will remove barriers that currently exist, preventing Indigenous peoples from your community(ies) to access culturally relevant sport and physical activities.

Project activities

• Specific steps needed to ensure the delivery of the project are clearly outlined.
• The project activities or events are clearly outlined.
• The timeline or frequency of activities or events is included.

Project budget & financial information

• All Project Activities that require an expense are clearly reflected in the Project Budget table.
• All Project expenses for which SSDIC Stream Two funding is requested are eligible (Refer to Appendix B).
• Expenses are reasonable and cost-effective.

Project success & outcomes

Success can be defined in many ways and communities have diverse ways of measuring the results of their programming. The application should provide measurements of success.

• The expected positive impacts are clearly defined and address the targeted social development goals.
• The expected positive impacts can be linked to the project activities.
• There is a clear plan to measure the project success and outcomes.

Application processing time

Within two weeks of the date the application is received, all applicants will receive an acknowledgement email from the ISU indicating receipt of applications. Please note that this acknowledgement does not mean that a complete file was submitted. As we review all applications, we may reach out to you if further information or clarification is required.

The review and assessment process for all applications is rigorous and does take time, but we will be sure to contact you as soon as funding decisions are made.

Please refer to the Service standards for Canadian Heritage funding programs.

Funding decisions

Please note that decisions regarding eligibility and funding amounts are final.

How funding is provided

Sport Canada provides funding in the form of a contribution. The maximum amount of funding that can be provided to a single recipient through the SSDIC Stream Two fund is $249,999 over two years.

A contribution is a conditional payment issued for a specific purpose, as outlined in a funding agreement. The funding agreement is signed by your organization and by us and specifies the terms and conditions to receive payment. At the end of the contribution agreement term, you must submit a final report.

Reporting requirements

You will be required to submit interim reports during your project.

Additional conditions will be included in your contribution agreement.

Contact us

For further information, please contact us:

Department of Canadian Heritage
Sport Support Program - Sport Canada
15 Eddy Street
Gatineau, Quebec
J8X 4B3

Email

sportcanada.ssdsca-ssdic.sportcanada@pch.gc.ca

Telephone

To speak to a representative of the Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities program, please send an email to sportcanada.ssdsca-ssdic.sportcanada@pch.gc.ca and indicate a phone number that you can be reached. A representative will contact you within two weeks.

If you are unable to send emails, you can call 819-997-0055 or 1-866-811-0055 (toll-free) and leave a contact number with the Call Centre Agent. A representative of the Indigenous Sport Unit will contact you within two weeks.

TTY

1-888-997-3123 (for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired)

Agents are available to answer your questions Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (ET).

Additional information

See Appendix C

• Anti-Racism and Anti-Hate
• Workplace well-being
• Public health guidance
• Official languages requirements
• Acknowledgement of financial assistance
• Access to information requests
• Disclosure of information
• Audits of recipients and evaluation of the Program

Glossary

See Appendix D

Appendix A

Sport support program

The Sport Support Program (SSP) provides funding to eligible organizations to support the goals of the Canadian Sport Policy [PDF format, 1.3 MB]. The objectives of the SSP are to:

• increase the opportunities to participate in quality sport activities for all Canadians, including under-represented groups;
• increase the capacity of the Canadian sport system to systematically achieve world-class results at the highest international competitions;
• contribute to the provision of technical sport leadership within the Canadian sport system; and
• advance Canadian interests, values and ethics in sport at home and abroad.

The expected results of the SSP include:

• funded organizations provide national sport programs and services that are aligned with the SSP objectives;
• funded organizations increasingly meet critical benchmarks on governance, safety in sport and in other areas as part of Sport Canada’s enhanced monitoring and evaluation;
• program/policy collaboration is expanded and strengthened, including those supporting reconciliation efforts;
• all Canadians have opportunities to participate in a healthy and inclusive, safe and welcoming sport system;
• sport knowledge is developed and disseminated;
• Canadian athletes have improved performances at Olympic and Paralympic Games, and senior world championships; and,
• Canadians have access to quality sport programs and services.

Appendix B

Eligible expenses

The table below presents information on the expense categories as well as corresponding examples that are eligible for funding through the SSDIC program.

Requests for exceptions must be presented and approved in advance by the SSP.

Ineligible expenses

The table below lists categories of costs and their corresponding examples of activities that would NOT be eligible for funding under the SSDIC program.

In-kind contributions

SSDIC funding recipients may leverage in-kind resources to deliver the activities of a project.

In-kind contributions are considered real contributions to the cost of the proposed project but are not reimbursable. In-kind contributions must be balanced by an equal in-kind expense in your budget (for example, total in-kind expenses equal total in-kind revenues).

Donated goods and services may be considered in-kind contributions if they:

• are essential to your project’s success;
• are eligible and would otherwise have to be purchased or paid for by you;
• can be measured at fair market value (for example, in relation to similar goods and services); and,
• are balanced by an equal revenue in your budget (for example, total in-kind expenses equal total in-kind revenues).

Appendix C

Anti-racism and anti-hate

Canadian Heritage is committed to address systemic racism, promote diversity, and create environments where every individual is valued, respected, and empowered. We strive to challenge discriminatory beliefs and practices, cultivate understanding and empathy, and champion policies and programs that advance equality for all.

Organizations receiving funding, including any representatives whether employees, consultants, or other persons directly affiliated with the organization, must take steps to ensure they respect the values underlying the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act, and Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy.

Workplace well-being

The Government of Canada is strongly committed to promoting healthy workplaces where harassment, abuse and discrimination are not tolerated. Organizations that receive funding from Canadian Heritage must take measures to create a workplace free from harassment, abuse, and discrimination.

Public health guidance

Sport Canada expects that you will act in compliance with applicable statutes, laws, bylaws, regulations, orders, codes, standards, directives, and guidelines governing the activities for which funding is being sought, including those related to public health and safety.

Official languages requirements

Sport Canada is committed to taking positive measures to enhance the vitality of official language minority communities and to promote the use of English and French in Canadian society. If you receive funding, you agree to comply with the official languages requirements set out in your funding agreement.

Acknowledgement of financial assistance

If you receive funding, you must publicly acknowledge – in English and in French – the financial support received from the Government of Canada in all communications materials and promotional activities. Additional requirements may be included in your funding agreement.

For additional information, please refer to our Guide on the public acknowledgement of financial support.

Access to information requests

Sport Canada is subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. The information you submit in your application may be disclosed in accordance with these Acts.

Disclosure of information

By submitting your funding application, you authorize Canadian Heritage to disclose any information submitted with this application within the Government of Canada or to outside entities for the following purposes:

• to reach a decision;
• to evaluate the results of the project; and,
• to support transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement.

Audits of recipients and evaluation of the program

Sport Canada reserves the right to audit your accounts and records to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of your funding agreement. Sport Canada also conducts periodic Program evaluations, during which you may be required to present documentation.

You must keep any records, documents, or other information that may be required to perform the audit or the evaluation for five years. Demonstrated failure to maintain such records may result in the repayment of amounts previously received.

Appendix D

Glossary

Audited Financial Report

The Audited Financial Report shall clearly include all of the revenues realized and expenditures incurred by the Recipient for the given period with regard to the Project funded. Accounts shall be audited by professional accountants who are independent of the organization and are active members in good standing with a professional accounting association, as per provincial legislation.

Audited Financial Statements

A complete set of financial statements including a statement of financial position; a statement of operations; and a statement of changes in financial position. Audited financial statements are completed by a certified accountant who is not part of your organization. The certified accountant performs auditing activities in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

Final Report

A final report is submitted at the end of your project based on the requirements in the funding agreement. Your final report needs to provide the results of the activities you have undertaken for the duration of your project.

Interim Reports

Interim reports are submitted during your project based on the requirements in the funding agreement. These reports indicate the results of the activities you have undertaken for a specific period. In addition, they include a status report on the work to be accomplished and updated revenue and expense reports.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Calls for Justice

On June 3, 2019, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) issued its Final Report. The Inquiry examined the systemic causes of all forms of violence against Indigenous women and girls including the underlying social, economic, cultural, institutional and historic causes. The inquiry found that there was no single answer to ending violence and that communities had their own distinct social and cultural systems, which required nuanced approaches. Through its 231 Calls for Justice, it also asserted that addressing the issues faced by Indigenous women and girls required the active involvement of all governments working with Indigenous communities and with Indigenous women and girls.

The Inquiry’s findings are similar to those of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in that both emphasize the importance of an Indigenous-led, government-supported approach forward.

Using the mechanism of the SSDIC, the Stream Three fund seeks to support the following MMIWG Calls for Justice:

• 3.1. We call upon all governments to ensure that the rights to health and wellness of Indigenous Peoples, and specifically of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people, are recognized and protected on an equitable basis.
• 7.3. We call upon all governments and health service providers to support Indigenous-led prevention initiatives in the areas of health and community awareness, including, but not limited to programming: for Indigenous men and boys; related to suicide prevention strategies for youth and adults; related to sexual trafficking awareness and no-barrier exiting, and specific to safe and healthy relationships, and to mental health awareness; and related to 2SLGBTQI+ issues and sex positivity.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada

The TRC issued 94 Calls to Action and 10 Principles of Reconciliation, some of which were used in the development of the SSDIC and are listed below:

• TRC Calls to Action
  • 7. We call upon the federal government to develop with Aboriginal groups a joint strategy to eliminate educational and employment gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians.
  • 19. We call upon the federal government, in consultation with Aboriginal peoples, to establish measurable goals to identify and close the gaps in health outcomes, between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities, and to publish annual progress reports and assess long-term trends. Such efforts would focus on indicators such as infant mortality, maternal health, suicide, mental health, addictions, life expectancy, birth rates, infant and child health issues, chronic diseases, illness and injury incidence, and the availability of appropriate health services.
  • 38. We call upon the federal, provincial, territorial, and Aboriginal governments to commit to eliminating the over-representation of Aboriginal youth in custody over the next decade.
• TRC Principles of Reconciliation
  • 4. Reconciliation requires constructive action on addressing the ongoing legacies of colonialism that have had destructive impacts on Aboriginal peoples’ education, cultures and languages, health, child welfare, the administration of justice, and economic opportunities and prosperity.
  • 5. Reconciliation must create a more equitable and inclusive society by closing the gaps in social, health, and economic outcomes that exist between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians.
  • 9. Reconciliation requires political will, joint leadership, trust building, accountability, and transparency, as well as a substantial investment of resources.

Underrepresented groups

Certain groups of people such as girls and women, people with a disability, Francophone, Indigenous peoples, Black and racialized people, newcomers to Canada, people who identify as Two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, plus (2SLGBTQI+), and people from other marginalized groups, continue to be underrepresented in the Canadian sport system as athletes, participants and leaders, and face barriers to full participation in sport.