‍TORONTO (July 6, 2024) – Canada Basketball announced today at the Canada Basketball Superfan Summer Send-off fourteen new UNIFIED Assist Program grant recipients. These recipients will each receive funding to support the continuation of programs that work to grow the game of basketball nationwide at the community and grassroots levels.

In partnership with Nike Made to Play, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities (Jumpstart), Maizon Dort Foundation, Toyota Canada, and Nav Bhatia Superfan Foundation, Canada Basketball will distribute over $135,000 in grants to organizations that prioritize delivering inclusive and safe sport programming in the areas of youth basketball skill development, youth sports leadership, or coaching and officiating development.

"Through the UNIFIED Assist Program, we are able to build meaningful partnerships with community organizations who share our commitment and passion of providing safe and inclusive programs that break down barriers to access for equity deserving youth across Canada, both on and off the court," said Michael Bartlett, President & CEO of Canada Basketball."These programs and their participants are at the heart of the future of basketball in our country, and we are proud to support them in collaboration with our partners."

Canada Basketball launched the UNIFIED Assist Program in 2023 to support non-profit community programs and initiatives developing inclusive and equitable youth opportunities through sport. The UNIFIED Assist Program works to identify and support groups focused on increasing access to the game by assisting organizations in removing barriers they face within underserved, underrepresented, or marginalized communities across Canada.

Canada Basketball is proud to announce this year’s UNIFIED Assist Program grant recipients in the following critical strategic categories:

‍YOUTH BASKETBALL SKILL DEVELOPMENT‍

Canada Basketball supports programs and initiatives that support tomorrow’s starting line-ups and empower the next generation by delivering high-quality, sustainable, inclusive basketball programming and basketball-centered experiences for youth. Specifically, the UNIFIED Assist Program prioritizes supporting programs in underserved regions across Canada and those that aim to welcome, serve, and empower more girls and women in basketball. The following groups receive funding through the Youth Basketball Skill Development pathway:

Trevor Williams Kids Foundation (Montreal, Que.), sponsored by Maizon Dort Foundation‍

Canucks Autism Network Society (Vancouver, B.C.), sponsored by Toyota Canada

Windsor 4th Quarter Hoops (Windsor, Ont.) sponsored by Toyota Canada‍

Special Olympics Nova Scotia (Halifax, N.S.), sponsored by Nav Bhatia Superfan Foundation

COACHING AND OFFICIATING DEVELOPMENT

The Canada Basketball Foundation supports the guardians of our game; the coaches, officials and community leaders are demonstrating and teaching the positive values of sport to youth across the nation. Collaborating with our provincial/territorial basketball organizations and grassroots programs to grow the sport of basketball at all levels. This year's programs recipients for programs education and training for coaches and officials are:

Lady Ballers Camp (Mississauga, Ont.), supported by Nike Made to Play

Good Hoops (Edmonton, Alta.), supported by Nike Made to Play

Hoop Queens (Pickering, Ont.), supported by Nike Made to Play

Winnipeg Minor Basketball Association (Winnipeg, Man.), supported by Nike Made to Play

Toronto Lords Community Association (Toronto, Ont.), supported by Nike Made to Play

YOUTH SPORT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT‍

Canada Basketball acknowledges that the world of sport is wide-reaching, far beyond the lines of the courts, playgrounds, and gymnasiums where games are played.  Canada Basketball aims to support programs and initiatives that attempt to pave new pathways for our youth to engage with sport off the court through social participation, digital content, and the business of sport. This year's Youth Sport Leadership Development grant recipients are:

Digital Moment (Montréal, Que.), supported by Maizon Dort Foundation

Ever Active Schools (Treaty No. 6, Edmonton, Alta.), supported by Canadian Jumpstart Charities

Empowerment Squared (Hamilton, Ont.), supported by Canadian Jumpstart Charities

Les Ballons Intensifs (Montréal, Que.), supported by Canadian Jumpstart Charities

Experience Life Community Services (Toronto, Ont.), supported by Nav Bhatia Superfan Foundation

Since 2022, Canada Basketball and its partners have awarded over $280,000 in grants to 30 community basketball organizations from coast-to-coast-to-coast.

Canada Basketball received over 170 UNIFIED Assist Program applications from community groups and organizations across 11 provinces/territories this year.  Organizations not selected for grant support enter the UNIFIED Assist Program Development Pool, where they will be eligible for ongoing support and development through various Canada Basketball alignment programs such as NCCP and NOCP certifications, the Jr. NBA program, the Canada Basketball Verification Program and Safe Sport training.

For additional information or to contribute to the UNIFIED Assist Program, visit basketball.ca.