The Round 2 submission period for the GAMECHANGERS | Sports Micro-Venture Fund closed October 29. The jury is working hard, reviewing and evaluating the diverse proposals -- 233 from 61 countries -- from a Mobile Canoe Hub for disabled children in Fiji, to reconstructing play after the Tsunami, to the Gloves for Guns program that supports former child soldiers. We will announce the winners in December, the majority of whom will receive $25,000 for building or upgrading facilities and completing existing projects offering programs that tackle social issues, through sport, in the community.
The Request for Proposal (RFP) period was open to locally-based organizations that empower the community through sports as a mechanism to spur social change and/or economic development.
Winners will definitely address one or more of the following key areas:
- Improved access to opportunities to participate in sport
- Removal of physical, economic, social and gender barriers to participation in sport
- Improved social cohesion
- Improved physical activity
- Provides innovative alternatives to play spaces for communities that lack resources
- Positively affects the environment or reduces negative environmental impact of sport-related initiatives
- Generates opportunities for social and economic empowerment
Stay tuned to in the coming weeks for updates, awards announcements, and Design Fellowship opportunities. For more immediate gratification, follow us on twitter.
Proposals Sampler
Below is a brief glimpse into the wonderful world of GAMECHANGERS. Click here to view all of the proposals.
Eduskate
Eduskate shreds red tape to get skate parks built at public schools. They strive to improve public education for America’s youth by emphasizing student engagement with innovative, extra-curricular skateboarding programs. By constructing skate parks on public schools, Eduskate improves academic performance by engaging at-risk students, fostering school involvement, and integrating skate culture into curriculum.
Riders for Health
Riders was born out of the world of motorcycle racing. An international non-profit, Riders for Health blends sport + utility to ensure that local health workers have reliable, motorized transportation to improve health care delivery and access in Africa. Grant money is needed to complete the facility for training and maintenance.
Los Campos Center for Sports & Agriculture
Los Campos is a multi-functional community center planned near an existing orphanage. The goal of this project is to leverage the magnetic power of sports to help provide agricultural & health education and training to the citizens of rural Nicaragua. This plan consists of three main components: planting & agricultural research fields, multi-sport playing fields, and an adaptable storage & shelter structure that satisfies the functional demands of both agricultural & athletic activities. By combining multiple functions in close proximity, it is hoped that participation in the center’s educational activities will be increased.
Girls Kick It Chicken (Gweno) House Project
Girls Kick It aims to provide the loan-funding to build a poultry (gweno) house in the Paicho community, and simultaneously provide the management training necessary to oversee the social enterprise. Essentially, through this program, the money generated from the sale of chickens to local hotels, businesses and nearby food markets would permit the team to pay for their team needs such as transportation to tournaments and practices, coach salaries, equipment and refreshments like sugar cane, water and bananas.
Inclusive Development Through Play
Women's Organization in Rural Development (WORD) is a voluntary development organization (NGO) working to improve the lives of rural people. The proposed project site needs a sports center for children, adults, and especially those with HIV/AIDS.
