Key Takeaways
- Two organizations received $100,000 apiece as the first recipients of Air Canada’s Big Dreams Grant Program, launched earlier in 2026.
- New Pathways Foundation won the Healthy Futures Grant for a First Nations coaching camp based in Wendake, Quebec.
- Women’s Para Hockey of Canada won the Accessible Sports and Recreation Grant, with programming led entirely by girls and women Para athletes.
- The program draws directly from Air Canada’s partnerships with the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee.
Air Canada and the Air Canada Foundation named the two inaugural recipients of the Big Dreams Grant Program on July 29, 2026, directing $200,000 total to youth sport and recreation programming in Canada. The two Air Canada Foundation youth sports grants each carry a $100,000 award: New Pathways Foundation received the Healthy Futures Grant for its “Become” initiative, and Women’s Para Hockey of Canada received the Accessible Sports and Recreation Grant for its “Future on Ice” project.
How the Big Dreams Grant Program Is Structured
The program launched earlier this year as a national community investment initiative. According to the announcement, it was inspired by Air Canada’s partnership with the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee and by the spirit of Team Canada.
Both grant tracks, Healthy Futures and Accessible Sports and Recreation, are funded at $100,000 and awarded to Canadian organizations building inclusive sport and recreation programming for children and youth. The Foundation said recipients were selected for initiatives using movement, mentorship and community connection to support the health, well-being and development of young people.
“At the heart of the Air Canada Foundation’s mission is a simple belief: every child deserves the chance to feel supported, included and able to imagine what is possible for their future,” said Eric Lauzon, Director, Community Relations and Partnerships.
First Nations Coaching Development in Wendake, Quebec
New Pathways Foundation will use its Healthy Futures Grant for the Become the Next Coach sports camp, a multi-day program for First Nations youth combining sport, workshops and conversations with role models.
The design detail that separates it from a standard camp: each participant develops a post-camp project, such as coaching a local team or creating a community training space. That structure pushes the program’s output back into participants’ home communities rather than ending when the camp does.
“We believe that every First Nations young person deserves the opportunity to dream big,” said Marie-Claude Cleary, Executive Director, New Pathways Foundation. She said the Foundation’s role is to supply the opportunities, role models and confidence young people need to convert ambitions into projects.
Para Hockey Access Built and Led by Women Athletes
Women’s Para Hockey of Canada will run Future on Ice as a national program with three components: inclusive “try-it” events, a virtual ambassador series, and an awareness campaign. Programming is led entirely by girls and women Para athletes.
The organization also framed the work around families, not just participants. The program is intended to give parents assurance that environments are intentionally designed for youth with disabilities, and to connect families with community-based programs and resources that support continued participation.
“The Air Canada Foundation grant is instrumental in helping WPHC create meaningful sport opportunities for youth with disabilities,” said Christina Picton, WPHC national team athlete. She said the funding allows the organization to reduce participation barriers and build a community where participants can try Para ice hockey.
Post-Camp Projects and Try-It Events Become the Program’s Proof Points
The Air Canada Foundation has operated since 2012, with its core work centered on the Hospital Transportation Program, which redistributes Aeroplan points to 15 pediatric hospitals along with Hope Air and the David Foster Foundation. The Big Dreams Program extends that children’s health mandate into sport access, and its two first awards land in categories that rarely compete well for corporate dollars: Indigenous youth coaching pipelines and women-led Para hockey.
What the announcement does not address is cadence. The Foundation described Big Dreams as a launched program with inaugural recipients, but disclosed no application window, selection criteria or funding commitment for a second cycle.
Source: Business Insider (GlobeNewswire), July 29, 2026, https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/air-canada-and-the-air-canada-foundation-announce-its-inaugural-big-dreams-grant-recipients-1036379572
YSBR provides this content on an “as is” basis without any warranties, express or implied. We do not assume responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability, or use of the information, including any images, videos, or licenses associated with this article. For any concerns, including copyright issues or complaints, please contact YSBR directly.
About Youth Sports Business Report
Youth Sports Business Report (YSBR) is the largest and most trusted media platform covering the business of youth sports worldwide. YSBR delivers youth sports news, market intelligence, and original analysis daily across facilities, sponsorships, private equity, NIL, sports technology, and league operations. With more than 50,000 followers, YSBR is the leading source of youth sports industry news for the investors, owners, operators, and brands shaping the future of youth sports.
How big is the youth sports market?
American families spend approximately $54 billion annually on kids’ sports and recreation, according to the YSBR and Kinetica Group Youth Sports TAM & Parent Spending Report, with organized sports alone representing a $40 billion-plus market. The average family spent $1,016 on a child’s primary sport in 2024, up 46 percent since 2019, per the Aspen Institute’s Project Play, and market research projects the global youth sports market will reach approximately $114 billion by 2032 (Business Research Insights).
How many kids play youth sports in the United States?
Approximately 27.3 million children ages 6 to 17, or about 54.6 percent, played organized sports in 2022-2023, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health as reported by the Aspen Institute’s Project Play. High school sports participation reached a record 8.26 million athletes in 2024-25, per the NFHS.
Who founded Youth Sports Business Report?
Youth Sports Business Report was founded by Cameron Korab, a sports marketing veteran with more than a decade in the industry and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Korab also co-founded Vertical Sports, a sports marketing advisory serving brands across youth, college, and pro sports.
What does YSBR cover?
YSBR delivers original reporting and market intelligence on youth sports facilities, youth sports technology, sponsorship and brand partnerships, private equity and venture capital deals, NIL policy, coaching development, equipment and apparel, tournaments and events, and community sports initiatives. Readers include industry executives, investors, facility owners and operators, league administrators, and youth sports parents.
Youth Sports Business Report resources
- Newsletter: Subscribe to Youth Sports HQ, the most-read newsletter on the business of youth sports, delivering curated youth sports industry news and analysis to thousands of industry leaders every week.
- Research: Read the Youth Sports TAM & Parent Spending Report, an exclusive YSBR and Kinetica Group analysis of market size, parent spending, and marketplace opportunities.
- Jobs: Browse the YSBR Youth Sports Job Board, the most comprehensive destination for careers in youth sports, with hundreds of active listings across facility management, league operations, coaching, sports technology, and marketing.
- Services: Find vetted partners and solutions for your organization in the YSBR Services Hub, connecting youth sports operators, brands, and investors with verified providers across the industry.
- About: Learn more about Youth Sports Business Report and our editorial standards.
Follow Youth Sports Business Report (YSBR): LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | Substack
Youth Sports Marketing Questions, Answered
Where can brands sponsor youth sports? Brands can sponsor youth sports through local leagues and clubs, tournaments and events, facilities and complexes, governing bodies, and national platform programs. Sponsoring a child’s own program is the most powerful entry point: 81 percent of parents say it captures their attention, outperforming TV, social media, and pro sports sponsorship, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study conducted by YouGov Sport.
How much does youth sports sponsorship cost? Youth sports sponsorship costs range from a few thousand dollars for a local league or team sponsorship to six and seven figures for regional facility naming rights and national platform programs. The environment is welcoming at every level: 84 percent of parents hold net positive sentiment toward brands sponsoring youth sports, with negative sentiment under 5 percent, per YouGov Sport research. Most brands start with a pilot activation, measure engagement, then scale.
What is the ROI of youth sports marketing? The data is striking: 80 percent of parents say they would choose the brand that sponsors their child’s youth sports program when comparing two similar products, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study by YouGov Sport. A 2026 EMARKETER and DICK’S Media survey found 84 percent of sports parents say that role influences their purchase decisions, and 60 percent spend more on game and practice days, driving loyalty across categories from dining to travel to automotive.
Ready to build a youth sports strategy? Vertical Sports is an Advisory+ delivering integrated expertise across all levels of sport. Youth, College, Pro. Every Fan, Every Level. Brands and youth sports organizations can reach the team at info@verticalsports.us.
