As part of its strategy to grow women’s football across Europe, UEFA has released a six-year plan called Unstoppable. The strategy seeks to make football “the most-played team sport for women and girls in every European country,” while also increasing the number of pro leagues across the continent.

“Women’s football in Europe has become a sport for the masses, attracting an ever-growing and diverse fan base and partners that wholeheartedly contribute to its growth,” said Nadine Kessler, UEFA managing director of women’s football. “It is our promise to keep investing and collectively lead the game forward, with all European national associations, leagues, clubs, players, fans and partners part of our journey – because women’s football is Unstoppable.”

Viewership and revenue numbers are up for women’s football, with the Women’s Euro final in London attracted a staggering 50 million viewers. However, UEFA’s latest report shows only 1.6 million registered players, despite a 2024 goal to attract 2.5 million registered players. Therefore, the organization identified the need for training to foster “quality players, coaches and referees” to reach and exceed this number by 2025.

Between 2024 and 2030, UEFA will commit €1bn of competition revenue and UEFA investment to women’s football initiatives, supporting national grassroots associations and development projects. The plan seeks to nurture the next generation of players, coaches, referees, volunteers and fans following its successful launch of a new competition system and a minimum standards framework for national teams.

Unstoppable has four long-term goals to achieve by 2030:

• Developing football pathways for players, coaches and referees alongside grassroots opportunities to make football the most-played sport for women and girls in Europe.
• Help create six professional women’s leagues, up from the current three, and raise the number of professional women players across the continent from 3,000 to 5,000.
• Make women’s football the most sustainable and investable sport with record-breaking UEFA competitions.
• Ensure women’s football is celebrated for its unique values and community.

Top stars including Aitana Bonmati, Giulia Gwinn, Ada Hegerberg and Lauren James have already lent their support to Unstoppable, alongside former England international Jill Scott and leading Swedish referee, Tess Olofsson.

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We are excited to announce our latest Sport Together Fund Grantees in partnership with the New Balance Foundation. The five recipients, across France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands, and are helping young people with refugee experiences rebuild their lives. While they have different approaches, all intentionally use sport to promote inclusion, wellness and positive youth development.

The need is great. As of June 2024, 122.6 million people have been forcibly displaced worldwide. This is a 5% increase from the end of 2023 and almost double the number of displaced people from a decade ago. The Sport Together Fund delivered by Beyond Sport provides grants and capacity-building support to nonprofit organizations, sports clubs and collectives that are assisting communities facing humanitarian crises and displacement. The Fund also supports the transit and host communities where people are rebuilding their lives.

With a shared goal of championing the future success of today’s young people, we’re proud to once again have New Balance Foundation’s support for the second year running. Their mission is to invest in vibrant communities and bright futures through sport, and for more than 40 years New Balance Foundation has granted $150 million USD to help change a generation. In 2024 alone, the Foundation will have granted $12.4 million USD to 90 non-profits in the communities where their associates live and work across the globe. Thanks to continued support of our Sport Together Fund, we’ll be able to respond to the pressing needs of young people across Europe to provide opportunities and access to safe spaces in which they can learn, move and explore opportunities for a brighter future.

“We are grateful for our partnership with Beyond Sport and their Sport Together Fund.” says Paola Bethmage, New Balance Foundations Global Grants Manager. “Their dedication to supporting children and young people with refugee experiences through sport-based programs is truly inspiring. We are proud to be given the opportunity to grow our support for the Sport Together Fund – using the power of sport to create positive change.”

Congratulations to our 2024 recipients!

New grantees include:

• Kabubu – Located in France, the nonprofit promotes the inclusion of exiled peopel through the unifying power of sport. Kabubu is a Swahili term that signifies friendship through sport. Channeling this belief, the organization breaks down prejudices by creating spaces for refugee/displaced communities and local people to connect and build bonds through a mutual love of sport. Kabubu will use the grant to support its “Coop-R Sport” initiative, which unites refugees and locals through regular sporting sessions to encourage integration. Its various programs offer inclusive sports activities, coaching, language support, employability training and awareness workshops that highlight the challenges faced by refugees and displaced people.
• Fútbol Más Spain – With locations around the world, the nonprofit uses sport and play to create safe spaces for youth and build community. Through football and its Green Card Methodology, which rewards positive behaviors amongst participants, the organization promotes physical and emotional wellbeing, education and inclusion. In Spain, it is supporting refugee and migrant youth in Madrid and Seville, many of whom have come from Bolivia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Honduras, Iran, Colombia, Senegal and Iraq. Fútbol Más Spain combines football sessions with workshops addressing life skills development, community engagement and emotional health. With access to skills training and employment being a significant challenge for refugee youth, it will use the grant to develop their leadership capabilities. It intends to recruit 10 youth aged 18-22 from refugee communities and help them gain experience as volunteers delivering socio-sport sessions.

Returning grantees include:

• Fútbol Más France – In France, the organization is supporting refugee and migrant communities through sport-based initiatives that address trauma, self-confidence and social-emotional skills. Since 2018, the organization has been supporting refugees and migrants in Paris, both in refugee centers and in the local community. The 2023-2024 grant supported the delivery of socio-sport sessions through its Social Sport Academy project, which helps children living in refugee/migrant shelters improve their health and wellbeing. In 2024-2025, it will use the grant to help continue delivering the sessions while expanding them to include youth from low-income communities in order to promote integration.
• SPORTS for MORE eV – Since 2017, the German organization has been aiding refugees aged 8-20 and neighboring migrant communities. The club combines boxing with youth social work to drive integration, physical and mental health, respect, social skills and tolerance. Young people develop athletically and personally in the safe spaces it provides, building their networks and the ability to be their authentic selves. A majority of its participants come from Syria, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Iraq and the Russian Federation. The 2023-2024 grant supported ‘introduction to boxing’ workshops at refugee housing locations in Berlin. In 2024-2025, the grant will help expand this programming which is set to introduce weekly girl and women-only sessions.
• Sportief Besteed Groep – SBG operates across various municipalities in South Holland and the Netherlands, creating activities that inspire and motivate individuals of all ages and backgrounds to actively engage in their communities. It offers a range of programs that address issues of loneliness and integration among refugee communities. The migrants and refugees it assists range from 16 to 22-years-old and live in emergency shelters. Most have been displaced from Syria, Ukraine, Yemen and Afghanistan. The 2023-2024 grant supported football and multi-sport activities that promote social integration and healthy, active lifestyles. In 2024-2025, the grant will continue to support the delivery of these programs, which also offer language skills and personal guidance.

Collaborating to create positive impact

With children making up one-third of refugees and migrants across Europe, Beyond Sport was also thrilled to join New Balance’s EMEA HR (Human Resources) Annual Summit in Amsterdam last month to further support the Fund. More than 70 New Balance associates volunteered to pack 1000 backpacks with New Balance gear and personal notes for young people with refugee experiences. We sent the bags to 11 sport-based nonprofits in France, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Italy, the UK and the Netherlands.

“Dear New Balance, thank you so much for the amazing gift bag! Getting this made me feel so special and proud to be part of the Girl Power team here in Athens. Knowing that you believe in us and our love for football means everything. Your support gives me more confidence to play, dream and work hard for my goals. Thank you for being there for us and helping us feel like true athletes!” shared a recipient from Girl Power Organisation.

Thank you to the New Balance Foundation and New Balance associates for spreading positivity and giving back to communities in need!

Beyond Sport is proud to partner with the New Balance Foundation to help foster a more inclusive, peaceful and prosperous society. Learn more about the Sport Together Fund delivered by Beyond Sport here. 

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Kynisca Sports, the first multi-team global organization dedicated to women’s football, has announced a $2 million investment in IDA Sports, a brand reinventing high-performance footwear for women. Noted businesswoman, philanthropist and Kynisca Sports owner, Michele Kang, is leading the effort in collaboration with Elysian Park Ventures, Firebird Impact and Tipt Ventures. The seed funding will help advance IDA’s mission to research, design and manufacture football cleats that support the unique biomechanics of women and girls.

This is the latest investment by Kang – who also owns the Washington Spirit, Olympique Lyonnais Féminin and the London City Lionesses – to advance women’s sports and support its athletes. Kynisca is driven by the fact that only 6% of sports science research focuses on women athletes and Kang’s personal commitment to unlocking women’s athletic potential. The company wants to revolutionize women’s sports, particularly football, through unprecedented investment in research, sports gear and more. This includes offering the best playing and training environments, appointing world-class technical staff and driving innovation and sports science specifically for women and girls.

“There is minimal sports science research focused solely on women athletes, resulting in training routines, performance recovery plans and shoe and clothing designs with a male body type as the baseline… Women’s sports should never be an afterthought – they should be recognized as a standalone, commercially viable product and it’s exciting to partner with an innovative brand that shares the same sentiment,” said Kang.

As part of the investment, Kynisca will support and grow IDA’s brand and promote its products. This includes launching an initiative that allows women players at the highest level to provide direct feedback to help shape what they wear on the field. IDA will also release cleats for young players in February 2025, which will provide young girls with access to the right performance gear suitable for their development.

The issue of ACLs in women’s football gained widespread attention when five of the world’s top 20 (Ballon D’Or-nominated) women players suffered the injury in 2022. A serious ACL tear or rupture typically requires surgery and many months of recovery, and, in the worst case, can end careers. There are several fundamental differences between men’s and women’s feet and therefore shrinking down a boot constructed for men is sub-optimal and leads to pain, fatigue and serious injury. A 2022 survey showed that 82% of 350 elite women footballers across Europe experienced discomfort from their football cleats.

Co-founded by Laura Youngson in 2018, IDA Sports is the only company in the football cleats and turf sport industries that exclusively designs footwear for women. With women athletes 4 to 8 times more likely to sustain ACL injuries, the company makes cleats based on women’s anatomical differences. Its science-backed design aims to mitigate preventable pain, while reducing the risk of major injuries. IDA launched its cleats in 2020, designing them around a mold created from scans of more than 700 women’s feet.

“This investment isn’t just about creating a great cleat—it’s about sending a message that women’s sports deserve the same rigor, innovation and resources as men’s,” Kang told Sports Illustrated. “As IDA grows, I know they will inspire others to recognize the value in women’s sports and encourage further investment, helping to build a sports landscape where women athletes have everything they need to excel and inspire.”

Photos: Kynisca and IDA Sports

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Outdoor sports brand, Mammut, and partners have launched an innovative project focused on removing carbon dioxide (CO2) and storing it in concrete. The initiative addresses the carbon emissions associated with climbing and outlines strategies to combat climate change. Professional rock climber Adam Ondra is championing the effort.

Sports contribute to carbon emissions (CO2e) in many ways including special clothing manufacturing, equipment production and travel. Climbing is no different. Emissions produced by traveling to climbing destinations can be significant, with international trips releasing up to 1.562.6kg of CO2e into the atmosphere. Additionally, the production of durable climbing equipment and climbing holds, made from non-recyclable plastic, releases a substantial amount of CO2e.

To address this, Mammut has developed a decarbonization strategy, ‘Do Our Best, Remove the Rest,’ to halve its emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050. The company has already made headway by reducing 13% of CO2e from 2022 to 2023.

In a campaign film , Ondra, who is considered to be one of the best climbers in the world, makes a symbolic ascent of CopenHill, one of the tallest climbing structures in the world, to visually illustrate reaching net zero. “Just like climbing, you can’t really focus on just one thing. You can’t just focus on power or technique or your mind game. But this could be seen as doing the first moves or grabbing a tiny intermediate hold. But the important thing is that we are moving in the right direction,” he said. The film reflects the shared vision for a sustainable future through partnership and a proactive approach to environmental responsibility.

The initiative’s partners include: Arc, a waste-to-energy plant in Copenhagen; Bofort, a cryogenic ISO tank leasing company in Belgium dedicated to making carbon utilization possible; Carbonaide, a Finnish carbon-curing company that supports decarbonization of the concrete industry; and Klimate, a Danish tech start-up investing in carbon removal solutions. Arc captures up to 4 tons of CO2 daily from its plant’s flue gas. Bofort provides ISO tanks for transporting liquefied CO2 to Finland and Carbonaide integrates this into their sustainable concrete production process, permanently binding the CO2. Mammut is essentially the ‘buyer’ in this chain and has committed to decarbonizing 90 tons of CO2 by the end of 2025.

“Through this partnership, we aim to achieve tangible results in carbon removal and inspire other companies to eliminate their residual emissions after significant reduction efforts,” said Tobias Steinegger, Head of Corporate Responsibility at Mammut.

Mammut’s climate strategy is part of its broader WE CARE strategy, which also addresses animal welfare, circularity and ethical production – all of which is impacted by climbing. The company is working to reduce its footprint and contribution to climate change. Despite the innovative removal and storage process, its main goal is to reduce its emissions.

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ParalympicsGB and Loughborough University have partnered to drive innovation in Para Sport and champion disability inclusion across the sporting world. As part of their strategic partnership, the pair will work on programs addressing community engagement, education, career development and more.

According to Sport England, only a quarter of disabled children in the UK say they participate in sports and activities at school, as compared to 41% of non-disabled children. These participation levels only decrease as they get older. Therefore, a large focus of the partnership will target disability inclusion in schools and universities. The collaboration will leverage Loughborough University’s cutting-edge sports research, facilities and expertise to support the development and success of the UK’s Paralympic athletes.

ParalympicsGB will harness the influence and know-how of its athletes and members to increase equitable access to sport for disabled people and transform attitudes towards disability in all settings. It will work closely with the University to improve athlete performance and champion the right of every disabled person to have the equal opportunity to be active.

Loughborough’s recently launched Para and Disability Sport Strategy includes a key theme on providing opportunities for disabled students to achieve at the highest levels or to be active and enjoy participating in sport.  It aims to provide equitable opportunities for its disabled students and partners in high-performance sports, wider community sports participation and workforce development. Students can compete across eight British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Para sports (Athletics, Badminton, Cycling, Powerlifting, Swimming, Triathlon, Wheelchair Basketball and Wheelchair Tennis) and it also runs five adaptive sports programs.

The partners will work together across seven key areas:

1. Community Engagement and Outreach: Promoting inclusivity and accessibility in sports communities and schools across the UK, leveraging Paralympics GB’s grassroots sport initiatives. Further initiatives include workshops, seminars and events designed to inspire the next generation of Para athletes.
2. Championing Disability Inclusion: Advocating for inclusive and accessible environments that empower disabled people to thrive as employees, customers, or clients. This also includes working together to create insight into attitude and behavior change towards disability.
3. Advanced Research and Innovation: Collaborating on research to explore new methodologies in sports science and develop performance health and wellbeing tailored for Paralympic athletes.
4. State-of-the-Art Training Facilities: The University will continue to promote the availability of its premier sports facilities, which nine Paralympic sports are already using.
5. Education and Career Development: Offering educational opportunities for Para athletes, helping them balance their sporting careers with academic and professional growth. The university’s students will gain opportunities to be part of the Paralympic workforce.
6. Innovation in Para-Sports: Driving forward innovation in Para-Sports technology and equipment, ensuring that athletes can access the best tech to enhance performance and reduce the risk of injury. This also involves the University’s partnership with the National Rehabilitation Centre.
7. Sustainability: Using existing research to combat climate change and implement sustainability plans to ensure that disabled communities are not disproportionately affected.

Photos: Loughborough University

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International Stress Awareness Week begins today with a theme of ‘Campaigning to Reduce Stress and Improve Wellbeing.’ We’re therefore  sharing some invaluable Head In The Game campaign tips specifically designed to help young people and teens manage stress more effectively.

Head In The Game (HITG) is a Beyond Sport program powered by the Z Zurich Foundation to help improve mental wellbeing outcomes for teens in the U.S. and help close the gap on inequities. A key component of the program is our dedicated campaign which shares educational resources, inspirational stories and videos and supportive tips across social and its website.

Stress is normal and everyone experiences it, from dangerous situations to day-to-day activities. Stress in itself is not an illness, but when it becomes overwhelming and prolonged, the risk for mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, psychosis and substance abuse increases. A recent report showed that 62% of people across 31 countries said they felt stressed to the point of it impacting their daily lives at least once in the past year.

Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a 25% increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide. This, paired with global conflicts, the cost of living and climate-related disasters, is negatively impacting mental health. Children and youth are often the most vulnerable to stress-related mental health conditions alongside people of color, girls and women and those identifying as LGBTQ+.

TIPS ON MANAGING STRESS

Managing stress looks different for everyone and trying to find what works best for you is crucial. Here are some helpful things you can do to help you better cope with stress:

• Set realistic goals and daily tasks that can be completed in an orderly manner.
• Develop habits like going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day, exercising or meditating in the morning right after waking up.
• Prioritize your sleep to give your mind and body a good break.
• Make sure you are maintaining a good and healthy diet, do not skip meals.
• Don’t judge yourself. Be kind to your body and mind and try not to expect too much of yourself and others.
• Take one thing at a time. Pick one important task and work on it before you move in to the next.
• Take breaks, put time on your calendar to focus on yourself and your wellbeing. Whether that looks like going on a walk, a bike ride or listening to music, it is up to you! Focus on what makes you feel good.

HOW TO BUILD MENTAL RESILIENCE

An important part of dealing with stress is viewing it as something positive rather than negative. HITG Expert Collaborator, the Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport (CHJS), provides specialist insight and practical tips on the concept of ‘good stress.’ It coaches and student-athletes share ways to build mental resilience, whether that be in a competitive environment or in daily life.

Removing stress for young people won’t help them heal explains Megan Bartlett, founder of CHJS. “We build resilience when we experience stress and recover from that stress. So, every time we have a little bit of stress, and we can deal with it and recover, we’re actually building our tolerance to stress or building our resilience to stress.”

Coach Anthony talks about seeing stress as a positive:

Student-athlete Sam gives his perspective on stress and personal growth:

Coach Victor talks about teaching young people healthy stress management:

LEARNING COMMUNITY RESOURCES

HITG also includes a Learning Community for those committed to advancing youth mental wellbeing. The interactive platform promotes best practice sharing, useful tools and opportunities for training and knowledge-building for members. As part of its coaches trainings sessions, CHJS introduced the concept of “dosed stress,” which refers to maintaining manageable levels of stress and using stress as a positive force.

“I had never thought about how exercise and stress could work together to help the mind and body… I have noticed that stress has taught me to troubleshoot any issues. This thinking is crucial because it’ll help with future frustration when they do not get something ‘right’. I can’t wait to incorporate some ‘dosed stress’!”, shared a HITG Learning Community member.

Here are some resources and tips on stress from our Learning Community:

• Download CHJS’s Nothing Heals Like Sport playbook for tips on how to incorporate “dosed stress” into your practice plans.
• Check out the Stress Management Society’s (UK-based) free resources, including The Little By Little Journal.
• Explore School Break Resources from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), tailored to assist youth with their mental wellbeing during school closures. With the holidays approaching, it’s important to understand that school breaks are an ideal time for youth to relax and engage in activities. However, breaks may bring their own set of stressors for young people and their caregivers. Disrupted routines and other changes can contribute to stress.

Visit the Head In The Game campaign website to explore more resources and tips on managing mental wellbeing. If you’re interested in joining our HITG Learning Community, click here.

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As part of its Project Play initiative, The Aspen Institute has released its State of Play 2024 report. Each year, the report analyzes trends youth sports in the U.S. covering participation, physical and mental health, coaching and costs of play for young people aged 6-18.

The key takeaway of the 2024 report is that girls’ sports participation is increasing while boys’ participation is significantly declining. Girls aged 6-12 (34%) and 13-17 (38%) played at higher levels in 2023 than in any recent year dating to at least 2012. In 2013, half of boys aged 6-17 participated regularly in sports according to Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) data. Only 41% of boys did in 2023. Federal government data shows a decline for boys over the past decade.

Additionally, Black children are playing sports far less than they once did and Hispanic children are playing more. Only 35% of Black youth aged 6-17 regularly participated in sports during 2023, down from 45% in 2013, when Black children played at a higher rate than White peers. White, Hispanic and Asian children played sports more frequently in 2023 than Black youth. Participation by Hispanic children increased 14% in 2023 to its highest since 2016.

Among the findings:

• Children are also specializing in one sport even more after the pandemic. The average number of sports children aged 6-17 regularly played in 2023 was 1.63, which is down 13% from 2019. Over a decade ago, children used to play more than two sports on average.

• Parents value trustworthy and trained coaches. More than half of surveyed parents say that a trustworthy coach would increase their enthusiasm to commit their child to the long-term activity, recommend the activity to other parents and enroll their child in more activities.

• States are recognizing the value of mental health training for coaches. In 2024, seven high school state athletic associations required training for school coaches in mental health.
• Youth sports remain in a dynamic phase, increasingly disrupted by technology such as artificial intelligence, the professional leagues-driven growth of sports like flag football, and NCAA-driven shifts that opened the door to NIL cash and influence.

The 2024 State of Play report was informed by many sources including but not limited to data from the SFIA and National Survey of Children’s Health surveys. Findings were also drawn from interviews with leaders in the youth sports sector, additional research, and media accounts. This year, the report also includes “10 Youth Sports Trends to Watch.”

Photos: Aspen Institute

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The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), its members and the basketball community are advocating for civic engagement and voter participation in the run-up to the U.S. general election on Nov 5. Voter turnout in the 2020 U.S. general election soared to levels not seen in decades with more than 158.4 million people voting. However, the nation still falls short as compared to many other countries.

When comparing turnout among the voting-age population in the 2020 election against recent elections in 49 other countries, the U.S. ranks 31^st between Colombia and Greece. Additionally, the 2022 voter turnout rates of Black (15%) and Latino (14%) youth were far below those of youth overall (23%). Young women (25%) also voted at a slightly higher rate than young men (21%) and the gender gap was more pronounced among Black youth.

The NBPA joined forces with TUNL, a platform merging sports, fashion and culture, to release a new ‘But Did You Vote?’ capsule collection to encourage voter registration and poll turnout. Designed by Creative Director and TUNL founding team member, Desyrée Nicole, this is TUNL’s first apparel collaboration. To further support civic engagement, it will also join with the NBPA Foundation and Social Change Fund to donate to When We All Vote to host four “Party at the Polls” events in Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina and Wisconsin. The national, nonpartisan initiative was founded and co-chaired by former First Lady of the U.S. Michelle Obama to increase participation in every election and close the race and age gap in voter participation.

“Voting is one of the most powerful ways to drive change, especially among young and minority voters who play a pivotal role in shaping our futures,” said Ashley Champ, TUNL Founder and CEO. “Since inception, TUNL has been rooted in community building and driving cultural movements. This is more than just apparel; it’s a call to action to ensure your voice is heard.”

In addition to this effort, the NBA and the NBPA teamed up with Vet the Vote, a nonprofit organization that recruits veterans and military families to serve as election poll workers. Recruiting and retaining poll workers has become increasingly challenging. Typically, America needs approximately one million volunteer poll workers during a presidential election.

To address this critical issue, the NBA and NBPA joined a coalition of 40 other national veteran and military family service and engagement organizations and businesses, including the NFL and NASCAR, working together to inspire veterans and military family members to “serve their communities again” through Vet the Vote. With the NBA and NBPA’s help alone, the nonprofit has recruited over 162,000 members.

“Voting rights haven’t always been a privilege in this country,” said C.J. McCollum, President of the NBPA. “It is critical that we never forget that and use the power of our collective platforms to influence the change we hope to see in our country. Regardless of political affiliation or stance on key issues, it’s our goal to encourage not only NBA players, but all eligible voters to turn out to the polls this November and make their voices heard.”

The post NBPA & TUNL Partner On Creative U.S. Voting Initiative appeared first on Beyond Sport.

Afro-Indigenous professional boxer-turned-actress Kali Mequinonoag Reis and professional long-distance runner and Indigenous activist, Jordan Marie Whetstone are raising awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People (MMIWP) during this Sunday’s TCS New York City Marathon. Founded by Jordan, Rising Hearts is an Indigenous-led grassroots organization that works to elevate Indigenous voices, promote justice and dismantle racism and violence.

Kali and Jordan are running the 2024 race to bring more visibility to MMIWP and raise at least $100,000 to launch the organization’s ‘You Are Loved’ grant program. The community grant was created to help provide financial resources to the families and communities within the MMIWP space that need support in fighting for justice, accountability, healing and a safer future.

Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people are victims of violence at a much higher rate than other populations. Native women continue to go missing and are murdered at alarming rates. In 2016, The National Crime Information Center reported there were 5,712 reports of missing American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls. Only 116 of those cases ever made it into the U.S. Department of Justice’s federal missing persons database, NamUs.

Native women make up a significant proportion of missing and murder cases. Not only is the murder rate ten times higher than the national average for women living on reservations but murder is the third leading cause of death for Native women. This is startling as Native people only make up 2% of the US overall population. Additionally, Indigenous women are more likely to experience physical and sexual assault than non-Indigenous women.

Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Whetstone is a citizen of Kul Wičasa Oyaté (Lower Brule Sioux Tribe), while Native rights advocate Kali ‘KO’ Reis is of Seaconke Wampanoag and Cape Verdean decent. The two are running for justice and with purpose to raise funds for the grant which Rising Hearts created with the Urban Indigenous Collective (UIC). As shared on Instagram, “The financial stress can be a lot when a loved one is missing or found not alive. Most of the time, it’s the families that are fundraising immediately, survivors of violence needing resources and community advocacy organizations needing continuous funding to keep supporting the families, communities, survivors, advocacy, events and legislative efforts.”

Their 2024 TCS NYC Marathon fundraising goal is to initiate the grant program, with a long-term vision of securing sustained funding from both community sources and external agencies. Rising Hearts will donate $20K to directly support UIC’s MMIP Taskforce and the individuals they help. The organization states that it needs more resources to support court costs, search and rescue operations, data collection, travel for hearings, legal fees and mental health and wellness services. Applications for the grant program will go live January 1, 2025.

Jordan dedicated her 2019 Boston Marathon to 26 missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Since then, she has been on a mission to bring more visibility to the movement. Since 2020, Rising Hearts has helped raise over $200,000 through its virtual wellness campaigns for families of missing and murdered loved ones, advocates and survivors. Jordan will also run the California International Marathon on December 8 to continue fundraising for ‘You Are Loved.’

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UK charity Sported and UK sportswear brand SUDU are partnering to make running more attainable for young people in Greater Manchester and beyond. Through their Project Fair Play initiative, grassroots running clubs will receive vital support with a first year goal to get 1,000 youth running for the first time.

Rexona Breaking Limits Program grantee Sported encompasses the UK’s largest network of community groups working to promote fairness and create opportunities for young people. It supports 2,900 grassroots organizations, providing free professional expertise and resources to groups using sport and physical activity to positively impact youth. Nearly half of its members operate in the country’s most deprived areas, largely through volunteers and also facing challenges in accessing traditional funding sources.

Out of the groups Sported currently supports, only 50 focus on running. Therefore, Project Fair Play wants to engage more young people in the sport. It will provide grants and actively onboard more running-based groups as official Sported members. The initiative not only intends to help build running communities, but also to champion mental health and wellbeing, as well as create safe spaces for youth.

The initiative is offering seven grants of £1000 each to running groups that can demonstrate that they’re actively addressing three out of five societal issues outlined by Sported. These include fostering community cohesion, addressing inequality in sports participation, endorsing health and wellbeing, reducing crime and antisocial behaviors and making running accessible to everyone.

The project will provide these groups with grants throughout the rest of 2024 and 2025, which they can use for expenses. Expenses can include venue hire, sports gear, coaching costs, volunteer expenses, equipment, participant/activity costs, marketing and communications, training and qualifications and insurance and affiliation. In addition to these grants, it will also fund one ‘Deep Impact Grant’ to support an existing Manchester-based Sported community group.

“Opening the doors to help more young people take up running is one way to address inequalities in participation, as well as improving physical and mental wellbeing,” said Mark Woods, Head of Marketing at Sported. “We share the same goals – they’re all about inclusivity, diversity and giving everyone a fair chance in life. Through this program, we can make a real difference and we’re excited about what we can achieve working together.”

SUDU will also commission and fund a research and insights project to explore the disparity between running and other sports. The study will inform the development of a comprehensive plan to address the identified gaps and enhance accessibility for all running groups.

Photos: Sported X SUDU

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