Our
Commitment:
As a champion for athletes and sport, we’re investing in nonprofits that elevate Indigenous communities in North America. Since 2022, we have invested $625,000 in grants annually, administered by CAF America, to nonprofits that are powering the future of youth sport. This investment continues the legacy of our support for Indigenous communities through the N7 Fund and other grants, totaling $13.4 million to more than 300 organizations since 2009.
Timeline:
- Application process opens: November 1, 2025
- Application process closes: January 16, 2026
- Grant payments disbursed: June 2026
Funding Priorities:
- 100 percent of grant awards support projects that promote sport or physical activity for Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native, First Nations, and Native American kids with an emphasis on girls ages 7 - 17.
Grant Amount:
- Approved grants will be $25,000.00
Geographic Focus:
- Grant applications are accepted from nonprofits specifically serving Native Hawaiian kids with an emphasis on girls ages 7 - 17
- Grant applications are accepted from nonprofits specifically serving Alaska Native kids with an emphasis on girls ages 7 - 17
- Grant applications are accepted from nonprofits specifically serving First Nation kids with an emphasis on girls ages 7 - 17
- Grant applications are accepted from nonprofits specifically serving Native American kids with an emphasis on girls ages 7 - 17
- And/or grant applications are accepted from nonprofits specifically serving Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native, First Nations, and Native American kids with an emphasis on girls ages 7 - 17
Organizational Requirements:
- Applications are accepted from organizations that are a 501(c)(3) public charity or a qualified donee registered with the Canada Revenue Agency. We are unable to support neither private operating foundations nor private non-operating foundations.
Strong Proposals:
Intentionally serve communities of Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, First Nations and/or Native American with a
board and staff who are representative of those communities.
- Employ
a creative approach to, or a proven method for, addressing local needs.
- Reflect
careful planning, clear goals, and a plan for sustainability.
- Include
a project budget that is reasonable.
- Articulate
a clear need.
- Receive
support from a variety of sources that may include dollars, in-kind
donations, or partnerships.
At Nike, Inc, we believe in the power of sport to unleash an athlete’s greatest potential. At Nike, Inc., if you have a body, you are an athlete. We believe that the best way to understand the passion and impact an organization brings to the Indigenous youth in their community is by getting a glimpse of it firsthand. As part of the application process on page 6, you will be asked to upload a 2-minute video. Applicants should spend up to 1 minute introducing the organization and up to 1 minute presenting the sport program. Video production quality will not factor into our scoring; we just want to know how your team is moving the world forward through the power of sport.
Requests Not Funded:
- Individual
support (including scholarships, stipends, fellowships, and personal
assistance)
- Group
or individual travel.
- Research
projects.
- Sponsorship
of fundraising events.
- Events or camps that are less than 6 weeks total, unless the focus of the project is on program(s) leading up to a culminating event.
- Endowments,
memorials, budget deficits, or fundraising activities.
- Religious
organizations whose programs do not have a secular and community focus.
- Lobbying,
political, or fraternal activities.
- Capital
projects unless Nike’s award would be the final funding needed.
Customer Service:
For questions regarding the grant request form or N7 Fund program,
please e-mail:
n7@cafamerica.org. Please allow two working days for a response.