Athlete Grant Program
The SimiSleighs Foundation Athlete Grant program aims to advance gender equality by empowering female Olympic and Paralympic athletes and hopefuls from around the world with the support and tools they need to elevate their capacity to change the game on and off the field of play.
MEET OUR 2023 INAUGURAL CLASS!
A top-ranked Canadian basketball player, mom and advocate for indigenous communities, an American wheelchair racing legend and disability rights activist and a barrier-breaking Egyptian modern pentathlete and leading voice for women in sport join us in the inaugural cohort.
They're deeply dedicated athletes who are equally passionate about fueling positive change in the world. They are rising leaders, bold thinkers, curious minds with authentic voices, poised to write their own history. They're dreaming of their place on the podium and how it can serve as a vehicle for changing the world.
Paige Crozon is a national team athlete and Olympic hopeful on Team Canada 3x3. She is currently ranked 2nd in the world. Team Canada clinched the #1 world ranking after winning the Women’s Series in September, 2022. Crozon and her team won the FIBA Americup, silver medal at the World Cup, and four Women’s Series stops last season. Crozon is one of the original members of Team Canada 3x3 since its inception in 2019. The team has over an 80% win percentage in their three seasons. Crozon also played on the 5 on 5 Canadian National Team for six years. She participated in three World Championships, the Pan American Games, Commonwealth Games, FISU World Games, and other events. Crozon is currently the Assistant Coach for the University of Lethbridge Women’s Basketball Team, and Manager of the Living Skies Indigenous Basketball League. In 2021, Crozon was the first female coach in Saskatchewan to coach men's professional sports with the Saskatchewan Rattlers. Crozon recently completed her Master of Business Administration, and is mom to four-year-old Poppy. She is already teaching Poppy how to shoot a jump shot.
PAIGE CROZON
BASKETBALL (CANADA)
PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC HOPEFUL
As a mom and through my work with youth in indigenous communities, my hope is to push doors open and eliminate barriers to participation.
Tatyana McFadden is considered the fastest woman wheelchair racer in the world having competed at 6 Paralympic Games (Athens,Beijing,London,Sochi,Rio,Tokyo); winning 20 medals- 8 are Gold, & 24 World Major Marathon wins. In Rio she was selected Best Female Athlete and honored as the top female athlete of the Games.In the world of elite marathon competitions, she is the only individual, man or woman-able bodied or disabled, to win the “Grand Slam”- 4 Major Marathons (Boston,New York, Chicago,London) in the same year. She repeated 4 years in a row. She worked as a producer and star of “Rising Phoenix”, the Netflix drama telling the story of the Paralympic Movement receiving 2 prestigious Sports Emmy Awards.Tatyana’s advocacy led to the passage of the Maryland Fitness & Athletics Equity Act, requiring schools to give students with disabilities opportunities to compete in interscholastic athletics, which became federal legislation ensuring students with disabilities across the USA have equal access.She is the recipient of numerous awards including an ESPY as Best Female Athlete with aDisability, the Juan Antonio Samaranch Disabled Athlete Award from the International Olympic Committee and was named World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability by the Laureus Foundation.Tatyana has her master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Illinois and is training for Paris 2024.
TATYANA MCFADDEN, 6X PLY
TRACK & FIELD (USA)
PARIS 2024 PARALYMPIC HOPEFUL
I continue to be a voice and leader in speaking, advocating and changing laws and perceptions to make sure access and inclusion are afforded to all around the world.
Haydy Adel Morsy is an astounding Egyptian modern pentathlete who encourages female participation in sports. She has had tremendous success by qualifying a total of two times at the Olympics at only 23 years old. Haydy is known as the youngest Egyptian female to ever participate in Modern Pentathlon at the Rio 2016 Olympics. She has been able to carry the Egyptian flag proudly all over the world. As a well-established and renowned Egyptian female athlete in a country in which fewer females play sports, she has been able to use her voice to advocate change. She is focused on breaking this cultural norm by encouraging the younger female generation to participate in sports. Haydy was part of the first Egypt Athletes Forum held at AUC on March 18th ,2023, in which she shared her inspiring story and how much being a modern pentathlete has positively impacted her life. She believes that sports are a way of life and something that everyone can and should partake in.
HAYDY MORSY, 2X OLY
MODERN PENTATHLON (EGYPT)
PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC HOPEFUL
As an Egyptian female athlete in a country in which few women play sports, I’m focused on breaking this cultural norm by encouraging younger generations to participate in sports.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The SimiSleighs Foundation Athlete Grant program is a holistic one-year program for female athletes Olympic and Paralympic athletes and hopefuls. It empowers rising leaders from around the world with the tools they need to elevate to the next level through meaningful experiences and practical skill building. During the program, grant recipients participate in monthly virtual events designed to support their personal and professional development, enhance their ability to lead and expand their global network. As part of the program support, grant recipients are also eligible to receive financial assistance of up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000 USD), which may be used to cover approved expenses related to training to represent their country at an upcoming Olympic or Paralympic Games. The program launched in 2023 and is expected to scale in future years on a path to award $1M USD in grant funding to elite female athletes in the next decade. The program runs annually from April to March. Upon completion of the program, participants will have gained a deeper understanding of how their influence as athletes advances their ability to enact change. Participants will also gain a broader global perspective, access to experienced mentors in the SimiSleighs Foundation network, and an opportunity to expand their vision and strengthen their voice.
ATHLETE GRANT PROGRAM BENEFITS
Financial Support
Each individual grantee will be granted an award of up to $10,000 USD to pay for costs associated with athlete training and competition expenses.
Personal and Professional Development
Grant recipients receive individual and group coaching and skills development training.
Leadership Development
Access to highly curated programming designed to strengthen and enhance athletes’ ability to lead.
Support Networks
Athletes expand their global network by connecting with other athletes and opportunities to connect with expert volunteers, world-class specialists, innovators and leadership coaches.
LEARN MORE
The SimiSleighs Athlete Grant Program is not currently accepting applications. To receive news and updates on future programs, events, how to get involved and more, sign up for our newsletter.