Aspire Community & Charity Bounce Named As Inaugural ‘Futures in Motion’ Grantees
Beyond Sport and New Balance Foundation are excited to announce our first Futures in Motion grant recipients! Two Australian community organizations, Aspire Community and Charity Bounce, will receive funding and capacity-building support over the next three years to enhance programs advancing youth wellbeing, education, inclusion and career pathways, as well as their own organizational sustainability.
Futures in Motion launched in April 2025 to support community and nonprofit organizations who are promoting bright futures by unlocking and expanding opportunities for underserved youth through sport and physical activity. The initiative is currently supporting programs operating in Australia and Japan, with work underway to reach five additional international locations by 2027. Futures in Motion was developed and operates in close collaboration with in-country consultants, advisory groups and subject matter experts to ensure both cultural and local relevancy while addressing the specific barriers young people are facing in each country.
“Our support of Aspire Community and Charity Bounce aligns with our mission to champion organizations that create transformative opportunities for young people through sport. This milestone marks an exciting step forward in our commitment to leveraging sport as a catalyst for positive youth development and to driving lasting impact in our global communities,” said New Balance Foundation Director of Global Philanthropy, Molly Santry.
Grounded in nurturing positive youth development (PYD), Futures in Motion targets children and young people who are typically excluded from sport and the valuable personal development opportunities that come with it. In Australia, which is among the world’s most inactive nations, this is frequently the case for First Nations youth, girls and young women, people with disabilities, LGBTQI+ youth and those from multicultural backgrounds. Coupled with having to navigate additional systemic barriers and inequities, research conducted by Beyond Sport shows that many young people are facing rising health risks and widening inequities. However, the study also showed that “intentionally designed programs that integrate physical activity with leadership, life skills and social-emotional learning are highly effective.” Aspire Community and Charity Bounce are noted for their intersectional, equity-focused approaches and programs that empower young people to have an active role in their own growth.
“Both organizations exemplify what’s possible when sport is used to inspire and equip the next generation through thoughtful, culturally centered youth development,” said Beyond Sport Executive Director Fred Fikouhi-Turner. “With the New Balance Foundation, we’re proud to help them scale their impact so that more young people can lead change in their communities — on and off the field.”
