New Balance Foundation and Beyond Sport Announce Aspire Community and Charity Bounce as First “Futures in Motion” Grant Recipients
The two Australian community sport for development organizations will receive funding and capacity-building support to nurture positive youth development through sport
MOORABBIN, VIC –10 September 2025 – New Balance Foundation and global sport for social change foundation, Beyond Sport, today announced the first grant recipients of the international “Futures in Motion” program. Two Australian community organizations, Aspire Community and Charity Bounce , will receive approximately a combined AUD 470,900 (USD 287,250) over the next three years to enhance their organizational sustainability and programs advancing youth wellbeing, education and career pathways through inclusive sport/physical activity.
Currently activating in Australia and Japan, the Futures in Motion program began in April 2025 to use sport to promote positive youth development (PYD) and bright futures while ensuring a focus on the specific cultural and local needs of their communities. The initiative targets children and young people who are typically excluded from sport and the valuable personal development opportunities that come with it, often resulting in health challenges and social inequities. In Australia, this is frequently the case for First Nations youth, girls and young women, people with disabilities, LGBTQI+ youth and those from multicultural backgrounds.
"We’re proud to expand New Balance Foundation’s grantmaking to Australia through the Futures in Motion initiative. 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 Molly Santry, Director of Global Philanthropy, New Balance Foundation
Aspire Community supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth with a focus on women and girls in remote Northern Australia, investing in Indigenous-led solutions that foster resilience, connection, and increased opportunities. This grant will support expansion of their "Learn, Lead, Play and Thrive: Where Sport Fuels Success" program which addresses economic disadvantage, school attendance, geographic isolation, and limited role models and access to sport. Through community programs, traditional Indigenous games/modified sports, mentorship, after school activities and education programs, Aspire Community is supporting healthy youth, empowered with life and leadership skills, and a strengthened sense of pride and purpose. Co-designed with their young participants, the program currently reaches upwards of 6,000 participants annually, with plans to reach up to 20,000 across three additional regions.
Since 2016, Charity Bounce (Bounce) has used basketball as a catalyst to build resilience, confidence and employability skills in young people. Operating in New South Wales, South Australia and the Northern Territory, as well as internationally, Bounce provides equitable access to sport and supporting youth development in underserved communities worldwide. This grant will help them scale their “Bounce Clubs,” encompassing weekly basketball programs; youth coach training and employment pathways; community and local school partnerships; and an athlete mentorship program led by professional athletes. The Clubs will improve access for First Nations youth, Pacific Islander young women, newly arrived refugees and culturally diverse youth, fostering teamwork, inclusiveness and personal development.
“We're excited to announce Aspire Community and Charity Bounce as our first ever Futures in Motion grantees. Both exemplify what’s possible when sport is used to inspire and equip the next generation through thoughtful, culturally centered youth development,” said Fred Fikouhi-Turner, Executive Director of Beyond Sport. “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."
The Futures in Motion program was both developed and operates in close collaboration with in-country consultants, advisory groups and subject matter experts to ensure both cultural and local relevancy. New Balance Foundation and Beyond Sport will also be announcing the Japan grantees in the coming weeks and are currently accepting funding applications for Poland. By 2027, the program looks to be active in seven locations, helping to strengthen community organizations, ensure their long-term sustainability and equip young leaders to drive change.
To learn more, visit beyondsport.org/futures-in-motion.
PRESS CONTACTS:
Karen Asare, Beyond Sport,press@beyondsport.org
Jacqueline Boas, New Balance Foundation,jacqueline.boas@newbalance.com
###
About New Balance Foundation
Since 1981, New Balance Foundation has invested in proven pathways to help young people achieve their goals. Grantmaking focuses on community-led, outcomes-driven initiatives that promote access to sport, educational support, career readiness and overall well-being. They have granted over $150 million to date to trailblazing non-profits across the globe. This includes more than $12 million in donations to 90 non-profits in 2024 alone. www.newbalancefoundation.org
About Beyond Sport
Beyond Sport is a global foundation that uses sport’s unique power to address the most critical social issues of our time. By championing people, programs and communities that are leveraging physical activity to build opportunity and equity, they are working to create a more inclusive and progressive world.Since 2008, Beyond Sport has raised over USD $24.5 million to promote social change through sport. To date, the foundation has granted over $14.3 million to organizations across 80 countries and 58 sports in addition to capacity-building support to create sustainable, long-term impact. beyondsport.org