The Grindstone Award Foundation provides funding for young female hockey players who have the passion to play but face financial challenges.
2026/27 Grant Applications Now Open!
Registration Grants Open May 1, 2026
Thank you to our Grindstone donors and partners
The Grindstone Award Foundation provides grant funds to go towards hockey registration fees.
Deadlines to apply are as follows:
- Early Bird: June 30, 2026
- Round 2: July 31, 2026
- Final Deadline: August 31, 2026
Equipment Grants Open May 1, 2026
Courtesy of the NHLPA
Female players requiring equipment can apply to receive a full set of equipment donated by the NHLPA Goals & Dreams.
Deadline to apply is June 14, 2026
The Grindstone Steps
To be eligible for the registration and equipment grants, families must first meet specific financial criteria as per Revenue Canada’s Low-Income Cut-Offs (LICO) chart.
Players must be between the ages of 6 and 18 at the time of application.
The applying player and/or their family must submit an application via this website.
Applications must include the most recent Notice of Assessment for all guardians of the child.
Identify as female.
Important Notes
- Players and their families are able to apply for both the registration grant and the equipment grant.
- Recipients will be selected based on an objective and non-discriminatory basis. Recipients will be selected regardless of race, colour, religion or sexual orientation.
- Players can only receive the NHLPA Goals & Dreams equipment grant once every 3 seasons.
Applications for the Registration grant open on May 1st and close on August 31st of each year. The grants provided will go toward the upcoming hockey season.
Registration applications will be assessed up until August 31st and you will be notified if your child will receive a grant prior to September 15th.
Applications for the NHLPA Goals & Dreams Equipment grant open May 1st and close on June 14th of each year.
Equipment applications will be assessed in June and you will be notified if your child will receive an equipment grant prior to June 30th.
Registration grants will provide up to $500 to go toward paying player registration fees.
Equipment grants include all player or goalie gear, jersey, stick, and hockey bag.
If selected to receive a Registration grant, Grindstone will work directly with the player’s association to provide the grant to be applied to the child’s registration.
If selected to receive an Equipment grant, Grindstone will work directly with the player’s family and the NHLPA Goals & Dreams team to coordinate sizing and shipping information.
Other Notes
- Up to 3 siblings from the same family can be eligible to receive a grant in the same season (up to a total of $1000 per family).
- Players can receive a grant from Grindstone for multiple years, as long as they still meet the eligibility criteria.
- If selected for a grant, families must provide proof of registration no later than November 30th of that grant year.
Before You Apply
In order to apply, please have the following ready:
- Contact information (Name, email address, address, etc)
- Player information (Date of birth, association, team, etc)
- Proof of Financial Need (Notice of assessment for all guardians of the child)
- The applying player – we want to hear from them!
Need Help?
If you have questions about the application process, please contact grants@grindstoneaward.com
