Inclusion in Canadian Sports Network (ICSN)

What Inclusion in Canadian Sports Network (ICSN) does

Inclusion in Canadian Sports Network (ICSN) is a federally recognized, Canadian national not-for-profit multi-sport organization dedicated to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) coaches, officials, sport administrators, and support staff across the amateur sport system. Originally founded as the Black Canadian Coaches Association (BCCA), the organization rebranded to ICSN and broadened its mandate from a Black-focused mission to encompass all BIPOC communities, operating today under President & CEO Shauna Bookal with a 9-person core team based in the Greater Toronto Area (Mississauga/Toronto, Ontario).

ICSN's program portfolio is anchored by BIPOC Mentorship, the Sport Leadership Program (launched in 2025 with the Northpine Foundation), Breaking Barriers (swimming instruction), Building Bridges (youth development with law enforcement), Emerging BIPOC Leaders, and flagship annual events including the Diversity in Sports Conference (DISC, in its 4th year) and Black Leaders in Sports Day. The organization also maintains a Resources Hub, a Multicultural EDI Calendar, and Speaking Engagements services. There is no proprietary technology platform; delivery is conducted through in-person programs, events, publications, and digital content. ICSN holds formal recognition from Sport Canada as a Multi-Sport Organization and is cited in the Future of Sport in Canada Commission's Final Report.

ICSN's revenue model is characteristic of a Canadian registered charity: multi-source funding comprising federal allocations (Sport Canada), provincial grants (Ontario), Canadian Heritage, foundation grants (notably Northpine Foundation), contributions from the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada (SDRCC), and individual donations facilitated through platforms such as Charitable Impact. Go-to-market is partnership-led rather than commercial; ICSN has executed concurrent strategic partnerships with Sport for Life, the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI), and Rainbow Registered (all May 2026), aligning the organization across sport-system, corporate-DEI, and 2SLGBTQI+ inclusion ecosystems. Customer segments for its programming are BIPOC sport practitioners and amateur sport organizations, while its funding segment spans federal/provincial governments, private foundations, and individual donors.

Name

Inclusion in Canadian Sports Network (ICSN)

Legal name

Inclusion in Canadian Sports Network

Website

https://inclusionincanadiansports.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ICSN is a Canadian national not-for-profit multi-sport organization advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion for BIPOC coaches, officials, and administrators across the Canadian amateur sport system through mentorship programs, leadership pathways, conferences, and strategic partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Sport Equity and Inclusion Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Amateur Sport Governing Bodies & Federations (National/Regional) (MPAKACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Amateur & Grassroots Sport Associations (Community/Youth Governing Orgs) (MPAKAFAF), Olympic & Multi-Sport Movement Organizations (NOCs, Olympic Committees) (MPAKACAI)

Keywords

• Sport equity inclusion
• BIPOC mentorship programs
• Nonprofit sport advocacy
• Community sport development
• Anti-racism education

Headquarters

HQ city

Mississauga

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations: ICSN accepts charitable donations through platforms like Charitable Impact to fund programs and initiatives supporting BIPOC representation in Canadian sport.
2. Government and Foundation Funding: Funded in part by federal government, Ontario government, Canadian Heritage, and various foundations including Northpine Foundation and Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada Inc. (SDRCC).
3. Partnership Contributions: Strategic partnerships with organizations like Sport for Life, CCDI, and Rainbow Registered contribute to collaborative initiatives and shared resources.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ICSN delivers community programs, mentorship, leadership training, conferences, and educational resources to advance representation and create pathways for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) coaches, officials, sport administrators, and youth within the Canadian amateur sport system. Core offerings include the BIPOC Mentorship Program, Breaking Barriers Program, Building Bridges Program, Emerging BIPOC Leaders Program, Sport Leadership Program, the annual Diversity in Sports Conference (DISC), Black Leaders in Sports Day, and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Awards, supplemented by a Resources Hub and Speaking Engagements for sport organizations.

Product overview

ICSN is a national not-for-profit multi-sport organization dedicated to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion across the Canadian amateur sport system. Formerly known as the Black Canadian Coaches Association (BCCA), ICSN offers a portfolio of programs focused on creating pathways for BIPOC coaches, officials, sport administrators, and support staff through community connection, education, professional development, and job opportunities. The core programs include the BIPOC Mentorship Program, Breaking Barriers Program, Building Bridges Program, Emerging BIPOC Leaders Program, Sport Leadership Program, Diversity in Sports Conference (DISC), Black Leaders in Sports Day, and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Awards. Supporting offerings include a Resources Hub, Multicultural EDI Calendar, Speaking Engagements, and the Game Changer membership initiative. The organization also maintains strategic partnerships with Sport for Life, the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion, and Rainbow Registered to advance inclusive sport across Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BIPOC Mentorship Program A national initiative designed to increase representation and create meaningful leadership opportunities for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) individuals across the Canadian sport system through mentorship pairings and support.
• Breaking Barriers Program A national initiative designed to increase access, representation, and leadership opportunities for BIPOC individuals within the Canadian sport system, including personalized one-on-one swimming instruction and youth skill development.
• Building Bridges Program A relationship-first youth development initiative designed to foster trust, understanding, and meaningful connections between Black youth and Black law enforcement officers.
• Emerging BIPOC Leaders Program A national leadership initiative designed to increase representation and create pathways for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour in Canadian sport leadership.
• Sport Leadership Program Creates pathways to meaningful employment within the sport sector by supporting individuals facing barriers to entry through subsidized training, certifications, and direct employer connections.
• Diversity in Sports Conference (DISC) An annual event that brings together individuals and organizations from across Canada to learn, connect, and collaborate on creating a more inclusive and equitable amateur sport system.
• Black Leaders in Sports Day An annual national gathering that convenes emerging and established Black leaders from across Canada's amateur sport system to address systemic inequities, strengthen leadership pathways, amplify lived experiences, and build sustainable networks of support and accountability.
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Awards An initiative recognizing individuals and grassroots/community sport organizations that are championing equity, diversity, and inclusion across Canadian amateur sport.
• Resources Hub An online hub bringing together curated ICSN and community resources to support inclusive, safe, and equitable sport environments, including research reports, policy briefs, practical guides, and educational tools on anti-racism, inclusive leadership, safe sport practices, and community engagement.
• Multicultural EDI Calendar A multicultural equity, diversity, and inclusion calendar designed to educate about cultural events, celebrations, and traditions throughout the year to support EDI awareness and inclusive practices within sport organizations.
• Speaking Engagements Presentations and workshops delivered by ICSN to emerging BIPOC leaders, secondary school students, sport organizations, national sport bodies, post-secondary institutions, and government sectors on equity, diversity, and inclusion in sport, typically 45 minutes to 2 hours in length.
• Become a Game Changer A membership initiative welcoming athletes, academics, parents, and sports fans who support racial equity in the Canadian sports community to join ICSN's network of allies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Recognized as organization advancing EDI in Canadian sport by Future of Sport in Canada Commission (Chapter 7, p. 268)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2026Strategic alliance announced May 20, 2026 aimed at advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion across the Canadian sport system. Focuses on co-developing educational opportunities, sharing resources and best practices, and supporting organizations in strengthening inclusive policies. CCDI is a recognized national charitable organization established in 2013.
• Sport for LifecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Strengthened partnership announced May 1, 2026 to advance inclusive, accessible, and community-driven sport across Canada. Organizations will co-host webinars, workshops, and community-based learning opportunities while engaging in knowledge-sharing and project co-creation. Combines ICSN's reach into equity-deserving communities with Sport for Life's national infrastructure.
• Rainbow Registered (CQCC - Canadian Queer Chamber of Commerce)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Collaboration announced May 1, 2026 to strengthen inclusive practice, accountability, and belonging for 2SLGBTQI+ individuals across the Canadian sport system. Aligns Rainbow Registered's accreditation standards with ICSN's national role supporting the amateur sport ecosystem. Focus areas include collaborative learning opportunities, knowledge-sharing initiatives, and integration of inclusion standards.
• Government of Canada / Sport CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecognized as a Multi-Sport Organization under Sport Canada. Receives federal government funding as part of the sport system's equity initiatives. The Future of Sport in Canada Commission's Final Report recognizes ICSN's role in advancing equity and inclusion.
• Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada Inc. (SDRCC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a funding partner providing support for ICSN's operations and programs.
• RBC Training GroundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization with whom ICSN has collaborated on diversity initiatives in sport. Featured at DISC 2026 with RBC Training Ground fireside chat.
• Coaching Association of Canada (CAC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational coaching organization with whom ICSN has conducted speaking engagements and workshops on EDI in sport.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Canadian Women & Sport: National non-profit advancing gender equity and inclusion in Canadian sport through research, advocacy, and programs. Operates in the same EDI-in-sport space as ICSN with comparable non-profit model, national mandate, and stakeholder engagement.
• True Sport Foundation: Canadian charitable foundation promoting values-based, ethical, and inclusive sport. Comparable non-profit funding model and EDI remit, with overlapping community of national sport organization partners.
• Aboriginal Sport Circle (now Indigenous Sport Circle): National Indigenous-led organization advancing Indigenous participation, coaching, and leadership in Canadian sport. Directly comparable to ICSN as a federally connected equity-focused multi-sport organization working on representation pathways for an equity-deserving community.
• Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario (ISWO): Provincial Indigenous sport organization serving Ontario with mandates overlapping ICSN's grassroots programs — youth access, coaching pathways, and leadership development for equity-deserving communities in sport.

Broad incumbents

• Right To Play: International organization using sport to educate and empower youth facing disadvantage. Share ICSN's sport-for-impact non-profit model and youth development philosophy, though operating globally rather than nationally in Canada.
• Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI): National charitable organization providing EDI training, consulting, and resources across industries. Strategic alliance partner with ICSN (announced May 20, 2026), sharing educational-programming DNA but operating across all sectors rather than sport specifically.
• Coaching Association of Canada (CAC): National governing body for coach education and certification in Canada. ICSN conducts EDI workshops with CAC, and CAC's coach-development mandate overlaps with ICSN's BIPOC coaching pathway programs at a national scale.
• Sport for Life: National non-profit promoting sport literacy and inclusive, accessible sport across Canada. Directly comparable scale and mandate; ICSN has a 2026 strategic alliance with Sport for Life, reflecting their peer relationship in advancing community-driven sport.

Emerging players

• Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities: National charity helping remove financial barriers to sport participation for Canadian youth. Comparable youth-access-to-sport focus and dependency on corporate/foundation funding, though Jumpstart targets financial rather than racial barriers.

Regional players

• viaSport: British Columbia's provincial sport organization funding and supporting sport participation across the province. Comparable non-profit mandate to advance inclusive sport access and EDI; differs from ICSN by being provincially scoped to BC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/InclusionCSN
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inclusioncsn
• Instagraminstagram.com/inclusioncsn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Inclusion in Canadian Sports Network (ICSN)