EDI Initiatives

Want to contribute to the ongoing work of advancing transformative inclusivity at the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE)?

We welcome all KPE students, faculty, staff and alumni to engage in our equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives. Explore some of the projects currently under way to see how you can take part.

Current Calls for Participation

Stay tuned for future opportunities to contribute to initiatives facilitated by the KPE EDI Office! Past initiatives have been structured as a community creation process, and have welcomed a range of experiences and knowledges including academic, physical activity, culture and sport lenses.

equity ideas fund

Did you know that student groups can apply for up to $500 in funding for initiatives related to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging?

Students from all three campuses are invited to develop and propose an initiative in the form of an event and/or project, which meets and advances the Faculty’s equity goals and aspirations. Proposed initiatives must be related to diversity and equity, as well as physical activity, physical and/or mental health and wellness.

Proposals are considered within the scope and parameters of the Faculty’s Equity Ideas Fund approval process.

The Equity Ideas Fund is not currently accepting applications. The deadline to apply for the 2025-26 academic year was January 30, 2026.

Apply Now!

Eligibility Criteria

Student groups applying to EIF must meet the following criteria for their application to be considered:

The application must be from student groups or organizations at the University of Toronto.
The funds must be applied to events or projects aimed at students at the University of Toronto.
The events or projects must be not-for-profit and the fee of admission for attending must be free for students.
Proposed initiatives must be related to equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging, as well as physical activity, and physical or mental health and wellness.
Each student organization may receive funding from the Equity Ideas Fund for a maximum of one event or program per academic year.
Upon application approval, groups must continue to meet the Requirements of Equity Ideas Fund Recipients below.

Requirements for Equity Idea Fund Recipients

Successful applicants to the Equity Ideas Fund will be approved for a certain amount of funding up to $500, granted through a reimbursement process. The Equity Ideas Fund will provide reimbursement following the event or initiative given that groups comply with the following grant requirements:

Original, itemized receipts or invoices must be provided within 10 days following the event or initiative.
The purchases to be reimbursed must be made on a maximum of two credit or debit cards. Ideally, one individual should be making all the purchases to be reimbursed.
Complete a final report before receiving reimbursement. Please review the final report during the planning process of your event or initiative and ensure that your group is able to keep track of all the required pieces for the report (e.g. participant numbers).
All event promotions must include our "Funded by Sport & Rec" logo lockup (to be provided upon approval) AND be approved by our communications team before distribution.
- We recommend promotional items be sent in for approval to equityideasfund.kpe@utoronto.ca a minimum of two weeks before planned distribution to allow time for the review process.

Please note, reimbursement usually takes about 2 weeks from the time of submission (all requirements are met and all paperwork is submitted with no issues) to the time a cheque is received.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can apply for EIF?

Any University of Toronto student(s) or student groups may apply for the Equity Ideas Fund. Student groups do not need to be recognized by the University of Toronto Student Union (UTSU) to apply.

What kind of initiatives does EIF support?

The Equity Ideas Fund supports all kinds of student-led initiatives related to equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging, and physical activity. These initiatives must be free for students to participate, non-for-profit, and meet the additional eligibility criteria listed above.

What can the funds be used for?

Upon application approval, groups will receive notice of which expenses the funds may be applied to based off their proposed budget. In general, the funds may be used for various event-related expenses, including (but not limited to) catering, supplies, and event materials. The funds may NOT be used for the purchase of gift cards, to pay honoraria, or for rental spaces (although we are happy to offer you space in our facilities, if available).

When is the deadline to apply?

We accept applications all year around! The Equity Ideas Fund operates on a rolling basis starting May 1 and running until we've allocated our funding for the year, resetting May 1 of the following year. We typically do not accept applications for initiatives and events that occur in late March to May 1 as we transition into the new fiscal year.

While there is no solid deadline for how early an application must be submitted for consideration before your initiative takes place, our team recommends a period of at least three weeks prior to the event date.

How many times can I/my student group apply for the Equity Ideas Fund?

There is no cap on how many times student groups can apply for the Equity Ideas Fund, however, students groups may only receive funding for a maximum of one event or program per semester, and preference may be given to student groups who have not yet been approved during the academic year.

I have more questions.

Email the Equity Ideas Fund with additional questions

Resources

Spotlight on EDI Initiatives

Outta My End Zone – Heated Rivalry, Desire & the Queering of Sport

two silhouettes of hockey players head to head with event title and date

Held on March 12, 2026, this exciting and multidimensional event explored the ways that queer sensibilities and identities show up in sports spaces, using popular Canadian television show Heated Rivalry as an entry point.

Building on the work of scholars like Brian Pronger, who argued that athletic spaces—locker rooms, training facilities, the rink, the field—are deeply relational, emotionally charged, and saturated with desire, the event featured a powerful academic context setting by KPE professor Caroline Fusco and a panel discussion moderated by assistant professor Sabrina Razack.

Panelists included actor Brandon Ash-Mohammed, Varsity Blues alumnus Maxwell Gyimah and KPE EDI Director Terry Gardiner. Accompanied by dynamic performances by the Varsity Blues Pom Team and an audience Q&A, the event illuminated the importance of queer representation, inclusion and that sports communities can support 2SLGBTQIA+ athletes and administrators in being their full selves in physical activity spaces.

Watch a recap of Outta My End Zone: Heated Rivalry, Desire and the Queering of Sport

Celebrating U of T's Disability Advocates

A partnership between KPE, Student Life and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Office, this site recognizes notable persons with disabilities whose contributions have been vital to the excellence of the University of Toronto.

Launched in 2025 on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which is observed on December 3, the site is a legacy project. It will continue to expand in the future with new stories and lived experiences of notable individuals with disabilities who have shaped and strengthened the U of T community.

Visit the Celebrating U of T's Accessibility Advocates website

Black History Here and Now

4 different Black athletes in different sports: track, swimming, hockey and gymnastics

A virtual tour developed by a collaborative group of students, staff and faculty at the Faculty, this website aims to bring a unique learning experience to the U of T community during Black History Month.

Launched in 2024, Black History Here & Now seeks to examine Canadian physical activity and sport history, highlighting the experiences of Black Canadians in the context of KPE’s physical activity spaces. New stops on the virtual tour are added each year.

Take the Virtual Tour

The Role of Physical Activity and Sport in Reconciliation

In 2023, KPE hosted a conversation with athlete, human rights lawyer and Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) commissioner Wilton Littlechild. Littlechild sat down with the KPE dean, Gretchen Kerr, to share his experiences as a residential school survivor and his work to advance reconciliation, emphasizing the power of sport to bring people together.

Task Force on Race and Indigeneity

In 2017, KPE created the Task Force on Race & Indigeneity to improve equity and diversity in all its programming, including sports, recreation, intramurals, curricula and research.

The task force examined multiple aspects of the institutional, work, academic and co-curricular environments at KPE as well as systemic barriers to access in admissions, curriculum, retention, employment, and participation in the Faculty’s programs.

Learn more about KPE's Task Force on Race and Indigeneity