World ParaVolley will support eight grassroots development projects across five continents through its Activation Funding programme, committing €8,000 to initiatives designed to grow and strengthen Sitting Volleyball around the world.
Projects spreading across all Zones have each been awarded a €1,000 grant following a competitive application process that attracted 21 applications from 19 countries across five continents. The level and quality of interest actually led World ParaVolley to expand the programme beyond the five grants initially planned, allowing eight exciting projects to receive funding in 2026.
The successful recipients are:
- 🇨🇲 Cameroon – Power of Sport Association
Introducing Sitting Volleyball in Cameroon through discovery sessions, community partnerships and the training of local ambassadors, while building the organisational foundations for the sport’s long-term development in the country. The project expects to reach around 100 people and identify 15–20 potential players. - 🇧🇯 Benin – Judicaël Claver Elyon Gbeto
Building a network of Sitting Volleyball coaches and player-mentors through a three-day national training workshop, with 20–25 participants from across Benin and neighbouring countries equipped to take the sport back into their communities. - 🇬🇲 The Gambia – Serrekunda East Sports Development Organisation
Recruiting new Sitting Volleyball players through community outreach and talent identification, including come-and-try sessions, awareness activities and workshops, with the aim of reaching at least 50 new participants and bringing 30 into structured programmes. - 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico – PUR ParaVolley
Creating a grassroots Sitting Volleyball pathway across Puerto Rico through coach education, a regional community tour, “Try It Sitting” clinics and digital storytelling designed to recruit athletes and build awareness of the sport. - 🇨🇱 Chile – Club Deporte Adaptado Chile
Strengthening and institutionalising Sitting Volleyball nationally by working with the 15 Teletón Institutes, training professionals and supporting the development of clubs and structures towards the establishment of a Chilean ParaVolley federation. - 🇹🇬 Togo – Kuami Samani
Combining player recruitment with local coach development through come-and-try activities for people with disabilities and practical training for coaches and technical staff, helping new players move into existing Sitting Volleyball structures. - 🇫🇷 France – ASUL Lyon Volley
Creating a pathway from rehabilitation into regular Sitting Volleyball through a partnership with Hôpital des Massues, with discovery workshops and regular introductory sessions helping patients progress towards participation with ASUL Lyon Volley. - 🇲🇲 Myanmar – Myanmar Paralympic Sports Federation
Raising the visibility of Sitting Volleyball through a four-team awareness tournament, bringing together athletes, coaches and officials while using photography, video and social media to attract new participants and strengthen Myanmar’s existing ParaVolley community.
Together, the projects reflect the global ambition behind World ParaVolley’s Activation programme: supporting practical initiatives at local and national level that can introduce more people to Sitting Volleyball, develop capacity and leave sustainable structures behind.
From ideas to impact
Applications were first assessed against the programme’s qualifying criteria before being scored across six areas. Particular emphasis was placed on legacy and sustainability, which accounted for 25 per cent of the assessment, followed by strategic alignment with the programme’s objectives and the number of people the project could reach. Value for money, development need, and the ability to demonstrate and report the project’s impact were also considered – with the eight highest-scoring eligible projects being supported.
World ParaVolley Development Director Anton Raimondo said the response demonstrated both the appetite for grassroots development and the range of ideas emerging from within the global ParaVolley community:
“Receiving 21 applications from 19 countries across five continents shows just how much enthusiasm there is within our community to grow Sitting Volleyball. What was particularly encouraging was the variety of ideas and the focus applicants placed on creating something that can continue beyond the initial activity.”
“We originally planned to support five projects, but the strength of the applications led us to increase that to eight. These are relatively small grants, but when they are placed in the hands of people who understand their communities and know where they can make a difference, they can become the starting point for something much bigger.”
More than financial support
The Activation programme is designed to provide more than funding alone. The initiative will be coordinated through World ParaVolley’s Development Department, with Coaches Commission lead Matt Rogers supporting the connection between the funded projects and the wider aspects of the WPV Activation project. Each successful application will have the option of being paired with a WPV Coach Activator – an experienced coach or coach tutor who can provide practical advice and support as the project is planned and delivered.
Matt Rogers added:
“From Cameroon to Chile, Myanmar to Puerto Rico, the first group of Activation Funding recipients represents communities all at very different stages of their ParaVolley journeys. What connects them is the opportunity to create sustainable growth from the grassroots – bringing more people into the sport and strengthening the workforce and structures that can keep it growing.”
This new approach builds on World ParaVolley’s wider activation work, which has seen the sport introduced and strengthened through locally focused development initiatives in different parts of the world.
Creating a legacy
A central objective of the funding programme is ensuring that its impact extends beyond a single event or activity.
Successful projects will therefore document their work through photographs, video and reporting, including the number of participants reached and what structures, knowledge or opportunities remain in place afterwards.
That evidence will also help World ParaVolley evaluate the impact of the programme and demonstrate what targeted grassroots investment can achieve, providing valuable insight for potential future funding rounds.
All eight funded projects are scheduled to complete their activities by 15 December 2026. Over the coming months, World ParaVolley will share their stories from around the world as the projects move from ideas on paper to activities in their communities.
Eight projects, five continents, one goal – growing Sitting Volleyball.