The Agitos Foundation has announced that projects from eight NPCs and one IF are the first-time recipients among the 30 grantees of its Grant Support Programme in 2018 ©Agitos Foundation

The Agitos Foundation has announced that projects from eight National Paralympic Committees (NPC) and one International Federation are the first-time recipients among the 30 grantees of its Grant Support Programme (GSP) in 2018.

In its sixth edition, the GSP has made available grants of up to €40,000 (£35,000/$46,000) for summer sports and winters sports projects which it hopes will have an impact on the growth and development of the Paralympic Movement around the globe.

Bhutan, Cameroon, Canada, Grenada, Latvia, Luxembourg, Sweden and Togo are the NPCs receiving grants for the first time, while World Para Snowboard is the new International Federation awarded by the GSP.

Almost half of all International Paralympic Committee (IPC) members have benefited from the GSP since the programme was launched in 2013.

The initiatives supported by the development arm of the IPC include areas such as athlete development, sport technical education, awareness campaigns and equipment purchase.

"The Grant Support Programme is crucial to the development of the Paralympic Movement," IPC President Andrew Parsons said.

"With close to 180 projects funded in six years, the programme has provided support to almost one in every two IPC members and impacted thousands of people around the world through Para-sports."


The Brazilian added: "This year we once again have projects from all continents being awarded, with more developing regions receiving grants.

"We welcome new initiatives while we also see the continuity of successful projects from previous years, reinforcing our commitment to make an organisation for all."

A total of 63 applications were submitted to the Agitos Foundation this year.

Of the 30 recipients, 17 come from NPCs, 10 from International Federations, two from regional organisations and one from an International Organisation of Sport for the Disabled.

"We were highly impressed by the quality of the applications this year," IPC Governing Board member Rita van Driel, chair of the GSP selection process in 2018, said.

"It shows the importance of the Grant Support Programme and the impact this programme has had in the development of the Paralympic Movement."

A total of 31 Para-sport development projects were granted funding through the GSP in 2017.