Temple University’s School of Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality Management, in collaboration with the United Women’s Ball Hockey Foundation, hosted the 2026 Strong Women Strong Sport Summit.
Strong Women Strong Sport Summit
This annual think-tank-style event took place on January 29th and 30th at Alter Hall, with two primary goals: celebrate National Women and Girls in Sport Day (which took place the following week) and create an environment where resources are available and questions can be answered for individuals at any part in their sport industry careers (undergraduate/graduate students, entrepreneurs, administrators, among other key stakeholders). With a foundation built on women’s successes and ongoing fight for representation and opportunities in this field, participants and audience members were instilled with advice and experiences that catalyze leadership, equity, and sustainability.
From Proposal to Program: Making Grant Funding Work for Community Sport Workshop
The first workshop of the event was hosted by SIRC’s very own Dr. Gareth Jones, along with panelists Dr. Gina Tripicchio (Associate Professor, Barnett College of Public Health), Amy Lackpour (Associate Director of Institutional Giving, Students Run Philly Style), and Caitlin Mance (Executive Director, Philadelphia City Rowing). Through the presence of these professionals, the core goal was to navigate the often challenging world of grants, whether it be finding foundations to partner with, the application process, or writing grants.
Between the panel’s personal insights, the audience was tasked with completing an environmental assessment of their respective program using two key discussion questions. The first recommends reflecting on the program’s mission and desired outcomes, recognizing which aspects of the organization allow these missions and outcomes to come to fruition. The latter beckons the audience to consider the resources available to their program for grant finding, writing, and managing.
Due to the use of personalized questioning, programs of all sizes and capacities can feel seen. This is particularly important when it comes to grants, as the available capital (human and monetary) will vary between programs. This is bolstered by the diverse list of resources provided to the audience, from smaller private grant foundations to city grant opportunities. To further tailor the experience to differing needs, the panelists opened the workshop for questions, allowing program stakeholders to explain their situation for individualized assistance.
Closing
All in all, the Sport Industry Research Center is lucky and proud to have collaborated with the UWBHF to host the Strong Women Strong Sport Summit. National Girls and Women in Sports Day deserves the spotlight to begin and continue vital dialogues around the hardworking and passionate women who catalyze growth and fight for equity in the sports industry. SIRC hopes to continue this collaboration in the future.