We are very excited to share the selected grantees with you for the fourth annual Pushing Against Racism Fund! It’s always a highlight of the year to read through these incredibly exciting applications from organizations around the world that are creating new opportunities for marginalized communities through skateboarding.

This year, the Pushing Against Racism (PAR) Fund received 172 applications across the six continents, which is the most applications ever received. The PAR Working Group then shortlisted 42 applications and passed these on to our panel of expert Jury Members. The projects were assessed based on: the diversity of their teams and the communities they work with; the originality and feasibility of their skateboarding-based activity plan; the social value of the proposed initiative; and the applicants’ previous experience with social skateboarding.

We have now selected 18 projects from 14 different countries to receive a total of $30,000 USD in grants. These projects submitted outstanding proposals which aim to promote greater racial equity within skateboarding (locally and globally), improve the physical and mental well-being of young people, and provide access to skateboarding and other creative learning opportunities in underserved communities.

The various projects will be carried out between now and June 2026, so check out the successful projects below and give them a follow to stay up-to-date with the amazing things they're doing!

Selected projects for the Continent Grants ($2500):

• Africa: EmaSwati Skate – Eswatini
• Americas:
  • The Shawn Shine Show – USA
  • Freedom Skatepark Foundation – Jamaica
• Asia: JRSkates School of Skateboarding – Malaysia
• Europe: Skater Uktis – UK
• Oceania: Skateboarding Papua New Guinea

“Wildcard” Continent Grants ($2500):

• WeSkate Mongu – Zambia
• GirlSkate Nairobi – Kenya

Selected projects for the Community Grants ($1000):

• DENCITY.NG – Nigeria
• Mamelodi Skate Club – South Africa
• Maputo Skate – Mozambique
• Associação 2 das Minas – Brazil
• Black Girls Shred – USA
• Closecall Skateboarding CBO – Turkana, Kenya
• Dream House Uganda
• Ubunifu Lamu Initiative x GirlSkate Nairobi – Lamu Island, Kenya
• Projeto Demorô Skate é Vida - Heliópolis – Brazil
• Ethiopian Girl Skaters

About the Fund:

The Pushing Against Racism Fund was created in 2022 by the Pushing Against Racism (PAR) Working Group, as a direct action to promote an anti-racist culture in the skateboarding community worldwide. Skateistan’s Goodpush Alliance is honoured to coordinate the PAR Working Group and this Fund, which financially supports greater diversity and inclusivity within skateboarding. A special thanks to Poseiden Foundation and Bangladesh Street Kids Aid for their ongoing contributions as founding PAR Working Group members since 2020. 

Notes on the selection process: All eligible applications were reviewed by two members of the Pushing Against Racism Working Group and/or Skateistan staff, who then held a meeting to agree on a shortlist, which was then sent to an expert jury for feedback. To avoid conflict of interest, any applicant organizations with staff/volunteers on the Working Group were assessed independently by two other working group members, and if shortlisted, assessed by two expert jury members with no conflict of interest before the final selection was made. The “Wildcard” grantees were chosen from the Continent shortlist based on jury and Working Group input.

We would like to thank Skateistan’s core supporters, who have made the PAR Fund possible in 2025. 

Banner photo credit: Skateboarding Papua New Guinea.