Minnesota Hockey is excited to announce the thirteenth season of the Gear Up Minnesota equipment grant program in partnership with Dick's Sporting Goods!
Since 2010, equipment grants from Gear Up Minnesota have been used by associations across the state to attract new players and make hockey more accessible. Gear Up Minnesota has provided over 130 unique associations with sets of starter hockey equipment, with a total worth over $820,000.
Grant recipients will receive gift cards from Dicks's Sporting Goods. Association representatives will have the opportunity to use the gift cards to purchase the specific equipment their association most needs to recruit new players and retain them.
Whether it's building up your inventory of youth skate sizes for try hockey events or ensuring every new player has a helmet that fits properly and has current HECC certification, the gift cards can be utilized in-store or online to fill your association's needs.
Dick's Sporting Goods will also provide an option for a starter equipment package that includes standard equipment items such as a helmet, breezers, gloves, elbow and shin pads.
Applications should:
• Be detailed and specific
• Display creativity and ingenuity in how the grant will be used
• Demonstrate how the grant will act as a supportive piece of an overall growth plan
• Show a track record of effort and success in using grants to grow the game
The deadline to apply is June 1, 2024. Recipients will be notified in late June and gift cards will be distributed by the end of August.
A special thank you to Dick's Sporting Goods, the Minnesota Wild Foundation, Kwik Trip, Northwest Designs Ink and our other partners for making Gear Up Minnesota a success.