[Washington, DC, USA – 19 March 2026] Special Olympics announced a three-year grant agreement with Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF), whose mission is to create a truly mobile society that will help people around the world live better lives. The Grant, which runs from 2026 – 2028, will support the vital work of Special Olympics to transform the lives of people with intellectual disabilities (ID), both on and off the playing field.
Special Olympics will utilize the Grant to expand inclusive sports participation and build leadership capacity among people with and without ID, with a focus on Special Olympics Unified Sports® and Unified Leadership.
“Unified Sports and Unified Leadership are crucial drivers of our work globally, and they are part of a shared commitment to inclusion through sport for everyone, including the athletes of Special Olympics. We are thrilled, and honored, to partner with the Toyota Mobility Foundation to help bring this movement to millions of new athletes worldwide.”
Support from TMF will help supercharge the goals of the Special Olympics movement, which include reaching 7.5 million athletes by 2030. The Grant supports collaboration with Special Olympics Nippon as a key local partner, positions Unified Sports as a core vehicle for social inclusion through shared athletic experiences, and supports Unified Leadership initiatives that deliver leadership education, training, and learning opportunities.
“The activities of Special Olympics give us opportunities and inspiration to open our hearts to the diverse talents and potential of human beings. Special Olympics embodies the very values of challenge, respect, and inclusion, which resonate deeply with Toyota’s philosophy,” said Susumu Matsuda, Deputy Chairman of the Board, Toyota Mobility Foundation. “TMF is sincerely grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the promotion and development of Special Olympics, and to work together toward the realization of an inclusive society.”
Unified Leadership training sessions are delivered by Special Olympics athlete leaders and staff members to industry and government professionals without ID, helping to create more inclusive and collaborative workspaces.
“I believe that Toyota Mobility Foundation can help Special Olympics expand Unified Leadership around the world by pairing people with and without disabilities to do projects and presentations together. It is so important for corporations and governments to train their staff in Unified Leadership, because in order for them to create an inclusive workplace that welcomes people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, people without ID need to first understand the lived experiences of people with ID and that when given the opportunity, people with ID can make a meaningful difference in their workplace and community, and be able to lead and learn with their colleagues.”