Active Cause Announces Grant from TVGUCCI Supporting HoopQueens, Canada’s First Professional Women’s Basketball League

By Active Cause Editorial Team

New York, NY – July 9, 2025

Active Cause is pleased to announce a grant from TVGUCCI in support of HoopQueens, Canada’s first professional women’s basketball league. The grant reflects a shared commitment to equity, economic mobility, and culturally rooted infrastructure for women in sport.

HoopQueens has been redefining professional basketball in Toronto since its inception in 2022. More than a league, it serves as a vital platform for athletic excellence, off-court leadership, and community-led programming across the city. The grant will provide operational and programmatic support as HoopQueens enters its fourth season, including league expansion, athlete wellness initiatives, and youth engagement efforts across Toronto.

“Supporting HoopQueens is about more than sport. It’s about equity and access,” said TVGUCCI. “Black women in Toronto have been building basketball culture for decades, often without recognition, resources, or return..”

Why HoopQueens

Founded by Nakissa “Keesa K” Koomalsingh, HoopQueens began as Toronto’s first paid women’s basketball league, creating professional opportunities for athletes following post-secondary education. The league now features 40 elite athletes across four teams, playing at the University of Toronto before sellout crowds. Partners include Nike Canada, Canada Basketball, Red Bull, MLSE Foundation, and Universal Music.

The league addresses a critical gap in Canadian basketball. While the WNBA announced a Toronto franchise (Toronto Tempo) launching in 2026, HoopQueens has been building the ecosystem that makes that expansion possible—keeping homegrown talent in Canada, compensating athletes, and creating pathways from grassroots to professional play.

TVGUCCI’s Approach to Philanthropy

TVGUCCI, a Toronto-based hip-hop artist, has built a career balancing artistic integrity with strategic community investment. The HoopQueens grant reflects a broader philosophy about using cultural influence to build infrastructure rather than make headlines.

“If we want to see real economic mobility, we need to support institutions led by and for our communities,” said TVGUCCI. “HoopQueens isn’t just a league—it’s a pathway.”

The grant is structured through a donor-advised fund at Active Cause, allowing TVGUCCI to maintain strategic oversight while ensuring tax efficiency and compliance. Active Cause’s platform is designed specifically for artists, athletes, and creatives whose giving priorities often center community-based organizations operating outside mainstream philanthropy channels.

What the Grant Supports

The grant arrives at a pivotal moment. HoopQueens is fighting to expand before the opportunity disappears. TVGUCCI’s investment provides stability during a critical growth phase as the league positions itself alongside the incoming WNBA franchise.

Community Infrastructure, Not Charity

The partnership reflects Active Cause’s model of supporting infrastructure over spectacle. Rather than one-time donations tied to publicity, the platform enables artists and athletes to build sustained giving practices aligned with their values and communities.

“This is an artist investing in the infrastructure that creates conditions for success in their own community, funding organizations that look nothing like traditional nonprofits but are doing the work that matters most,” said the Yonis Hassan, Co-Founder of Active Cause.

What’s Next

HoopQueens’ continues to expand partnerships, pursue sustainable funding models, and position itself as essential infrastructure in Canada’s growing women’s basketball ecosystem.

Artists and athletes interested in establishing similar funds through Active Cause can learn more at activecause.co.

About Active Cause

Active Cause is a private philanthropy membership app exclusively for athletes, creatives, and entertainers. The platform provides donor-advised fund infrastructure, charity discovery tools, fundraising campaign management, philanthropic insights, and community through Active Gatherings. Learn more at activecause.co.

About TVGUCCI

TVGUCCI is a Toronto-based hip-hop artist, known for his lyrical style and commitment to community investment through strategic philanthropy.

info@activecause.co