Deadline: 16-Oct-20
viaSport British Columbia is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the Local Sport Relief Fund (Canada).
The Local Sport Relief Fund has been developed to provide one-time financial relief for non-profit, community-level sports organizations, clubs, and associations at risk of collapse or insolvency due to the impacts of COVID-19. The fund is supported by the Province of B.C. and administered through viaSport British Columbia.
The goal of the funding is to support local sports organizations that have been significantly impacted by COVID-19. The Province of B.C. recognizes the importance of community-based sports organizations and has allocated this funding to help in their recovery.
Funding Information
- Eligible organizations are invited to apply for up to $7,500 to help offset fixed and operating costs.
- Funding must support administration and operational needs for an eventual return to sport, and new sports programming or initiatives are ineligible.
- Eligible expenses may include, but are not limited to costs associated with:
- Day-to-day administrative costs (essential fees and dues, IT costs, office supplies);
- Salaries, wages, or benefits;
- Professional fees (accounting, bookkeeping, legal);
- Rent, mortgage, storage costs or utilities;
- Insurance;
- Equipment essential to providing sports programming;
- COVID-19-related supplies (cleaning supplies, signage, PPE).
*Funds must not to be used to cover expenditures already supported by other government COVID-19 emergency measures including, but not limited to, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), and the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small businesses.
Other ineligible expenses include:
- Professional development activities created and delivered on a one-to-one basis including coach
training; - Costs related to attending professional development activities (including travel costs);
- Feasibility and market study costs;
- Travel;
- Hospitality;
- Taxes.
Eligibility Criteria
Applications may be submitted by organizations that are:
- Non-profit local sports organizations.
- Non-profit local sports organizations, which exist for the sole purpose of serving underrepresented populations and have well-established sports programming.
- Underserved populations include Indigenous peoples, girls & women, LGBTQ+, low-income individuals, persons with disabilities, ethnic or religious minorities, and newcomers to Canada or refugees.
- All organizations must be located in British Columbia and focus on sport delivery at the local or community level.
- Organizations must be not-for-profit and have a B.C. registered society or CRA charity number.
- For-profit organizations and those with a provincial scope of delivery are not eligible; including viaSport’s funded Provincial Sport, Disability Sport, Multi-Sport, and Regional Alliance partners.
Materials Required
As you move through the application process, you will be required to submit the following information and documents:
- C. registered society or CRA charity number;
- A Board-approved Return to Sports safety plan;
- A copy of your last fiscal year-end financial statements;
- Documentation that confirms your organization’s society number (if available).
Please have these materials ready prior to beginning the application process.
Selection Process
- Eligible applications will be evaluated by an independent review panel consisting of specialists in the sport and recreation fields.
- The panel members are chosen to ensure balanced and diverse representation and must disclose any conflicts of interest prior to involvement.
- The panel bases their recommendations on the eligibility and assessment criteria described in these guidelines, and where needed, viaSport may adjust panel selections or funded amounts to ensure fair and relative distribution across regions and sports.
- It is anticipated that more applications will be received than can be funded, and therefore only eligible applications will be reviewed. An application does not guarantee any level of funding. The requested amount may not be approved.
Terms and Conditions
- When acknowledging this funding, support from the Province of British Columbia and viaSport must be appropriately recognized on all materials.
- Formats and guidelines for logo use and acknowledgment of funding will be provided to successful applicants. Only one application per organization will be accepted.
- Recipients must submit a final report by February 15, 2021, detailing the use of funds and its impact on the organization. An online report form template will be sent to successful applicants at the time of their funding notification.
- Applications for funding will only be accepted ONLINE. Please complete the online application.
- If you wish to discuss your application and its eligibility prior to submitting an application, they ask that you contact them via email.
For more information, visit https://www.viasport.ca/grant/local-sport-relief-fund