Next Generation Indigenous Athlete Assistance Grant
To provide financial assistance to Indigenous athletes to excel in sport at the elite level. Elite includes being named to a provincial team, competing at a national level or other competitive levels as determined by the committee.
Grant Guidelines
Next Generation Indigenous Athlete Assistance Grant Guidelines
1. PURPOSE
To provide financial assistance to Indigenous athletes to excel in sport at the elite level. Elite includes being named to a provincial team, competing at a national level or other competitive levels as determined by the committee.
Desired Outcomes:
- To increase opportunities for First Nations and Métis athletes to advance to higher level competitive sport in alignment with the Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #89.
- To increase the opportunities for training and competition.
- To reduce barriers for sport participation at an elite level.
- To increase awareness of the diverse need of First Nation and Métis participants across the sport system.
2. SOURCE OF FUNDING
The Next Generation Indigenous Athlete Assistance Grant is funded by the Sport Section of the Sask Lotteries Trust Fund and administered through Sask Sport.
3. ELIGIBILITY
Provincial Sport Organizations (PSOs) and Multi-Sport Organizations (MSOs) who are on the Minister’s Eligibility List of the Sask Lotteries Trust Fund are eligible to apply in cooperation with the athlete. Athletes are eligible provided they meet the following criteria:
a) Athletes must be a member in good standing with their Provincial Sport Organization or Multi-Sport Organization.
b) Athletes must be training in Saskatchewan; exceptions will be made providing the athlete can substantiate one of the following:
- They are training out of province as part of a formal National Sport Organization (NSO).
- They cannot receive the required level of training in Saskatchewan and as a result have relocated out of the province (Ex. due to lack of facilities, coaching, competition, national team requirements).
- They are attending a post-secondary institution out-of-province.
- Other extenuating circumstances that require the athlete to be out-of-province.
c) Athletes must not be under a sanction that prohibits competition as per the Canadian Anti-Doping Policy.
- If they have had, or are currently under, sanction for a doping violation they will be asked to submit the terms and explanation, as it pertains to the sanction.
d) Athletes must be of Indigenous Ancestry which can be verified through one of the following:
- Copy/picture of valid Certificate of Indian Status
- Copy/picture of valid Métis Nation Membership
- Completion of a family genealogy chart
Please contact us for assistance in providing genealogy documentation if needed.
4. AVAILABLE FUNDING
The Athlete Assistance grant will provide up to a maximum of $1,500 per athlete per year. The amount of funding allocated to each individual athlete will be determined by the level and location of the competition or training opportunity and how the funding will be used.
Approved amounts may vary depending upon the number of applications received and the level of funding available. Funding is subject to the sustainability of funding levels from the Sask Lotteries Trust Fund.
5. APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Applications can be submitted throughout the year. There are four application deadlines each year. Athletes are encouraged to apply as soon as they are aware of the need for funding.
If approved, eligible expenses start from date of application being submitted.
Application Deadlines:
January 1
April 15
August 31
October 31
Grant applications will be reviewed and email communication sent out to the athlete three weeks following deadline.
Athletes:
The athlete is required to submit the completed application to the Sask Sport representative through the online form.
Provincial Sport Organization/Multi-Sport Organization:
Upon receipt of the athlete application, the Sask Sport representative will communicate with the appropriate PSO/MSO to complete the review and endorsement process.
6. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND CONDITIONS
a) Applications must be received prior to the start of the sport activity as retroactive funding is not permitted. Sport activity expenses that take place outside the grant period are not eligible for support.
b) All athletes must be involved in sports that are led by a qualified coach/instructor.
c) Generally accepted sport activities are those recognized and/or sanctioned by the member organizations of Sask Sport. For a full listing of Sask Sport member organizations or their programs and services, please reference the Sask Sport website at sasksport.ca/about-us/membership.
d) Consideration should be given to support the participation of individuals from rural/remote communities in centralized programming if the opportunity for participation at the community level is not possible.
e) Athletes receiving financial support will be required to sign an agreement confirming their commitment to comply with all conditions.
f) This grant is made possible by Sask Lotteries, the main fundraiser for 12,000+ sport, culture and recreation groups in the province. As such, grant recipients are asked to recognize Sask Lotteries where possible, including on social media, websites and sponsorship listings. The Sask Lotteries logo, brand guidelines, key messages and promotional materials are available at sasklotteries.ca/funding-recognition.
g) Each athlete application must include the following:
- A completed application form signed by the athlete
- A detailed list of projected expenses
7. ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURES
- Costs associated with competitions (Ex. entry fees, on-continent travel costs, hotel accommodations)
- Costs associated with attending training camps (Ex. entry fees, on continent travel costs, hotel accommodations)
- Costs directly associated with training (Ex. coaching expenses, sport science, facility rental fees, other athlete services)
- Sport Specific Equipment
8. INELIGIBLE EXPENSES
- North American Indigenous Games (NAIG)
- National Aboriginal Hockey Championships (NAHC)
- Capital expenditures – no support is available for construction, renovations or upgrading facilities
- Multiple revenue/grant sources cannot be used to pay the same dollar of expense, whether the grant comes from the Trust Fund or any other granting agency (Ex. Source 1 = $500, Source 2 = $500 and Source 3 = $500; there must be a minimum of $1,500 in expenses)
- Cash prizes
- Off continent travel
- Alcoholic beverages
- Food expenditures – the intent of Trust funds is not to support food-related expenditures
- Debt repayment
- Payment of money returns owed to the Sask Lotteries Trust Fund
- Living expenses (Ex. Rent, mortgage, groceries, etc.)
- Tuition expenses
- Other expenses that the Sask Lotteries Trust Fund may deem inappropriate
9. ASSESSMENT PROCESS
In consultation with the Provincial Sport Organization, sport consultants are responsible for reviewing and administering the grant review process and providing recommendations to the Indigenous Sport Leadership Council.
PSOs/MSOs and the athlete will be notified of the status of the application approximately three to four weeks after the application deadline.
10. PAYMENT PROCEDURES
Full payment of the grant will be forwarded to the PSO/MSO once the application has been approved and the signed terms and conditions agreement has been received.
The PSO/MSO is responsible for forwarding the full payment of grant support to the athlete.
11. FOLLOW-UP PROCEDURES
Athletes:
The athlete is required to submit the completed follow-up report and financial documentation (receipts) to their PSO/MSO for endorsement by no later than the grant period in which the grant was approved (as noted in the terms and agreement form).
Provincial Sport Organization:
The PSO/MSO is required to review, sign and submit the completed follow-up report and financial documentation (receipts) to Sask Sport by no later than 90 days after the grant period in which the grant was approved (as noted in the terms and agreement form).
Any unused funds, or funds that are used for purposes that do not adhere to these guidelines will be required to be returned to the Sask Sport.
12. FOLLOW-UP REQUIREMENTS
a) Each follow-up report must include the following:
- A completed follow-up form signed by the athlete and the PSO/MSO.
- A copy of the financial documentation to verify the eligible expenditures. Financial documentation (receipts) to verify expenditures can take various forms but should at a minimum:
- Indicate name of recipient (person or business) of the funds.
- Describe goods or services provided for payment.
- Disclose the amount of the payment.
- Include the date that the goods/services were purchased (must be within the grant period).
- Include third party verification (supplier logo on an invoice, signature of a recipient on an expense claim, or in the rare instance where there is no other documentation, a copy of the cheque with the bank clearing stamp on the back).NOTE: Legible copies of documents for financial accountability
(Ex. receipts, cancelled cheques, invoices, expense claims, etc.) are acceptable. Original documents are not necessary for submission to Sask Sport but should be maintained by the athlete submitting the grant follow-up report.
- The follow-up must be substantiated by the PSOs/MSOs audited financial statement when it becomes available. Revenues (External Self-Help revenue) and expenditures (Categorical Grants) for this grant program must be clearly identified either in the body of the statement, or in the schedules or notes to the statements.
b) Successful recipients of the Next Generation Indigenous Athlete Assistance Program will be asked to participate in a 20–30-minute interview-style phone or web consultation. The interviewer will ask the recipient questions about their sport participation and experiences as an elite-level athlete. The intent of the consultation is to determine supports athletes have in place that helped them reach higher performance levels, the barriers experienced that potentially make high-performance participation more difficult and any advice or recommendations the recipient can provide to help make high-performance participation more accessible for Indigenous participants. Confidentiality will be strictly maintained, and the program will never provide identifying information to anyone outside of the interviewer without express permission. The insight gained from the consultations will be combined into a report with recommendations for increasing access and improving participant experiences in higher performance sport across the Saskatchewan sport system.
Any questions or concerns, please reach out to:
LAURA DYCK
Sport Development Consultant
510 Cynthia Street, Saskatoon, SK S7L 7K7
306.270.4267
ldyck@sasksport.ca
Next Generation Indigenous Athlete Assistance Grant Forms
Grant Guidelines (PDF)
Next Generation Indigenous Athlete Assistance Grant Guidelines
pdf – 683.79 KB
Contact
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Laura Dyck
Sport Community Consultant
Indigenous Sport Enhancement Program
To provide financial assistance to Indigenous athletes to excel in sport at the elite level. Elite includes being named to a provincial team, competing at a national level or other competitive levels as determined by the committee.
Grant Guidelines
1. PURPOSE
To provide financial assistance to Indigenous athletes to excel in sport at the elite level. Elite includes being named to a provincial team, competing at a national level or other competitive levels as determined by the committee.
Desired Outcomes:
- To increase opportunities for First Nations and Métis athletes to advance to higher level competitive sport in alignment with the Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #89.
- To increase the opportunities for training and competition.
- To reduce barriers for sport participation at an elite level.
- To increase awareness of the diverse need of First Nation and Métis participants across the sport system.
2. SOURCE OF FUNDING
The Next Generation Indigenous Athlete Assistance Grant is funded by the Sport Section of the Sask Lotteries Trust Fund and administered through Sask Sport.
3. ELIGIBILITY
Provincial Sport Organizations (PSOs) and Multi-Sport Organizations (MSOs) who are on the Minister’s Eligibility List of the Sask Lotteries Trust Fund are eligible to apply in cooperation with the athlete. Athletes are eligible provided they meet the following criteria:
a) Athletes must be a member in good standing with their Provincial Sport Organization or Multi-Sport Organization.
b) Athletes must be training in Saskatchewan; exceptions will be made providing the athlete can substantiate one of the following:
- They are training out of province as part of a formal National Sport Organization (NSO).
- They cannot receive the required level of training in Saskatchewan and as a result have relocated out of the province (Ex. due to lack of facilities, coaching, competition, national team requirements).
- They are attending a post-secondary institution out-of-province.
- Other extenuating circumstances that require the athlete to be out-of-province.
c) Athletes must not be under a sanction that prohibits competition as per the Canadian Anti-Doping Policy.
- If they have had, or are currently under, sanction for a doping violation they will be asked to submit the terms and explanation, as it pertains to the sanction.
d) Athletes must be of Indigenous Ancestry which can be verified through one of the following:
- Copy/picture of valid Certificate of Indian Status
- Copy/picture of valid Métis Nation Membership
- Completion of a family genealogy chart
Please contact us for assistance in providing genealogy documentation if needed.
4. AVAILABLE FUNDING
The Athlete Assistance grant will provide up to a maximum of $1,500 per athlete per year. The amount of funding allocated to each individual athlete will be determined by the level and location of the competition or training opportunity and how the funding will be used.
Approved amounts may vary depending upon the number of applications received and the level of funding available. Funding is subject to the sustainability of funding levels from the Sask Lotteries Trust Fund.
5. APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Applications can be submitted throughout the year. There are four application deadlines each year. Athletes are encouraged to apply as soon as they are aware of the need for funding.
If approved, eligible expenses start from date of application being submitted.
Application Deadlines:
January 1
April 15
August 31
October 31
Grant applications will be reviewed and email communication sent out to the athlete three weeks following deadline.
Athletes:
The athlete is required to submit the completed application to the Sask Sport representative through the online form.
Provincial Sport Organization/Multi-Sport Organization:
Upon receipt of the athlete application, the Sask Sport representative will communicate with the appropriate PSO/MSO to complete the review and endorsement process.
6. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND CONDITIONS
a) Applications must be received prior to the start of the sport activity as retroactive funding is not permitted. Sport activity expenses that take place outside the grant period are not eligible for support.
b) All athletes must be involved in sports that are led by a qualified coach/instructor.
c) Generally accepted sport activities are those recognized and/or sanctioned by the member organizations of Sask Sport. For a full listing of Sask Sport member organizations or their programs and services, please reference the Sask Sport website at sasksport.ca/about-us/membership.
d) Consideration should be given to support the participation of individuals from rural/remote communities in centralized programming if the opportunity for participation at the community level is not possible.
e) Athletes receiving financial support will be required to sign an agreement confirming their commitment to comply with all conditions.
f) This grant is made possible by Sask Lotteries, the main fundraiser for 12,000+ sport, culture and recreation groups in the province. As such, grant recipients are asked to recognize Sask Lotteries where possible, including on social media, websites and sponsorship listings. The Sask Lotteries logo, brand guidelines, key messages and promotional materials are available at sasklotteries.ca/funding-recognition.
g) Each athlete application must include the following:
- A completed application form signed by the athlete
- A detailed list of projected expenses
7. ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURES
- Costs associated with competitions (Ex. entry fees, on-continent travel costs, hotel accommodations)
- Costs associated with attending training camps (Ex. entry fees, on continent travel costs, hotel accommodations)
- Costs directly associated with training (Ex. coaching expenses, sport science, facility rental fees, other athlete services)
- Sport Specific Equipment
8. INELIGIBLE EXPENSES
- North American Indigenous Games (NAIG)
- National Aboriginal Hockey Championships (NAHC)
- Capital expenditures – no support is available for construction, renovations or upgrading facilities
- Multiple revenue/grant sources cannot be used to pay the same dollar of expense, whether the grant comes from the Trust Fund or any other granting agency (Ex. Source 1 = $500, Source 2 = $500 and Source 3 = $500; there must be a minimum of $1,500 in expenses)
- Cash prizes
- Off continent travel
- Alcoholic beverages
- Food expenditures – the intent of Trust funds is not to support food-related expenditures
- Debt repayment
- Payment of money returns owed to the Sask Lotteries Trust Fund
- Living expenses (Ex. Rent, mortgage, groceries, etc.)
- Tuition expenses
- Other expenses that the Sask Lotteries Trust Fund may deem inappropriate
9. ASSESSMENT PROCESS
In consultation with the Provincial Sport Organization, sport consultants are responsible for reviewing and administering the grant review process and providing recommendations to the Indigenous Sport Leadership Council.
PSOs/MSOs and the athlete will be notified of the status of the application approximately three to four weeks after the application deadline.
10. PAYMENT PROCEDURES
Full payment of the grant will be forwarded to the PSO/MSO once the application has been approved and the signed terms and conditions agreement has been received.
The PSO/MSO is responsible for forwarding the full payment of grant support to the athlete.
11. FOLLOW-UP PROCEDURES
Athletes:
The athlete is required to submit the completed follow-up report and financial documentation (receipts) to their PSO/MSO for endorsement by no later than the grant period in which the grant was approved (as noted in the terms and agreement form).
Provincial Sport Organization:
The PSO/MSO is required to review, sign and submit the completed follow-up report and financial documentation (receipts) to Sask Sport by no later than 90 days after the grant period in which the grant was approved (as noted in the terms and agreement form).
Any unused funds, or funds that are used for purposes that do not adhere to these guidelines will be required to be returned to the Sask Sport.
12. FOLLOW-UP REQUIREMENTS
a) Each follow-up report must include the following:
- A completed follow-up form signed by the athlete and the PSO/MSO.
- A copy of the financial documentation to verify the eligible expenditures. Financial documentation (receipts) to verify expenditures can take various forms but should at a minimum:
- Indicate name of recipient (person or business) of the funds.
- Describe goods or services provided for payment.
- Disclose the amount of the payment.
- Include the date that the goods/services were purchased (must be within the grant period).
- Include third party verification (supplier logo on an invoice, signature of a recipient on an expense claim, or in the rare instance where there is no other documentation, a copy of the cheque with the bank clearing stamp on the back).NOTE: Legible copies of documents for financial accountability
(Ex. receipts, cancelled cheques, invoices, expense claims, etc.) are acceptable. Original documents are not necessary for submission to Sask Sport but should be maintained by the athlete submitting the grant follow-up report.
- The follow-up must be substantiated by the PSOs/MSOs audited financial statement when it becomes available. Revenues (External Self-Help revenue) and expenditures (Categorical Grants) for this grant program must be clearly identified either in the body of the statement, or in the schedules or notes to the statements.
b) Successful recipients of the Next Generation Indigenous Athlete Assistance Program will be asked to participate in a 20–30-minute interview-style phone or web consultation. The interviewer will ask the recipient questions about their sport participation and experiences as an elite-level athlete. The intent of the consultation is to determine supports athletes have in place that helped them reach higher performance levels, the barriers experienced that potentially make high-performance participation more difficult and any advice or recommendations the recipient can provide to help make high-performance participation more accessible for Indigenous participants. Confidentiality will be strictly maintained, and the program will never provide identifying information to anyone outside of the interviewer without express permission. The insight gained from the consultations will be combined into a report with recommendations for increasing access and improving participant experiences in higher performance sport across the Saskatchewan sport system.
Any questions or concerns, please reach out to:
LAURA DYCK
Sport Development Consultant
510 Cynthia Street, Saskatoon, SK S7L 7K7
306.270.4267
ldyck@sasksport.ca