Inclusion. Diversity. Equity. Accessibility.
These are the driving principles behind the Spark Ideas Grant, which is now accepting expressions of interest.
Eligible Provincial Sport Organizations, Multi-Sport Organizations, Districts for Sport, Culture and Recreation, Tribal Councils, FSIN and MNS members can apply by Aug. 31 for the program’s inaugural intake, which is being administered by Sask Sport.
Funded by the Sport Section of the Sask Lotteries Trust Fund, Spark Ideas grants will support programming that aims to:
- Increase opportunities to participate in quality sport activities for all those in Saskatchewan including equity-deserving and under-represented groups.
- Increase the ability of the Saskatchewan amateur sport system to achieve meaningful, lasting change by supporting member-led initiatives.
- Increase inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility within the Saskatchewan amateur sport system.
“We are always looking for new ways to enhance and increase the capacity of the Saskatchewan sport system to support inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility,” said Amy Shipley, Sask Sport’s Participation in Sport lead. “The Spark Ideas Grant will result in more opportunities for athletes, coaches, officials, leaders and administrators to not only participate in sport, but to experience greater feelings of inclusion and belonging at the same time.”
Examples of eligible projects may include:
- Unconscious bias training for board members, staff, coaches, officials and leaders.
- Employment for positions that may implement inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility initiatives.
- Education and support around the decolonization of sport.
- Inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility specific development of clubs, programs or initiatives.
- Human and volunteer resource structures and policies (Ex. equitable hiring, employee and volunteer onboarding, mentorship and voluntary self-declaration).
- Supports and training for staff, volunteers and/or board members.
- Enhancement or expansion of existing programs and initiatives.
- Reviewing and evaluating programming and resource allocation with an equity and diversity lens.
- Collecting, analyzing and reporting on equity and diversity data.
- Establishing and enacting proactive recruitment strategies aimed at people from equity-deserving groups.
- Development of equity, diversity and inclusion policy and review of all policies with an equity and diversity lens.
There will be two expression of interest intake deadlines per fiscal year and these will be announced with a minimum of four weeks’ notice per deadline.
Full eligibility, guidelines and the expression of interest form can be found here.
