There is a wide range of funding opportunities available for athletes, coaches, volunteers, PSO’s and programs offering Parasport opportunities in Nova Scotia. See the funding opportunities listed below for both Athletes and Programs.
Athlete Funding Opportunities
Individual Athlete Assistance
The purpose of the Nova Scotia Athlete Assistance Program (NSAAP) is to provide direct financial assistance to Nova Scotia athletes who have achieved significant results at the national and/or international level in their pursuit of excellence.
Kidsport
KidSport is a national children’s program that helps kids overcome the financial barriers preventing or limiting their participation in organized sport. KidSport Nova Scotia provides funding of up to $500/year/child for sport registration and/or equipment. In operation since 1994, KidSport Nova Scotia has assisted over 31,000 children totaling over $7.7 Million.
Jumpstart
The Canadian Tire Jumpstart program strives to reduce financial barriers to sports participation for youth by providing financial assistance to get kids into a sport or physical activity.
Individual Para Athlete Classification Assistance Program
The purpose of the Nova Scotia Individual Para Athlete Classification Assistance program is to provide direct financial assistance to Nova Scotia Parasport athletes who are excelling at the Provincial level and have the potential to achieve significant results at the National and/or International level, but who need to travel outside Nova Scotia to be classified.
Challenged Athlete Fund
CAF’s flagship grant program aims to remove barriers between adaptive athletes and their pursuit of sport and fitness. Individuals worldwide with permanent physical disabilities are eligible to apply for the CAF Annual grant. This application opens every Fall and grants are awarded the following Spring.
Program Funding Opportunities
EDIA Funding
EDIA Funding is available to Community Sport Organizations (CSO’s), Municipalities, and any organization registered with NS Joint Stocks involved in sport, and is designated to be used to reduce barriers for quality sport programs for underrepresented groups. Eligible expenses for Parasport programs could include purchasing adapted equipment, facility rental costs, leadership training.
Sportfund
This grant is designed to support community sport organizations in their efforts to increase participation in sport. The fund will support projects that are intended to increase sustainable quality participation based sport programs. This may include the expansion of existing programs or new programs.
Jumpstart Community Development Grant
Jumpstarts Community Development Grants have two funding streams. The Operational stream assists organizations with operational and administrative costs, while the Programming stream helps organizations develop or sustain sports and recreational programming for kids aged 4-18 in financial need and youth with disabilities between the ages of 4-25.
CCTH Community ACCESS-Ability Program
The Community ACCESS-Ability Program reflects the Government of Nova Scotia’s commitment to persons with disabilities by providing equal opportunity and improved access to community facilities. This program offers cost-shared grants to community groups for accessibility related capital improvements. The grants cover up to two-thirds of the direct and indirect costs of renovations, installations, and/or equipment to a maximum of $50,000.
Paralympic Sport Development Fund
The Paralympic Sport Development Fund provides grants for local sport organizations, clubs, and programs that help athletes along their development pathway and can be used for items such as recruitment initiatives, coaching, equipment, competition and more. Funds can be used to support the creation of a new program, or the expansion of an existing successful initiative. Grants will be available in amounts between $5,000 to $15,000, as well as a new pocket of funds for multi-organization collaborative projects up to $20,000.
Parasport Loan Program
The Parasport Program Loan is available to eligible organizations and offers an avenue for Community Sport Organizations to deliver Parasport programs on a trial basis in communities around the province.
Successful applicants will receive all required equipment, volunteer training and program guides for 1 of 7 available Parasports to run a 6 week trial program in their community, at no cost to them. The hope is that this new program will increase the number of Parasport programs available around the province by reducing the barriers involved with purchasing equipment and gaining leadership knowledge in sports that are new to a region.