Changes to this year's Community Grant program & my new downloadable worksheets...
Yes, folks….hard to believe but the BEST time of the year in our granting world is here again…time to apply for your annual BC Community Gaming Grant!
Judging by how many of you fine folks ask for my help to complete your Gaming applications every year, I think that the poor little dependable Community Gaming Grant can be a challenge for many of us in the arts and cultural sector.
So…I am here to help you out, and hopefully reduce any pain and suffering from your Gaming application process this year.
To start with…I have completed a detailed review of this year’s grant guidelines document & have highlighted every bit of changed/updated text (you’re welcome). And I have updated my grant application worksheets for you - both Regular (long) form & the Renewed (short) form), all downloadable here:
Key Things to Know about Gaming Community Grants:
Grant applications can be submitted any time between February 1 and April 30, 2024 for Arts & Cultural organizations (and unlike other funders, Gaming assesses applications as they come in…meaning the earlier you apply, the earlier you get your $$).
Eligible applicants must be not-for-profit (including designated Community Service Cooperatives); but are not are not required to be provincially or federally incorporated. Funding is available for organizations/groups who provide public programming/activities, from five sectors (each with its own application intake period): Arts & Culture (Feb1-Apr30), Sport (Mar1-May31), Public Safety (Jul1-Aug31), Environment (Jul1-Aug31), and Human & Social Services (Aug1-Nov 30).
Some of you lucky folks will be eligible to apply to the “Renewed” category this year (MUCH shorter form & requirements)…and there is an easy way to figure out if you are eligible this year: go to the Gaming online application system and start an application (as if you are applying) & when you click on “Apply Online: Community Gaming Grants”, it will the take you to the start page of your application…IF you get a screen that gives the option of choosing a Renewed OR Regular form, that’s how you know that you are eligible for the Renewed option this year. If the online form drops you right into the main (Regular/long) form, then you get door #2, and have to do the long form for another year (my sympathies). (And don’t worry about the fact that you are ‘creating’ a new form - since their system doesn’t save anything anyway, so as soon as you close the tab, that form will be gone). (Note: unless Gaming told you in your letter last year, that you have to apply to the Regular form category). Oh but one thing to know about the Renewed form…you’ll receive the same $ you got last year, you cannot ask for an increase (unfortunately).
There are a few (but not many) changes to this year’s 2024 program guidelines, which they highlight at the beginning of the Guidelines document (see the areas highlighted portions within, downloadable above). One of the more interesting changes is for those applying for grants of $10K or less, will now have the option of providing more simplified financial data. And some NEW eligibility guidelines for Indigenous organization applicants.
Highlights of the 2024 changes include:
Section 2.2: The definition for activities delivered under the Sport Sector has been clarified. Programs that include instruction and provide a pathway to development, with opportunities to compete are eligible. Programs that primarily deliver specialized training to elite athletes or only provide travel opportunities are not eligible.
Section 4.3: New for this year, organizations requesting a total of $10,000 or less in funding will have the option to provide simplified program financials. The following details must be included with the simplified financials:
Total program revenue
Total program expenses
Government funding amounts and sources of funding
In-kind contribution summary (if applicable)
Program budgets for the current and next fiscal year are not required for those organizations requesting $10,000 or less in total funding.
Section 5.5: A new section has been included for Indigenous not-for-profit organizations applying for a Community Gaming Grant. The section provides information regarding policy considerations for those organizations that may wish to contact the Branch to discuss their application.
Section 6.3: Minor capital acquisitions and minor capital project sections have been combined and both minor acquisitions and capital projects that are over $5,000 and/or require the work of a contractor must provide quotes.
General updates: To keep content consistent and for ease of use, the Program Guidelines have been modified so that the Conditions, additional resources and example documents are now available on the website and no longer included as part of the Program Guidelines document. Links to these resources are included in Section 5.8.
Have more questions? Sign up for my workshop, see link below…
As some of you may be aware, I have previously offered Gaming grant application workshops & have decided to schedule a new 2024 online session:
