Team Saskatchewan celebrates their Gold Medal victory over Alberta at the 1995 Canada Winter Games in Grande Prairie. Patrick Marleau (below the coach on the right in the blue jacket) played for that team. It was Saskatchewan's first Gold Medal ever at the Canada Winter Games. Photo Credit: Canada Winter Games staff

By Abby Zieverink

Applications Open February 1

City launches Sport Hosting Grant with hopes of attracting future large-scale events

Feb 1, 2022 | 2:15 PM

The City of Grande Prairie has launched its new Sport Hosting Grant, in hopes of helping non-profit sports organizations to host larger-scale sporting events in the city.

Applications open February 1, 2022, and close March 1 and July 1, 2022, each year.

The new Sport Hosting Grant aims to encourage organizations to host events that bring more visitors to Grande Prairie, which Community Recreation Supervisor Katie Biberdorf says is part of the city’s post-COVID-19 recovery plan.

“We’re targeting the larger events, so it will have a larger economic impact, additional hotel stays, restaurants, shopping, that type of thing.”

“But it also helps build capacity within our sports organizations and it promotes volunteerism in the city.”

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Applications will be vetted through the community advisory committee with Grande Prairie City Council members finalizing the decisions on grant recipients, those selected are eligible to receive up to $5,000 from the grant, with $40,000 allotted for the entire year.

Successful applicants can use the funding for operating expenses such as facility rentals, marketing, communications, transportation, security, accommodations, and officials.

“We are offering up to $5,000 just to feel out what the requests are this year and then we will look at future opportunities in other years to see if we should adjust that number if it needs to go up or down,” Biberdorf explained.

“We will make recommendations based on how many applications we receive, how much money they’re asking for, what we have left in the budget, and there will be a number of criteria that each group has to meet as well.”

To be eligible for funding from the Sport Hosting Grant, events must:

• Take place over a minimum of two days
• Be a provincial, western Canada, national, or international sporting event
• Be hosted by a registered non-profit organization

The city says the Sport Hosting Grant cannot be used to fund playoffs, league games, event bids, recreational activities, or for a non-profit’s internal operations.

Registered non-profits set to host sporting events can apply to start February 1, with deadlines closing on March 1 and July 1, 2022.

Those interested can apply on the City’s website; here: cityofgp.com/funding