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For The Record

FUNDING PRIORITIES FOR 2009/10 COMMUNITY GAMING GRANTS

Sept. 15, 2009
Ministry of Housing and Social Development
 

Here are the facts on the Province's investment in the Community Gaming Grants program this year:

  • For 2009/10, the Province has budgeted $131.4 million for Community Gaming Grants, plus access to contingency funding to cover priority program areas and three-year gaming grant commitments. Contingencies will be confirmed at a later date.
  • An additional $7.6 million will go towards contractual Horsemen Purse grants, bringing the total for gaming grants to $139 million.
  • To date, $57.7 million has been provided for Community Gaming Grants for 2009/10 and almost 2,000 applications have been approved.

Arts and Culture:

  • In 2009/10, the Province is providing a total of $23 million to support arts and culture groups through the community gaming grants program. To date, the Province and the BC Arts Council have approved over 800 grants for arts and culture groups.
  • The Province will provide a total of $10.9 million to arts and culture groups through the BC Arts Council.
  • The Province received 953 applications for arts and culture grants this year and approved 350 totalling $8.9 million. Some arts and culture organizations that did not receive gaming funds this year will receive a grant approved by the BC Arts Council.
  • In addition, the Province will be fully funding community organizations currently holding three-year grant commitments.
  • Last year, the Province provided approximately $18 million in community gaming grants for 840 arts and culture groups.

Sports:

  • Sports groups serving youth and people with disabilities are priorities this year. Eligible groups will receive partial funding for 2009/10.
  • Of the 1,137 sports groups that applied, 938 groups will receive more than $19 million in community gaming grants this fiscal year.
  • Last year, 1079 sports organizations received a total of $29 million in both Bingo Affiliation and Direct Access grant funding.

Parent Advisory Councils (PACs) and District Parent Advisory Councils (DPACs):

  • The PAC payment per student this year will be $10. DPACs will receive a lump sum payment of $1,250. In 2008/09, these amounts were $20 and $2,500 respectively.
  • Approximately 1,650 PACs and 50 DPACs will receive $7.6 million. Of this, $1.6 million was paid out in bingo grants in April 2009.
  • As well, the Province is helping to fund the CommunityLink program through gaming grants. $48.6 million of the $51.5 million budget will support various school-based programs, such as nutritional and other programs for underprivileged children.
  • In 2008/09, 1,990 PACs and DPACs received $16.1 million.

Environment:

  • Environmental groups will receive over $2.5 million in gaming grants to support close to 50 programs.
    • Twenty-five environmental groups with three-year agreements will receive $1 million.
    • Earlier this year, the Province provided over $550,000 to 19 environmental groups.
    • Approximately $1 million is going to five programs that support wildlife and land conservation and the environment through the community gaming grant program.
  • Last year, 119 environmental groups received a total of $3.8 million in grant allocations.
  • Priorities for the remainder of 2009/10 grants will be:
    • Programs that support low income and disabled British Columbians.
    • Programs that provide food, shelter and support to at risk individuals.
    • Programs that support community health services.
    • Programs that fund nutritional and similar programs in schools for underprivileged children.
    • Public safety programs.
    • A limited number of arts and culture activities.
    • Community education programs, such as daycares and preschools.
    • Public community facilities like community halls and recreation facilities.
    • Youth and disabled sports.
    • Non-sport youth groups, such as scouts and cadets.
    • Written three-year commitments made to community groups.
  • As in previous years, demand for community gaming grants significantly exceeds the available funding.
  • Organizations may receive less funding than requested so that the maximum number of organizations receive support from community gaming grants. Grant amounts are final, and not subject to reconsideration.
  • No new applications for three-year grants will be considered.
  • The Province considers applications for community gaming grants during four primary intake periods per year.
  • In 2008/09, the Province provided over $156 million in grants for 6,685 organizations. The Province received 7,831 applications.
  • More information about community gaming grants is available at: www.hsd.gov.bc.ca/gaming/