Applications now open; deadline is Aug 3, 2023

Summertime fun…its that time of year again…the BC Gaming Capital Project Grant funding program is now open for applications. For those who are unfamiliar with this particular program, its a multi-component funding opportunity that supports a wide range of capital-related things - including facility upgrades, renovations, acquisitions (including a range of equipment & web/IT expenses), and (new in 2023) repatriation projects.

And yes, they do fund the updating or creation of new websites! (learn something new everyday). I emailed them to clarify that point today, and received this lovely response: “The answer is yes to both – we specifically added this language to the guidelines to clarify that building and/or updating a website is an eligible project, and the applicant should select the acquisition category. We have funded these types of projects before, and we always get a lot of questions about it.”

Application Worksheets: I have created application worksheets for this grant program, can be downloaded here:

Key Things To Know:

• Total costs for all projects must be between $20,000 and $1,250,000. Projects less than $20,000 or greater than $1,250,000 are not eligible for Capital Project Grant funding.

• Eligible not-for-profit organizations may be approved for up to 50% of the total cost of a project, to a maximum of $250,000. If the requested grant amount is less than 20% or greater than 50% of the total cost of a project, the project will not be eligible for funding.

• The applicant must demonstrate it has the matching funds required for project completion. The applicant’s matching funds contribution must equal or exceed the level of capital project funding requested.

• If all work on, or purchase of, the proposed capital project is scheduled to be completed before the notification of grant awards (December 31, 2023), the project is not eligible.

See program guidelines for further details.

ELIGIBLE PROJECTS: To be considered eligible for funding, a project must fall within one of the applicable capital project categories. Applicants should apply under the specific project category that is best suited for their project. For examples of eligible projects, please see Section 2.2.2.

1. FACILITIES PROJECTS: the construction of new facilities and renovation or maintenance of existing facilities and property development;

• The project is undertaken by an eligible organization primarily for community benefit;

• Upon completion, the project – or the facility within which the project is located – is accessible to the public;

• The project is for the construction of new facilities, renewal, expansion or material enhancement of existing facilities or property development;

• The project is located on: Land that is owned by an eligible organization; Land that is leased to an eligible organization on a long-term basis; or Public land.

Examples include:

• Construction of a new permanent built structure (e.g. office, centre, daycare facility, theatre, food bank storage, sports facility);

• Renovations that restore, refurbish, upgrade, retrofit or otherwise improve the general conditions of an existing facility to extend its useful life (e.g. roofs, flooring, air circulation, seismic resilience, foundation repair, kitchens, bathrooms, elevators, gutters, accessibility retrofits, hall expansions, asbestos abatement); and

• Property development projects (e.g. fences, courtyard, irrigation systems for sports fields, parking lots, floodlights).

2. COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS: the development of public amenities that improve B.C. residents’ quality of life.

• The project is undertaken by an eligible organization primarily for community benefit;

• Upon completion, the project – or the facility within which the project is located – is accessible to the public and is inclusive of the greater community;

• The project is for the installation of public amenities that improve B.C. residents’ quality of life;

• The project is located on:

o Land that is owned by an eligible organization; o Land that is leased to an eligible organization on a long-term basis; or o Public land.

Examples include:

• Outdoor structures (e.g. docks, playgrounds, outdoor pools, sport rinks, industrial sheds, courts, artificial turf, boardwalks, trestles);

• Parks (e.g. water parks, skate/bike parks, fitness and recreation spaces); and

• Natural areas (e.g. hiking and walking trails, green spaces, wetlands, community gardens, habitat restoration).

3. ACQUISITIONS: the purchase of fixed capital assets for long-term ownership and use.

• The acquisition is made by an eligible organization primarily for community benefit;

• The project is for the purchase of privately owned fixed capital assets for long-term use; and

• The capital acquisition must fully belong to the eligible organization.

Examples include:

• Vehicles, boats, vehicle part replacements/modifications (e.g bus, van, delivery truck, fire truck);

• Machinery and equipment (e.g. safety equipment, sports equipment, commercial kitchen equipment, stage and lighting equipment, sound equipment, instruments);

• Technological resources (e.g. computer systems, IT projects including website, networks and software, security system); and

• Property and/or buildings.

4. REPATRIATION PROJECTS: The repatriation of Indigenous cultural belongings and/or ancestral remains.

• The organization applying for funding and leading the project must be an eligible not-for-profit organization.

• The not-for-profit organization that is applying for Capital Project funding could be either:

o applying to receive cultural belongings and/or ancestral remains (the applying organization may be working on behalf of or in partnership with an Indigenous individual, organization or community, or First Nations government); or, o applying to send cultural belongings and/or ancestral remains back to an Indigenous individual, organization or community, or a First Nations government.

• Signed documents between the organization in possession of the Indigenous cultural belongings and/or ancestral remains and the rightful owners (Indigenous community, First Nation Band, etc.) confirming the intention to repatriate materials must be provided at time of application.

• If the applicant for funding is acting on behalf of either party involved, then a letter of support is also required.

• Research, negotiations, and determination regarding the owner of the cultural belongings and/or ancestral remains must be completed prior to applying for Capital Project funding.

Examples of eligible projects may include one or more of the following:

• Community museum returning artifacts to the Nation of origin.

• Ancestral remains are returned to community/family.

• Project components and eligible costs may include:

o Transportation and storage costs (e.g., travel costs for those involved in the repatriation project, protection for moving or transporting cultural belonging or ancestral remains, infrastructure to support work or placement, etc.); o Cultural ceremonies and honorariums; and, o Project management, consultant fees, etc.

NOTE: while the program has a fairly straight forward application process (and a familiar one for those who submit annual Gaming Community Grants), they do a require a LOT of support materials, so I recommend you give yourself lots of time to complete the application.