Message to Applicants
During the City of Prince George 2023 Grants Review, staff received valuable feedback highlighting the need for administrative changes to streamline and make it easier to apply for city grants. Changes include using more concise language, providing extra information and clarity in how the web page and application form(s) are laid out. There is more work to be done to improve city grants processes, but as a place to start, these changes will hopefully make it easier to navigate information and complete an application.
Please connect with us at communitygrants@princegeorge.ca if you have any issues navigating these website changes or run into any difficulty with completing your application.
Grants Overview
The City of Prince George recognizes local organizations work hard and have many ideas on how to boost the community. The City provides grants and financial assistance programs to help groups meet their goals of enhancing PG for all who live here.
Adjudication
The City of Prince George adjudication committees, which include external community members, will consider the below when evaluating grant applications;
- Alignment with grant criteria.
- Value for investment (i.e., budget details).
- The City is also guided by several policies and procedures which are considered in the adjudication process (see below links at bottom of webpage for additional information).
- Council’s interest in financially supporting a variety of organizations and initiatives.
Please note: depending on the overall volume of applications received and the available funding, the City may be unable to financially support all applications. Depending on the outcomes of adjudication, including but not limited to alignment with grant criteria, partial funding may be considered.
myPG Community Grant
The objective of the myPG Community grant is to assist registered not-for profits implement new or enhance current projects that contribute to making Prince George a great community.
- Applications are accepted twice per year with an intake deadline of March 15 and October 15 at 4:30 pm.
- Allocations are generally $8,000 or less.
Before completing a grant application, please ensure the project meets grant criteria and eligibility requirements.
Grant Criteria
Applications are evaluated based on alignment with the following grant criteria:
- Increase community pride.
- Encourage health and wellness.
- Socially connecting citizens.
- Involvement in arts and culture.
- Ensure equity and inclusion (with an emphasis on initiatives that reduce stigma and discrimination associated with issues like poverty, to ensure all citizens can fully participate in community life).
Eligibility Requirements
- Applicant must be a registered non-profit society.
- Projects must be within the City of Prince George Boundary.
- Applicants must ensure there are other sources of funding (cash or in-kind contributions) to support the project.
- If your proposed project is held at a City venue (park, arena, facility, plaza etc.) you are required to confirm the booking using the City’s venue booking process.
- Accessible to all PG residents of all backgrounds, ethnicities, and income levels.
- Projects can only receive funding through one City of Prince George grant program.
The MyPG Community Grant will NOT fund:
- For-profit businesses.
- Research.
- Payment of City property taxes.
- Capital projects and purchases.
- Professional development.
- Travel.
- Fundraisers.
- Projects that have already taken place.
- Beautification projects (public art projects may be eligible).
- School activities (activities, where there is significant involvement of the community, may be considered. Community involvement must be significantly more than just the students and their families).
- Regular sports activities, tournaments, subsidized participant fees or subsidized facility rental fees (activities and/or programs focused on supporting equity and inclusion opportunities may be considered).
Applications are accepted twice per year.
- Spring Cycle application deadline: March 15 at 4:30 pm. (If March 15 falls on a weekend, the deadline will be on the following Monday).
- Fall Cycle application deadline: October 15 at 4:30 pm. (If October 15 falls on a weekend, the deadline will be on following Monday).
- Applications for the Spring and Fall Cycle are open 4 weeks before application deadline.
- Within 2 weeks after grant deadline: adjudication process to take place.
- Within 4-6 weeks after grant deadline: notification of both successful and unsuccessful applicants sent to the email address provided on the application form and cheques sent out to the mailing address provided on the application form.
Please e-mail communitygrants@princegeorge.ca if you have any follow-up questions concerning your application.
Definitions for the purposes of the myPG Community Grant
- Projects: refers to programs, services, small events, activities etc.
- Not for profit: refers to a registered not-for-profit organization known as a society. A society does not earn any profits for its members and all money is donated to the organization’s cause or goal.
- Professional Development: refers to conference attendance, staff training, travel costs etc.
- Capital: refers to the purchase of substantial investment in long-term assets. For example, this can include purchasing equipment, computer technology, land, building upgrades, furniture fixtures etc. that is >20% of total funding requested.
- In-kind: refers to goods, services and transactions not involving money. For example, volunteer hours are an in-kind contribution.
An evaluation report is required for projects that receive funding by the deadlines indicated below:
- Projects that receive funding in the spring are required to submit an evaluation by March 15 of the following year.
- Projects that receive funding in the fall are required to submit an evaluation by October 15 of the following year.
If the project is not complete by those deadlines, please provide the information related to the project up to that date. That report is considered an interim report and a final report must be submitted within 30 days of project completion.
Please e-mail communitygrants@princegeorge.ca if you have any follow-up questions regarding the application process.
Celebrate PG Grant
The objective of the Celebrate PG Grant is to assist registered not-for profits implement new or enhance current events that increase community pride and focus on attracting visitors.
- Applications are accepted once per year with an intake deadline of December 19 at 4:30pm.
- Allocations are between $5,000 and $10,000 maximum, depending on if it is an emerging or signature event (see below definitions).
Before completing a grant application, please ensure the event meets grant criteria and eligibility requirements.
Grant Criteria
Applications are evaluated based on alignment with the following grant criteria:
- Outline the enhancement or creation of an event and how it will positively impact the event.
- Demonstrate that the organization has the capacity to execute the event.
- Indicate how the event will focus on building and measuring local attendance and will effectively reach the identified target audience(s), including out of town visitation and overnight stays.
- Show that the event is unique and will not duplicate other initiatives.
- Present a proposed budget that is sufficiently detailed, reasonable, and balanced and demonstrates how the funds will be leveraged to increase overall budget.
- Detail how the event enhances Prince George and promotes it as a great place to live and visit.
- Exhibit how the event fosters partnerships and celebrates civic spaces and organizations.
- Outline how the event promotes cultural richness, local arts, history, and attractions as well as equality, inclusivity, and accessibility.
Eligibility Requirements
- Applicant must be a registered non-profit society.
- The event must be within the City of Prince George Boundary and be open to the public and promoted as such.
- If your proposed event is held at a City venue (park, arena, facility, plaza etc.) you are required to confirm the booking using the City’s venue booking process.
- Projects can only receive funding through one City of Prince George grant program.
The Celebrate PG Grant will fund:
- Costs associated with enhancing visitor experiences.
- i.e., presenting a big-name entertainer or activity that would not have been feasible without the funding.
- Extending a one-day festival to two-day festival (preference will be given to multi-day events).
- Marketing costs.
The Celebrate PG Grant will NOT fund:
- Normal/previous event costs (if an existing event).
- Costs incurred prior to approval of application and confirmation of funding.
- Organizational operating or capital costs.
- Administration fees, event coordination and staffing costs.
- Budget overrun.
- Fundraisers, sporting, political, consumer/tradeshows, galas, religious or healthcare events.
- Conferences
Applications are accepted once per year.
- Application intake deadline: December 19 at 4:30 pm.
- Applications for the 2024 events are open November 1.
- Within 2 weeks after intake deadline-notification of both successful and unsuccessful applicants sent to the email address provided on the application form and cheques sent out to the mailing address provided on the application form.
Please e-mail communitygrants@princegeorge.ca if you have any follow-up questions concerning your application.
Funding amount in addition to grant criteria is dependent on whether an event is emerging, or is a signature event as defined below.
1. Emerging Events:
- Local events that show an economic return, attract media exposure, and market and attract tourists.
- Term: 1-year term with a maximum annual grant contribution of $5,000.
2. Signature Events:
- Major events that show an economic return and attract significant media exposure, sponsors, and attendance including tourists. Only festivals and events that have demonstrated three (3) years of successful growth and stability as well as have a minimum $100,000 event operating budget are eligible to apply under this category.
- Term: 1-year term with a maximum annual grant contribution of $10,000.
- Local events that show an economic return, attract media exposure, and market and attract tourists.
A Post Event Evaluation Form is required to be submitted no later than 60 days following the event completion to be eligible for future grant funding.
Please e-mail communitygrants@princegeorge.ca if you have any follow-up questions regarding the application process.
Application form for 2024 intake will be made available soon.
Other Grants and Programs
Travel Grants help young artists, artisans, athletes, individuals, and teams participate in the arts, culture, amateur recreation, sports and competition at the zone, regional, provincial, Western Canadian, national, and international levels. Grant recipients are recognized as representatives of Prince George and the City offers this assistance to help offset event participation costs.
- Applications accepted throughout the year.
Eligibility
All groups where the majority of members are 18 years old or younger or individuals 18 years old or younger are eligible. Applicants must be sponsored by an organization in a recognized cultural, educational, art, sport and/or recreational activity. Applicants must also satisfy the following requirements:
- Have been selected at a juried show to have his or her work displayed at a regional, provincial, national level, or within a designated geographic area recognized by the sponsoring organization.
- or
- Have awarded a scholarship within a specific field of art to attend a school of national or Western Canadian recognition.
- or
- Have won a local, regional or provincial competition, or have been selected by a sponsoring organization to represent Prince George at a regional, provincial or national competition.
- or
- Have won the right or have been selected to represent the City of Prince George, the Province of British Columbia, and/or Canada at an international competition.
On occasion, those activities that are considered to be in pursuit of excellence are eligible for funding. School-based sports and activities are not eligible.
In addition, applications must:
- Include a completed application form.
- Include a signed letter from a current Executive Board of Directors member, on official letterhead, with details of the event itself and a list of qualifying events. The letter must include a statement that the applicant meets all criteria.
- Indicate that the travel has occurred prior to the application date.
Funding Details
The annual funding amount is derived from interest on the BC Winter Games Legacy Trust, and the total available amount for grants can vary annually, based on current interest rates.
The actual amount provided will be a maximum of the amount listed below based on competition location and the number of attendees but is often less due to the number of other applications received.
- International or National/Western Canadian held east of Manitoba:
- Individual: $200
- Up to 14 Members: $500
- More than 15 Members: $1,000
- National/Western Canadian held in Manitoba/Saskatchewan:
- Individual: $150
- Up to 14 Members: $400
- More than 15 Members: $600
- National/Western Canadian in BC/Alberta or Regional/Provincial recognized by sponsoring organization:
- Individual: $100
- Up to 14 Members: $300
- More than 15 Members: $500
All grant applications may be subject to further review as required. Please be prepared to provide detailed information on eligibility requirements and actual expenses incurred.
Application Forms
Applicants or organizations must be based in Prince George and able to supply proof of incorporation or registration. A maximum of one grant per calendar year is available per individual/team and the amount of funding available is dependent on the number of applicants.
Grants will be reviewed and paid bi-annually (June and December each year).
The SportPG Grant financially supports local non-profit organizations that host sporting events which attract participants and visitors to Prince George.
The adjudication process may take up to eight (8) weeks for applications that are complete and in order. Approved grants are in line with, "This is SportPG" missions and goals, a strategy developed in partnership between the Tourism Prince George and the City of Prince George. The Adjudication Committee consists of staff members from Tourism Prince George and the City of Prince George.
Eligibility
Applicant Eligibility
- Be a registered non-profit organization that is in good standing and located in Prince George. Partnerships with a local non-profit sporting organization may be considered.
- Demonstrate the financial and organizational capacity to host the event being applied for.
- Be in good financial standing with the City of Prince George. Organizations with outstanding receivables with the City are ineligible.
- A financial need must be demonstrated.
- Provide a viable business plan for the event detailing the objectives, action plan, volunteer and organizational structure, and timelines (upon request).
Event Eligibility
- Be a sporting event that takes place over more than one day and incorporates at least two days of competitions.
- Attract a significant number of out-of-town participants who generate at least one overnight stay in paid accommodations.
- Occur within the City of Prince George limits. Applicants whose events fall outside of the City limits may be considered if the event clearly demonstrates the majority of services - such as accommodations and food and beverage - are being provided within Prince George.
Ineligible Events
The SportPG Hosting Grant does not fund the following events:
- Events operated by a for-profit business.
- Events offering prize money.
- Events that have already occurred.
- Unconfirmed events, including those still in the bid stage.
- Large-scale sporting events where considerable Hosting Right Fees, Multi-Sport Games (i.e. Canada Games), or Financial Assurances will be required.
The typical level of staffing and financial resource commitments needed by such events exceed the scope of the SportPG Hosting Grant and requires City approval. For more questions and more information on Major Sport Event Hosting, contact Event Services at 250-561-7788.
Funding Details
The SportPG Hosting Grant funding is based on participant numbers and whether the event’s scope is Regional, Provincial, Western Canadian, National or International. For the funding outline below, “participants” will include athletes, coaches and field of play officials:
- Regional (50 per cent or more of participants located outside of city limits) -- $7/participant
- Provincial (65 per cent or more participants located over 235 km from City) -- $9/participant
- Western Canada (participants from BC, AB, SK and MB) -- $10/participant
- National (75 per cent or more participants from out of province) -- $11/participant
- International (75 per cent or more participants from outside of Canada) -- $13/participant
Expenses
- Funding may be applied to programming, operating, marketing, and promotional expenses.
- Funding cannot be used for expenses related to the following unless otherwise agreed upon:
- Capital projects and expenditures - Any construction, upgrading, or maintenance costs for facilities to stage sporting events.
- Endowments, charitable donations, fundraising campaigns, developing a business case or proposal for funding, donor recognition/walls, gifts (volunteer recognition).
- Prize monies.
- Alcohol.
Conditions of Approval and Payment Terms
Upon grant approval, successful recipients will receive 50 per cent of the approved funds prior to the sporting event based on the estimated number of eligible participants outlined in the application. The exact amount of the remaining funding will be determined after the event is completed, the number of participants is confirmed, and the final report is approved by the City. Lower numbers of actual participants than anticipated will result in a lower grant allocation. Events resulting in a profitable gain will need to show where excess funds were allocated in the final report.
- In case of an event cancellation, repayment of the entire amount of funding issued by the City of Prince George will be required within thirty (30) days of the announced cancellation.
- Complete a final report within sixty (60) days of the event's completion. The report must include:
- The number of volunteers and approximate number of hours contributed to the event.
- The number of local athletes, coaches, and officials.
- The number of out-of-town athletes, coaches, and officials.
- The number of local spectators (estimates if the event is not ticketed).
- Number of out-of-town spectators (estimates if the event is not ticketed).
- Final financial statement (on the SportPG Budget Template).
- Any legacy achieved (financial, sport, and community).
- Include the SportPG logo on any printed materials, the event website, and social media (where applicable). Exposure must be at the same level or greater than other funders of equal value. Copies of these materials must be included in the final report. Please contact the City for suitable logos, including the respective logo branding standards.
- Supply a minimum of three (3) three high-resolution photographs which are of sufficient quality to be used for promotional materials. The City of Prince George and Tourism Prince George must be given copyright permissions to use these photos for promotional or educational purposes. Photo submissions will indicate copyright permissions given. If photo credits are required, these must be provided.
- Prior to the event, provide event website address and social media information including hashtags being used for the event.
- Display the SportPG banner on-site during the event in a visible location. Tourism Prince George can provide this banner.
- Within sixty (60) days, email a post-event survey to registered participants. A copy of the survey will be supplied by Tourism Prince George.
- Grant funding not used or accounted for in accordance with the approved eligible expenses shall be repayable by the grant recipient to the City of Prince George. The City of Prince George liaison should be contacted for instructions.
For more information, contact:
Event Services
Phone: 250-561-7723Application Forms
The City of Prince George reserves the right to request additional financial information at any point during the granting process.
The City recognizes some events may present unique opportunities and challenges that are not addressed in this program. In certain unique and exceptional circumstances, the City - in partnership with Tourism Prince George - may adjust the program.
Large-scale sporting events where considerable Hosting Right Fees, Multi-Sport Games (I.E. Canada Games), or Financial Guarantees are required are considered outside this grant program. The typical level of staffing and financial resource commitments needed by such events exceed the scope of the SportPG Hosting Grant and require City Council approval.
For these types of event requests and for additional information or questions about the SportPG Hosting Grant or the Major Sport Event Hosting program, contact Event Services at 250-561-7788.