Valley athletic organizations looking to attract bigger and better sporting events to the region can now ask the CVRD for money.
The CVRD’s board of directors have set up a fund of $30,000 that individual sports organizations and businesses can apply to for amounts of $500 up to $3,000.
CVRD community services manager John Elzinga explained that back in 2014 the CVRD began to look at how to support sport organizations and sport events in the region. At the time they opted to take a lead role in the multi-sport events, which ultimately resulted in the 2018 B.C. Summer Games being hosted in Cowichan. Simmering away on the back-burner, however, was the goal to also support more single sports endeavours in the region.
“We wanted to offer a small financial incentive to local sport organizations looking for provincial, national, international events,” Elzinga explained.
This grant money satisfies that goal.
CVRD board chair Jon Lefebure said “the CVRD is pleased to provide another layer of support to sports organizations in their bids to host regional, provincial, national and international events. Our goal is to support the launch of sporting events that otherwise may not be possible, ultimately raising awareness and desirability of our region as a sports destination.”
It’s just one more offering from the regional district’s growing collection of sports tourism initiatives.
To learn more or to apply for a grant, visit: www.cvrd.bc.ca/sportstourism
Local groups have until Oct. 1 of this year to apply for the first round of funding. That money must support events taking place between January and June 2019. The following deadline is April 1, 2019 for events occurring between July and the end of December, 2019.
