Author Archives: Website Admin

The 2017 Volunteer Futures Symposium is an Eligible Gaming Expense!

While section 7.6 of the Guidelines indicates that conferences are a prohibited use of Gaming funds, the Community Gaming Grants Branch recognizes that the 2017 Volunteer Futures Symposium is an important source of current information about the Community Gaming Grant. Likewise volunteer training, related to the direct delivery of your approved program, is an eligible Gaming Grant expense (see point 7c of Appendix VIII, Conditions of the Community Gaming Grant).

As they have in previous years, Gaming is allowing organizations to use gaming funds to attend the Symposium. As with any use of funds, organizations are expected to demonstrate how the training contributes to program delivery. 

Travel expenses for volunteers to go to the BCACG Symposium are eligible to be paid from an organization’s gaming account. An additional $500 that may also be allocated from the gaming account.  It is to be used in any manner directly related to the BCACG Symposium.  For example, a paid employee of an organization may use the $500 towards travel and accommodation and/or any registration fees related to the Symposium.

Please contact David Sheach at executivedirector@bcacg.com if you have any questions.

Upcoming Capital Project Grants Webinar – Tuesday, August 1st

The Capital Projects Grants webinar is on Tuesday, August 1 has now been posted to our website. Feel free to share the registration link with your networks.

All published information on this grant is in the capital projects section on the website: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/gambling-fundraising/gaming-grants/capital-project-grants

The webinar will include an overview of applicant and project eligibility, assessment criteria and the online application process. Attendees will also have the chance to ask questions and participate in the discussion.

Date: Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Time: 1:30 p.m – 3:00 p.m.
Place: Online
How to Register: Please complete the online registration form to secure your seat.

UPCOMING FREE – SPRING 2017 COMMUNITY GRANT WORKSHOPS

David Sheach, Executive Director is presenting information workshops about Community Gaming Grants. This free workshop will help you prepare an accurate application and manage the funding per the conditions of the grant – and answer your questions too.

May 15 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Fernie at the Senior Citizens Drop-In Centre | Register Here

May 15 | 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Cranbrook at the Canadian Mental Health Association | Register Here

May 16 | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Creston at the Creston & District Community Complex | Register Here

May 18 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Nelson at the Adventure Hotel | Register Here

May 19 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Grand Forks at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #59 | Register Here 

Community Gaming Grant Info Workshops Upcoming

Community Gaming Grant information workshops are planned for various communities. The Community Gaming Grants Branch has the following planned, in addition to the workshop in Richmond last month. All follow the same format – program over view by government, presentation by grant recipients, a grant workshop and one on one appts with an Analyst.

Following is the schedule, which continues to expand. Contact me if you would like to organize a workshop in your town and if you want one on one consulting about your grant. executivedirector@bcacg.com

 

March 10, 9:00 am to Noon  with the Child Development Centre, 51 S. 4th Ave. Williams Lake. RSVP to David Sheach, executivedirector@bcacg.com

March 16, sponsored by the Community Gaming Grants Branch

Ramada Plaza Prince George, 444 George St. – Trevor Paul, Community Gaming Grants Branch.

RSVP: cggoutreach@gov.bc.ca

March 18, 9:00 am to Noon  at St Albans Parish Hall, 51 Brink St. Ashcroft

RSVP to David Sheach, executivedirector@bcacg.com

March 22-23, Kelowna. Trevor Paul will be at the Gathering Our Voices Conference.

March 24, MLA Greg Kyllo is hosting a workshop in Salmon Arm.

RSVP and for details, cggoutreach@gov.bc.ca

March 27, 1:30 to 4  at Kay Meek Centre in West Vancouver

RSVP to David Sheach, executivedirector@bcacg.com

March 28, Sechelt at the Seaside Centre, from 3 to 6 pm, Register Here.

March 29, Powell River, with the Peer Society. Location tbc.

RSVP: executivedirector@bcacg.com

March 30, Comox Valley, at the Comox Branch 160 Legion.

RSVP: vcbsociety@telus.net

April 4, Campbell River, with Volunteer Campbell River. Location tbc.

RSVP: executivedirector@bcacg.com

April 8 – Kelowna, Caroline Miller Central Okanagan Community Gaming Association

April 11, Maple Ridge, with the Community Network. Time and Location tbc.

RSVP: executivedirector@bcacg.com

April 27-29, Ucluelet, ArtsBC annual conference.

May 2, Kamloops, with Volunteer Kamloops. Time and Location tbc.

RSVP: executivedirector@bcacg.com

May 5 – PAC Conference, Trevor Paul will be attending.

 

Workshops Completed

February 14, 11:00 – 1:30. (Coffee at 1030) and Lunch and $5 toward food,

Sands Reception Room, 187 Trunk Rd, Duncan, BC – David Sheach, BCACG

RSVP: gotoallthingsvolunteer@gmail.com

February 15, 9:00 – Noon, sponsored by the Community Gaming Grants Branch

Port Theatre, 125 Front St. Nanaimo, BC – Trevor Paul, Community Gaming Grants Branch.

RSVP for appt with Grants Analyst, cggoutreach@gov.bc.ca

February 16 10:00 – 12:30 (Coffee at 9:30) and Lunch and $5 toward food,

Ladysmith Community Health Care Centre, 1111-4th Ave. Ladysmith, BC

RSVP: gotoallthingsvolunteer@gmail.com

February 25, Kelowna – Caroline Miller, Central Okanagan Community Gaming Association

March 2, 1:00 – 3:00pm, sponsored by Community Gaming Grants Branch

Castlegar & District Community Complex – Trevor Paul, Community Gaming Grants Branch.

RSVP: cggoutreach@gov.bc.ca

March 3, Grand Forks with the Boundary Women’s Centre

BCACG Responds to New Guidelines

Press Release – For Immediate Release

 Easier to Navigate Gaming Grants Guidelines

Abbotsford, BC December 9, 2016:

Under the Ministry of Community Sport and Cultural Development, the Gaming Grant Guidelines have been amended to be more user-friendly and accessible. The main content has not been changed, they have been re-ordered and some things have been simplified.

“We welcome the Auditor General’s report and recommendations and we’re grateful to the Minister for his efforts to stabilize the Program while being concerned for the impact that the Gaming Grant has on local social health,” said Shawn Bellamy, Chair of the BC Association for Charitable Gaming. “We are looking for a Gaming Grant program that is responsive and committed to the important work that community groups do around the Province and updated Guidelines are a good step to a simpler application.”

“The Guidelines have been a complex document that evolved over many years. The revisions published today re-organizes them, includes more explanation and aligns them with the format of the application. As part of a provincial strategy, the Community Charitable Gaming Associations will be delivering information workshops and we are available to help people navigate the application,” said David Sheach, Executive Director BC Association of Charitable Gaming. “We are confident in the working relationship with the Gaming Grants Branch. Gaming Grants are an important source of revenue; a significant investment that reaches into every community.”

– 30 –

Media Contact: David Sheach, Executive Director

Cell: 604.751.2217

executivedirector@bcacg.com

Mailing Address: BC Association for Charitable Gaming

401, 151-10090152nd St.

Surrey, BC V3R 8X8

Province Publishes Updated Guidelines

On December 8 the Community Gaming Grants Branch published a response to the Auditor General’s Report and announced updated Guidelines. The Guidelines are an online document, streamlined to follow the flow of the Application and there are a few changes, but none substantial. As an example, where volunteer hours used to be calculated at $10/hr for unskilled labour and $25/hr for skilled labour, now all volunteer hours are calculated at $20/hr. The Guidelines are available here.

The Ministry Press Release is available here.

Auditor General – report on Community Gaming Grants

December 7, 2016: Read the British Columbia Auditor General’s report of the  Audit of Community Gaming Grants, conducted during October 2014 – September 2015. The Report provides 10 recommendations about measuring impact and program transparency. The Auditor General concludes that government’s framework for administering the Community Gaming Grant program is suitable, but improvements are needed. Improved accountability and a complete set of performance measures are needed to enable stakeholders to better understand and measure success for the program. Improvements to policies and procedures are also needed to better ensure that grant awards are fair, consistent and well documented, and that grant funds are used as approved.