NT School Sports Webinar Highlights Funding and Support from Indigenous Sports Circle NWT

NT School Sports welcomed participants to the second session of its Funding Opportunities Webinar Series on October 7. The series helps schools, communities, organizations, families, and individuals learn more about the funding, programs, and support available across the Northwest Territories.

Our presenters were Shawna McLeod, Community Development Manager, and Kristal Gambler, Leadership Development Manager, with the Indigenous Sports Circle NWT. Shawna and Kristal shared an important message throughout the webinar: every NWT community is different, and ISCNWT wants to work with people to find practical ways to remove barriers and create opportunities.

Community Development Grant

Shawna introduced the Community Development Grant, which helps offset the cost of community sport, recreation, and cultural activities that include physical activity.

Funding has supported many different community needs, including:

Sport and recreation equipment
Minor hockey, baseball, and slow-pitch programs
Facility improvements
Life jackets and boat-safety activities
Snowshoeing and traditional games
On-the-land cultural programming that includes physical activity
Traditional knowledge experts
Clinics, workshops, and volunteer development

Programs must take place in the Northwest Territories. The grant is intended to help offset costs rather than fund an entire project. Cash prizes, per diems, and regular staff wages are not eligible.

The next Community Development Grant intake will be open from October 15 to November 30. Applications require a letter of support from someone in the community confirming that the program is supported and will take place. Projects that build community capacity, provide free programming, and involve the wider community are priorities.

Shawna also explained that support does not always have to mean sending money directly to an applicant. ISCNWT may be able to purchase and ship equipment, connect a community with a Territorial Sport Organization, or help coordinate a clinic or workshop. The goal is to make the process as welcoming and accessible as possible.

Supporting Coaches and Community Leaders

Kristal shared several opportunities available to coaches, athletes, schools, and community leaders.

The Indigenous Coach Development Program helps communities and Territorial Sport Organizations provide coaching clinics, mentorship, professional development, and opportunities for Indigenous coaches to gain experience.

The Aboriginal Apprentice Coaching Program also supports Indigenous coaches on their development journey and provides opportunities to participate in major multi-sport events, including the Canada Games.

Kristal also introduced PlayBuilder, a free resource currently available to NWT schools. PlayBuilder includes approximately 1,700 curriculum-connected physical activity lesson plans for students from kindergarten to Grade 7.

ISCNWT can visit communities and work directly with teachers, helping them learn how to use the platform and feel more confident leading physical education. This can be especially valuable for schools that want to bring new energy into their programs or make better use of the equipment they already have.

Making Sport Travel More Accessible

Participants also learned about the NWT Sport Travel Fare Program, a partnership between ISCNWT, Sport North, and Air North. The program can provide discounted Air North fares for eligible sport-related travel, including tournaments, conferences, clinics, and development opportunities for athletes and coaches. Schools, communities, Territorial Sport Organizations, and other groups may be able to apply.

Working Together to Remove Barriers

The webinar showed that ISCNWT provides more than grants. Shawna and Kristal work alongside communities, schools, coaches, volunteers, and sport organizations to build relationships and find solutions. Thank you, Shawna, Kristal, and the Indigenous Sports Circle NWT, for sharing your knowledge and for continuing to create opportunities and possibilities for people across the territory.

To learn more about current funding and development opportunities, visit the ISCNWT Funding page. Information about the upcoming Community Development Grant intake is available through the ISCNWT Community Development Grant announcement.

Here is the recording.