ABOUT THE CHALLENGE Through the Challenge , we are looking for new ideas to get more Alberta citizens ( particularly children and youth ) more active in community sport over a longer term — and , through that involvement , to learn positive values , practice healthy behaviours and experience lifelong health and quality of life benefits .
WHAT ’ S BEHIND THE CHALLENGE ? Only one in five Alberta children and youth get enough physical activity every day . Many join community sport teams , but that ’ s not the answer for everyone . The rising drop-out rate of children and youth from organized community sport is a telling and disconcerting consequence of the mismatch between what
Grassroutes Community Sport Innovation Challenge : Program Parameters
Makadiff Sports , a provincial not-forprofit organization dedicated to supporting the growth and development of amateur sport in Alberta , sees a compelling need to improve sport delivery and increase participation in grassroots community sport . Toward that end , we have established the Grassroutes Community Sport Innovation Challenge ( the Challenge ) to help kickstart innovative initiatives all across this province — initiatives that take advantage of promising trends and emerging opportunities in community sport development and delivery .
In 2017 , the Challenge will dedicate $ 200,000 in funding to be shared among the most promising community sport initiatives . Enter the Challenge by submitting an online written proposal and / or a video pitch about your idea , and you could receive financial support ( from small grants ... to a maximum of $ 50,000 ) toward making it happen . All chosen initiatives will be required to submit a video upon project completion illustrating what they have accomplished with those dollars . The project showing the greatest broad scale impact potential will receive a PRIZE BONUS of up to $ 50,000 to enhance its reach and sustainability . This could be your chance to test your good idea and make a big impact !
4 is and what should be . In fact , participant drop-out rates are rising due to inflexible schedules , high costs , cultural barriers and excessive focus on win-at-all-cost sport competition . Increasingly , people are looking for flexible , more social , less structured ways to get active . Meanwhile the impacts of inactivity escalate , diminishing quality of life and overburdening our healthcare system .
In light of those realities , there is growing concern that ‘ community sport ’ may be being pulled in the wrong direction ; that we need to be more intentional about ensuring that community sport reflects our best values and that everyone has opportunities to meaningfully participate . A national study undertaken by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport underlines this concern :