April 17, 2024 (Langford, BC) – Rugby Canada, funded by the Government of Canada, is pleased to announce the 22 successful applicants for 2024 who will receive support through Rugby Canada’s Community Rugby Fund. This is the largest number of clubs selected in one year since the fund began in 2021.
2024 marks the fourth year of the Community Rugby Fund, made possible through the Federal Government's Community Sport for All Initiative (CSAI). The Fund supports National Sports Organizations (NSOs) in creating more accessible and locally organized sports programs aimed at reducing barriers to participation, particularly among Black, Indigenous and racialized communities as well as 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, people with disabilities, low-income people and newcomers. . A total of $16.7 million in funding was provided to 39 national scouting organizations, including Rugby Canada.
This year, Rugby Canada received 67 applications from across Canada and with 22 recipients selected for 2024, a total of 49 applications have been approved for funding since the Rugby Community Fund began in 2021.
For 2024, priority has been given to rugby clubs, schools or community organizations that have applied for grant funding focused on growing the community game with particular attention given to projects that:
- Create or develop a school-to-club pathway to increase the number of registered rugby players participating in club rugby.
- Promote inclusion, diversity, equality and access to rugby within a club, educational institution or community organization, particularly for Black, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQI+ and newcomers to Canada.
- Create new programs or develop existing programs aimed at introducing women and girls to the game of rugby.
- Build capacity to deliver programs through the development of coaches or match officials within the rugby community.
“2024 represents a huge year for the Community Rugby Fund,” said Jamie Levchuk, Rugby Canada’s Managing Director of Operations and Games Development. “This year we are proud to select 22 new recipients and provide a total of $100,000 in funding to successful clubs, schools and community organizations that have all demonstrated the ability to grow community and grassroots rugby in Canada. I look forward to seeing the long-term impact all of our successful applications will have on our game.”
List of 2024 Rugby Community Fund beneficiaries
Langley Rugby Club
Location: British Columbia
Focus: Developing the pathway from school to club and mixed abilities rugby
Aurora Wolves Rugby Union
Location: British Columbia
Focus: Developing the path from school to club
Xmin Rugby Club
Location: British Columbia
Focus: Developing the path from school to club
Belleville Bulldogs RFC
Location: Ontario
Focus: Programming for women and girls, capacity building
Brockville Privateers RFC
Location: Ontario
Focus: Programming for women and girls, capacity building, school-to-club pathway development
Calgary Hornets RFC
Location: Alberta
Focus: Developing the path from school to club
Donald A. School Wilson High School
Location: Ontario
Focus: Developing the path from school to club
Edmonton Clansmen Rugby Football Club
Location: Alberta
Focus: New Youth Programming and Programming for Women and Girls
Elk Valley Rugby Football Club
Location: British Columbia
Focus area: New youth programming and school-to-club pathway development
James Bay Athletic Association
Location: British Columbia
Focus area: School-to-club pathway development, youth leadership programming
Manitoba wombats
Location: Manitoba
Focus area: Developing the pathway from school to club
Mississauga Blues Rugby Club
Location: Ontario
Focus area: School-to-club pathway development, youth leadership programming
Mont-Tremblant RFC
Location: Quebec
Focus area: School-to-club pathway development and capacity building
Nor'Westers Athletic Association
Location: Alberta
Focus area: School-to-club pathway development, programming for women and girls
Ottawa Irish Rugby Club
Location: Ontario
Focus area: Developing the pathway from school to club
Ottawa Wolves Rugby Football Club
Location: Ontario
Focus Area: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programming
Rainbow Griffins Rugby Football Club
Location: Ontario
Focus Area: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programming
Thunder Rugby
Location: British Columbia
Focus area: Indigenous engagement programming
Toronto City Rugby Club
Location: Ontario
Focus area: Developing the pathway from school to club
Tri-County Regional Center for Education
Location: Nova Scotia
Focus area: School-to-club pathway development, new youth programmes
Williams Lake Rugby Football Club
Location: British Columbia
Focus area: Indigenous engagement programming and school-to-club pathway development
Winnipeg High School Rugby
Location: Manitoba
Focus area: Capacity building and new youth programmes
About the Rugby Community Fund
The Rugby Community Fund aims to achieve the sustainability and growth of rugby across Canada. The Fund allows all registered rugby clubs, as well as schools and community organizations in Canada, to apply for funding based on the guidelines and criteria provided by the program. All submissions will be given equal consideration and scholarship recipients will be announced annually.
Details of the 2025 Community Rugby Fund will be announced in early 2025. For more information, please click here or email [email protected]
About Rugby Canada
Rugby Canada is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in Canada. They manage and manage the men's and women's national senior and junior programs in both 15's and 7's rugby, as well as managing the club and community game for over 30,000 registered participants from coast to coast in association with ten regional union members.
Rugby Canada is headquartered at the Al Sharon National Training Center in Langford, British Columbia, and resides on the unsettled lands of the Coast Salish and Likungen/Songese peoples, and also employs staff from Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa and Quebec City. Rugby Canada's business operations, programs and events are delivered across the country, including the internationally recognized annual HSBC SVNS Vancouver tournaments.
