Sport Funding and Accountability Framework (SFAF III: 2005 - 2010)

Multisport Service Organizations Eligibility Criteria

• To establish the eligibility of Multisport Service Organizations for Sport Canada assessment under SFAF III.
  
  
• Application Deadline to Complete Pocess for the commencement of the 2005-2010 cycle: December 24, 2004
  
  

website address:
www.pch.gc.ca/sportcanada
(electronic version of application package)

e-mail address:
monique_haspect@pch.gc.ca
(for general inquiry)

help line:
Monique Haspect,
(819) 956-8039

Introduction

The Sport Funding and Accountability Framework (SFAF) is the process used by Canadian Heritage to identify which organizations – in this case, Multisport Service Organizations (MSOs) – are eligible for Sport Canada contribution programs, in what areas, at what level and under what conditions.

The SFAF is designed to support the Government of Canada's contribution to the achievement of the aims of the Canadian Sport Policy, in the areas of Excellence, Participation, Building Capacity and Enhanced Interaction.

MSOs will be identified by their contribution to sport, through the provision of core services that meet the needs of the Canadian sport community. Each MSO plays a national leadership role through their expertise and capacity in a core service area.

This is the third edition of the SFAF (SFAF III) – the first to apply to MSOs – and applies to the funding cycle: April 01, 2005 to March 31, 2010. The SFAF is a four-step process: Eligibility, Assessment, Funding and Accountability.

The first step in the SFAF process is Eligibility. Eligibility uses a set of criteria to identify MSOs that provide core services that contribute to making sport technically and ethically safe and sound and to achieving the goals of the Canadian Sport Policy. The core services being considered for eligibility purposes are ones that provide capacity and interaction within the Canadian sport community, are specific to the sport sector, and are best achieved with long-term planning and stable investment.

Application for Eligibility is a voluntary process. All organizations, whether previously funded or not, must complete and submit an Eligibility application to access the SFAF process and eventually qualify for Sport Canada funding support for the 2005-2010 funding cycle. Eligibility does not imply funding, but rather identifies which MSOs access the next step in the process.

Eligible MSOs access the second step: the Assessment, which evaluates their size, scope, performance and potential in important program and/or service areas, and establishes funding levels according to their contribution to the goals of the Canadian Sport Policy. Funding levels are based on the Assessment scores and are linked to the achievement of National Accountability Standards and to compliance with contribution guidelines. Upon completion of the SFAF process, funding decisions are made by the Minister.

Eligibility Criteria:

There are 2 sections to the Eligibility Criteria: Role within Sport System and General Criteria. To achieve Eligibility, organizations must meet all the criteria in each section, as indicated in the instructions.

Special circumstances and additional information have been included as annexes to several criteria. Please read the annexes before answering the criteria. Organizations are responsible for providing any supporting documentation that may be required.

Two authorized officers of the MSO must sign the Statement of Verification (p.10).

Each criterion will be assessed as: accept/not accept.

MSOs will normally be informed of their Eligibility status within 30 days following receipt of the complete application and supporting documents. Appeals will be considered on the grounds of incorrect or misinterpreted information only.

Eligibility is an open process; applications can be received at any point during the upcoming funding cycle to qualify for funding.

Sport Canada, as part of the SFAF III, will also support specific projects in identified areas. Information on project funding will be posted on the Sport Canada website (www.pch.gc.ca/sportcanada) and published in the annual Contribution Guidelines.

Canadian Heritage reserves the right to modify or amend the Eligibility Criteria at any time during the funding cycle if needed to reflect changes in Government of Canada priorities.

Sport Funding and Accountability Framework
2005-2010 Eligibility Criteria

Annex A1

Sport Canada will normally recognize one organization per specific core service as a Multisport Service Organization (please note: certain core services, as expressed in criteria A1, may appropriately be indicated by more than one organization, i.e. opportunities for under-represented groups). Organizations are expected to provide expertise and capacity that is national in scope, and to coordinate comprehensive services in their core service area. To ensure maximal complementarity of core services with minimal duplication, partnerships with other organizations to achieve common goals and interests should be pursued where feasible. If more than one organization based on the same/overlapping core service applies, Sport Canada will make a determination. Other special circumstances may be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Organizations must provide a brief description of their core service area in the space provided.

Annex A2: Sport Definition Parameters (for funding purposes)

Sport is a regulated form of physical activity organized as a contest between two or more participants for the purpose of determining a winner by fair and ethical means. Such contest may be in the form of a game, match, race, or other form of event.

Sport is governed and sanctioned by a sport governing body (sport federation) that holds the responsibility for, notably, setting out the rules of play, either at the national level or at the world level, for awarding the organization of its championship(s), and designating the winner(s) of its championship(s). For the purpose of determining eligibility to its funding programs, Sport Canada has established that a sport should meet the following set of characteristics.

Its primary activity involves physical interaction between participants and/or between participants and the environment: air, water, ice, snow, ground, special surface or apparatus, with or without the use of a special conveyance (e.g., bicycle, canoe, horse, luge, parachute, sailboat, skate, ski, wheelchair).

It requires specialized neuromuscular skills - such as speed, strength, stamina, flexibility, balance, precision and coordination - that involve large muscle groups or those which the individual has the ability to utilize, and which can be taught, learned and improved.

It relies on recognized general principles of Long Term Participant/Athlete Development that are adapted to the specific sport and are designed to provide a technically and ethically safe and sound sport experience at all levels of the continuum from initiation to playing, to training and competing up to and including performing at the highest levels of the sport, under the guidance of qualified coaches.

It involves formal rules and procedures to ensure a safe and fair outcome for all participants.

It requires fair, ethical and effective tactics and strategies.

It requires a competitive format and structure, sanctioned by the recognized governing body for the sport, either at the national or world level, and open to all participants who meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the rules of the sport.

Its competitive events require the on site presence of officials sanctioned by the sport governing body to objectively, fairly and consistently apply the rules.

Limitations for funding purposes:

Certain categories of sports or competitive activities fall outside Sport Canada parameters for funding purposes and are therefore excluded:

• Sports in which the performance of a motorized vehicle is the primary determinant of the outcome of the competition (e.g., racing of automobiles, motorcycles, power boats, aircraft, snow machines, etc.).
  
  
• Games of skill such as billiards, darts, board games (chess, bridge, scrabble), and electronic games.
  
  
• The professional or commercial component of sports, owned and/or operated outside the jurisdiction of the sport's recognized National or International Sport Federation by private enterprises, promoters, major professional leagues, franchises or other professional associations.

Annex B1:

Organizations must provide a description of stakeholders and/or a list of member organizations.

Annex B3:

Organizations must provide a copy of the organization's constitution, by-laws and objects in both official languages.

Annex B4: Incorporation

Organizations not funded by Sport Canada in 2004-2005 must provide a copy of their letters patent or articles of incorporation including the following information:

Upon receipt of this information, Sport Canada will verify proof and active status of incorporation.

Annex B5: Financial Statements for last 4 years

Organizations not funded by Sport Canada in 2004-2005 must demonstrate their financial viability by meeting the following requirements:

• Demonstrate annual revenues of no less than $50,000 in each of the last 4 fiscal years and, if there is an accumulated deficit, that it be no greater than 20% of the annual operating budget.
  
  
• Provide Board-approved independently audited financial statements for each of the last 4 fiscal years or at a minimum have Board-approved independently audited financial statements for the most recent completed fiscal year and an auditor's letter covering the previous 3 fiscal years.

Organizations that are the result of a recent (less than 4 years) merger of 2 or more organizations must provide financial information for the past 4 years from the merging organizations. Such cases will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by Sport Canada in consultation with the merged organization.

Organizations having been recently created as an outcome of government policy or legislation shall be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Annex B6:

The organization is expected to deliver services congruent with NSOs' Long Term Participant/Athlete Development Models (LTP/ADM). Such models should be used to promote greater complementarity and harmonization of NSO/MSO services, programs, and/or competition structures.

Annex B7: Multi-year plan

Organizations not funded by Sport Canada in 2004-2005 must include with their application: a copy of their current multi-year plan, or copies of their annual reports for the past four years, or a summary of activities and actions of the past four years.

Annex B8: Doping-free Sport

Organizations must submit copy of their policies demonstrating commitment to the principle and practice of doping-free sport.

Annex B9: Official Languages

A policy on Official Languages should include how the organization commits to promoting Canada's two official languages within its operations. This policy should extend to the delivery of services in both French and English to athletes within the sport system and to communications with the public. Refer to the 2004-2005 Sport Canada Contribution Guidelines 9.2 (p.39) for detail on communications with and services to the public.

Organizations must submit copy of their policies or procedures demonstrating compliance with guidelines.

Annex B10: Equity and Access

Organizations must submit copy of their policies or procedures demonstrating compliance with criterion B10.

Annex B11: Harassment and Abuse

Organizations must submit copy of the policy and procedures.

Annex B12: Dispute Resolution

Organizations must submit copy of the policy and procedures.

Statement of Verification

We the undersigned, as duly authorized officers of__________________verify that the information provided herein is accurate as of (date):________________________. We understand that this information may be subject to audit or further verification. Portions of the data provided may be used by Sport Canada for research and study purposes, the results of which may be published. We further understand that Eligibility for Assessment is provisional and conditional to the full compliance with all relevant criteria.

________________________
Signature of MSO Officer

________________________
Name (please print)

________________________
Date:

_______________________
Title (please print)

________________________
Signature of MSO Officer

________________________
Name (please print)

________________________
Date:

_______________________
Title (please print)

Reminder: review all annexes

All Organizations must include the following documents with their application:

• Completed Section A and Section B
• Completed Annex A1
• Description of stakeholders or list of members (Annex B1);
• Copy of constitution, by-laws and objects in both official languages (Annex B3);
• Audited financial statements (Annex B5);
• Policy and planning documents substantiating criteria B8 to B12.

Organizations not funded by Sport Canada in 2004-2005 must provide in addition:

• Incorporation information (Annex B4);
• Policy and planning documents substantiating criteria B7.