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THE 25/26 FUNDING APPLICATION ROUND IS OPEN! Applications are due November 15.
THE 25/26 FUNDING APPLICATION ROUND IS OPEN! Applications are due November 15.
The above image is courtesy of Foxglove Hollow, which taught online painting classes as one of the
20 extracurricular projects approved for funding last year!
Did you Know that You Can Apply to the PAC to Fund Students' Extracurricular Activities?
Did you Know that You Can Apply to the PAC to Fund Students' Extracurricular Activities?
Our Navigate/NIDES PAC receives a Province British Columbia Gaming Grant to financially support extracurricular projects that benefit our students.
"PAC grant funding is intended to benefit all students by enhancing the extracurricular opportunities of students who currently attend the school(s) represented by the PAC. Funding cannot be used for curriculum-based activities or items and should not be used to cover costs for things that the school is responsible for covering."
What Kinds of Extracurricular Activities are Eligible?
What Kinds of Extracurricular Activities are Eligible?
Here are a few examples of programs, projects, and events, as well as costs that the PAC funds could be used to pay for.
An ongoing program e.g., a marine biology club, a chess club, a cultural explorers club, or a choir
You might apply for funds to use toward room rental, professional fees for a coach, or passes to cultural events.
A specific project e.g., build a robot, or paint a community mural
You might apply for materials, a pre-designed kit/teaching module that can be volunteer-led, or fees for a professional who can work with the students.
A special event e.g. a camping trip, a movie night, a field trip, or day on a horse ranch
You might apply for entrance fees, out of town transportation costs, insurance, and/or guide fees.
Who can Apply for Gaming Grant Funds?
Who can Apply for Gaming Grant Funds?
Any parent or guardian of a student currently enrolled with Navigate/NIDES, in other words any Navigate/NIDES PAC Member.
Any staff person with Navigate/NIDES can collaborate with a Navigate/NIDES PAC Member to apply. It is a requirement of the Gaming Grant that at least one applicant is a Navigate/NIDES PAC Member.
Any Navigate/NIDES teen or the Student Leadership can collaborate with a Navigate/NIDES PAC Member.
Pro Tips:
Applicants should collaborate with other parents. Before starting your application, talk to others to ensure the extracurricular project you plan will best serve your student community. (If there were only enough funds to fund one project per learning community, would your community pick yours?)
Make sure parents and guardians understand the activity being proposed. Specifically, they should understand the time commitment, location, cost and any requirements of participation.
By the time you submit your application, you should have a good number of parents willing to commit to register their students so that you can be assured of a successful project, if funding is approved.
Can I apply for funds for an activity that just my student is doing?
Can I apply for funds for an activity that just my student is doing?
No. PAC funds can not be used for one student or one family.
Spending Priorities and Decision-Making
Spending Priorities and Decision-Making
We look forward to reading the great ideas you have for extracurriculars. When deciding whether or not to fund any given proposal, we have to look at the following:
The application must meet the funding eligibility requirements.
Most importantly, it MUST be for an extracurricular program, project or event for Navigate/NIDES students. The funds can not be used for something that should be an expense of the school (e.g., for curriculum materials), or for activities that will be assessed or marked by an educator.
Benefits Students Directly: Classroom equipment, books and resources are NOT eligible, however, materials necessary for the students to run the specific extracurricular program, project or event are eligible.
Funding Supports Student Fees: We recognize that parents often need to accompany students on trips and activities however, BC Gaming Grant guidelines require that funding be used for the students' admission fees ONLY. Adult admissions can not be paid by the grant.
Applicants can not spend funds on programs already receiving Gaming funds: Sometimes parents find programs in their community and ask if they can apply to register a group of students to participate together. Unfortunately, it isn't always an easy yes or no to this question. It depends on the program. If it is a community program that already receives Gaming funding, and many community centre-based programs do, then they would not be eligible for PAC funding because it would be considered "double funding".
For example, skating lessons in community centres are usually NOT eligible for PAC funding because community centre programs receive Gaming Grant funds. If there's a program in your community you are interested in, you can contact them to ask if they receive Gaming funds. If they do they would be ineligible for PAC funds. If they do not run on Gaming funds, your application should say how you confirmed the program does not already receive Gaming funds.
When a Navigate/NIDES PAC parent organizes a skating club, meaning the applicant sets the date, time, and location, and coordinates the coach, then that new program would be eligible for PAC funds because it isn't already funded by Gaming.
See Section 4 of the BC Gaming Requirements for a full list of eligible and prohibited expenses.
The application must clearly demonstrate benefits to a good number of Navigate/NIDES students. PAC funds should support as many students as possible to participate in inclusive and accessible opportunities.
The application budget should show how the project costs will be shared. The PAC rarely funds 100% of a project. Budgets should show what other funds applicants can raise to run their project.
For example, if your total project will cost $2,000, can you raise $400 from another source? Examples of other sources include:
Parent contributions (e.g., $10 entry fees for 40 kids = $400),
In-kind donations (e.g., a chess coach who volunteers their time at a rate of $25/hr for 2hs a week for 8 weeks = $400)
Community donations (e.g., free room rental at a hall, usually valued at $400 = $400)
These other sources of funding help to share the project costs, which allows the PAC to make a meaningful contribution to more projects. It also demonstrates community commitment to the project. Over the years we've found the projects with community commitment are most likely to succeed.
If we are successful, when would we be able to use the funds?
If we are successful, when would we be able to use the funds?
We aim to make funding decisions at the PAC meeting following the November 15, 2025 deadline. This year, voting will take place at the December 10, 2025 meeting.
It is not advisable to begin your project prior to the funding vote and announcement as funding is not guaranteed. If you are approved, you can begin your project. (It may take us some time to communicate with all successful applicants about the next steps. Please remember this funding program is run by volunteers.)
Typically, this funding program reimburses applicants for expenses. Plan for 50% of the total budget to be reimbursed when you send your expense receipts to us, and 50% to be reimbursed when you complete your project and send in a simple, final report. In some circumstances, for example where vendors require a deposit, we can provide an approved deposit amount at the start of a project.
Would you Like To Make An Application?
Would you Like To Make An Application?
What is the First Thing You Shoud Do?
What is the First Thing You Shoud Do?
Before submitting an application, applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a PAC member meeting or a grant information session to ensure you understand the guidelines and what the funding can be used for.
The dates, times and Zoom links for PAC meetings are posted on our home page. Or contact our Gaming Grant Project Mentor: NavigatePACGrants@gmail.com
Not sure if Your Idea Is eligible?
Not sure if Your Idea Is eligible?
Ask us! Send an email to NavigatePACGrants@gmail.com with your idea and we can have someone from the Executive Committee work with you!
Ready to Apply?
Ready to Apply?
Step 1: Make a copy of our Application Form Google Doc AND the Budget Excel document.
Step 2: Rename both like this: Location_Program Name_Project Name_2025
e.g. Victoria West_Heartwood_Wildlife Conservation_2025
e.g. All Nides_Painting Online_2025
Step 3: Complete every section of the Application. If it does not apply to you, just write NA. Do not leave it blank.
Step 4: Share your files with "NavigatePACExecutive@googlegroups.com" with editing privileges. Someone from the PAC Executive Committee will contact you if there are follow-up questions.
Step 5: Attend the December 10 PAC meeting. Be prepared to answer questions about your project, and vote for your project!
MAking Your Program, Project or Event Happen
MAking Your Program, Project or Event Happen
Insurance
Insurance
If your program or field trip will require insurance, please note the PAC executive is not able to provide insurance. Insurance is the responsibility of the applicant. The cost of insurance can be included in your total project cost. If you have included a cost for insurance in your application, that cost is eligible to be reimbursed by the grant.
Be sure to collect proof of insurance, a receipt, when you run your program, project or event as you will require it for reimbursement.
Reimbursement Requests
Reimbursement Requests
Plan for approved project costs to be reimbursed in 2 phases. In most cases, 50% will be reimbursed when receipts are submitted and 50% will be reimbursed when the final report for the grant has been submitted. Each time, allow 2 weeks for processing. Please plan your cashflow for this repayment schedule.
Always get receipts for project expenses. No PAC funds are issued without a receipt (provided by the adult who made the payment) or an invoice (made out to the PAC Treasurer for Approved Pre-payment). The most efficient process is for a person in your community to pay upfront, and have our PAC Treasurer issue the reimbursement via eTransfer.
For larger expenses, we understand that may be difficult. We can make arrangements with the school to make a payment and we reimburse the school, or make arrangements for an invoice that we can pay directly to a vendor. This process can take time to coordinate and must be discussed in advance of commitment with a vendor.
Only expenses included in the approved application will be reimbursed. E.g., if you applied for 20 admissions to an event, and no other expenses, but only 14 students attended, you can not add in receipts for snacks in an attempt to be reimbursed for the full approved amount on your application. This is the case even if the receipts come to the same total dollar value because the committee didn't approve a snacks expense. Ensure your application includes all likely expenses.
To request reimbursement, complete this form: Reimbursement Requests, and allow 2 weeks for our volunteers to process the request. No funds can be released from the PAC until receipts are submitted.
You will need your receipts ready as a .pdf, .jpg, or .png. to upload.
For follow-up questions, please email our Treasurer: NavigatePACTreasurer@gmail.com.
Submit Your Final Report
Submit Your Final Report
When you have completed your program, project or event, in addition to submitting your receipts for reimbursement, you are required to submit a short grant report to tell us how it went. We collect:
a bit of data for our records and for our funder, BC Gaming.
what worked well and what was a challenge so we can share that learning to improve the program and help others
and 5 pictures that we can use to help share your story with others too!
Remember, your final reimbursement will be held back until you submit this report. It should not be to time consuming but it is important that you plan for this step.
Any Last Questions Ask?
Any Last Questions Ask?
Where does the grant money come from?
The BC Gaming Grant Branch distributes funds to the school PAC based on the number of students enrolled in Navigate/NIDES in September. With the influx of students interested in alternatives to a brick & mortar program, we are thankful to receive this generous amount.
When do we need to spend it?
At a maximum, the PAC has 3 years to spend the funds issued. Each year, we endeavour to spend that year's money on that year's students, but if we have some left over we can distribute the overage the following year.
I need help! I've never written a grant before! What if I don't get it right the first time?
We have Grant Writing Orientations on Zoom, as well as a dedicated PAC Executive Member to act as an Application Mentor. We want your ideas to be successful. Once you've submitted your proposal, our team will look at it and ask for clarification if it doesn't meet eligibility requirements or is unclear. If you think you will need help, please reach out more than 10 days prior to the application deadline. We are volunteers and need time to reply.
Is funding available for gear? Is there a central repository for gear?
There can be funding available for gear, if the proposal meets eligibility requirements and is approved. There can also be a central repository for gear, but we recommend local storage as often as possible. The Gaming Grant cannot pay for the postage for the transportation from one location to another.
Who owns equipment that is purchased?
The equipment purchased for a program that lasts over-time (for example, VEX Robotics, Popcorn Machine) belongs to the PAC. We are beginning to catalog the equipment that we own and decisions can be made in consultation with the PAC as to where equipment will be stored. Consumable supplies purchased for a club belong to the students (for example, the books from a book club).
Can groups fundraise too?
Yes. Groups can do fundraising and channel that through the PAC, and have those raised funds earmarked for the group who did the fundraising. These raised dollars do NOT have the same limitations and criteria as the Gaming Grant.
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