Recently, the Grande Prairie Regional Sport Connection conducted a survey of sport and recreation organizations to get feedback on the current and anticipated impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Forty organizations participated in the survey. Of these, 78% were non-profits and 20% were for profit. 

They found that 90% saw a decreased revenue from earned income from sales and fees, 93% from fundraising, grants, or sponsorship. 92% of the organizations that participated had to cancel multiple events, tournaments, competitions. 36% of organizations have laid off employees with another 12% indicating that if the situation continues past June they will lay off employees. 

Sport Connection says that the COVID-19 crisis is worrisome for local sport organizations as they are funded by membership fees and revenue from hosting tournaments and fundraisers. 

They report that Beyond Funding organizations would like to see support in the following ways: 

  • Clarity on how their sport can proceed with physical distancing measures  
  • Support with timelines on re-opening facilities as well as guidelines on how to safely operate.  
  • Ideas on how to keep athletes active  
  • Training, certification, and overall team development support for when we need to re open.   
  • Promotions for when they start up again have some interested potential participants  
  • Tips and tricks for the community to stay active with the social distancing and isolation  
  • Business continuity planning  
  • Resources regarding adaptation of programming to meet what could be the new normal going forward  
  • Access to no cost or low-cost software to run a program, grant writing programs, access to equipment