Rugby Canada is offering tiered grants directly to community rugby clubs

Overview

Let’s Play Rugby (LPR) by NFP is a non-contact community club recruitment program for girls aged 13-18. Participating club programs play T1 Rugby, World Rugby's preferred non-contact variation of the game supported by Rugby Canada.  Click here to learn more about T1 Rugby!

Rugby Canada is offering tiered grants directly to community rugby clubs to support initiatives that increase girls’ rugby membership. Successful applications will demonstrate the following things: prove the club's capacity to provide meaningful engagement and club integration for a minimum of 12 new players for Tier 1 projects and 20 new players for Tier 2 projects, prove that the club has informed the provincial sporting organization of their project and application, and prove that the club has a sustainable support structure for the recruits following the completion of the project.

To inform your provincial sporting organization, use the following email address: 
BC Rugby: Aimee Harrison, aharrison@bcrugby.com
Rugby Alberta: Peter Houlihan, p.houlihan@rugbyalberta.com
Saskatchewan Rugby: Jordan Astrope, jastrope@saskrugby.com 
Rugby Manitoba: Paul Van Der Merwe, pvandermerwe@rugbymb.ca
Rugby Ontario: Jocely Poirier, jpoirier@rugbyontario.com
Rugby Quebec: Lisa-Anne Lessard, llesard@rugbyquebec.org 
Rugby New Brunswick: Ian Lemoine, ian.lemoine@rugbynb.ca
Prince Edward Island Rugby: Shannon Atkins, skatkins00@gmail.com
Rugby Nova Scotia: Remi Myers, rugbydevelopment@sportnovascotia.ca
Newfoundland and Labrador Rugby:  Morgan Lovell,  mlovell@nlrugby.ca

Available Funding

Tier 1: Micro-Grant.  Must generate 12 new members. 
Amount: Up to $1,500
Purpose: Short-term or pilot initiatives such as:
School demo sessions
facility rentals
Player transportation 
One-day festivals or activations

Tier 2: Full Grant. Must generate 20 new members. 
Amount: Up to $2,500
Purpose: Larger-scale projects such as:
Multi-week programs
Club-school partnerships
Recruitment campaigns

Eligibility
The club must be a registered community rugby club in Canada. 
The project must deliver programming focused on girls’ rugby (ages 13–18). 
The project must generate 12 recruits for Tier 1 projects and 20 recruits for Tier 2 projects. 
The club must start the project between October 1 and Dec 20, 2025.  The club can execute project actions between October 2025  and May 2026
The club must submit a final report by May 29, 2025. 

Eligible Expenses
Coach honorariums
Facility rentals
Transportation for participants
Marketing and outreach materials
Training and development for female coaches, match officials, and volunteers

Application Process
Deadline to Apply: October 3, 2025
Application Form: APPLY HERE!
Clubs must:
Choose a funding tier
Describe their project and goals
Provide a budget breakdown
Estimate participant numbers
Commit to reporting and sharing impact

Selection Criteria
Applications will be evaluated based on:
Alignment with program goals
Potential impact on girls’ rugby
Feasibility and clarity of the plan
Geographic and demographic diversity
Club capacity and readiness

Reporting Requirements
By May 29, 2026, funded clubs must submit:
Participant numbers
Budget reconciliation
Photos or videos (with consent)
Testimonials or feedback
Summary of outcomes and lessons learned