Ponoka Family & Community Support Services

Youth Arts/Cultural/Leadership Bursaries

History

The bursary program was established in the Fall of 2016 from the proceeds of a local fundraiser (HAFLA) produced by the Ponoka Dance Troop (Andrea Ramage and fellow dancers).

With the following definitions in mind, the bursaries were established:

  • Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts.
  • Arts is the expression of application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.
  • Leadership as "a process of social influence which a person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task".

The general purpose of the Bursary Fund is to:

  • focus on the local community
  • assist local community members who are experiencing difficulty and special circumstances that cannot be funded through other sources (avoiding duplication of funding and services).
  • use a system that disseminates funds in a fair and just manner which focuses on the identified needs, gaps in services and priorities of individuals and families within Ponoka and area.
  • the intent of the bursary program is to enrich the lives of children aged 4-18 by reducing financial barriers to programs that are arts and cultural based. It is anticipated that the programs will assist in building confidence, leadership, productivity and creativity.

Eligibility:

1. Individual youth and/or families applying for the bursaries can access the funds if:

a. The activity is NOT sport based and does not fit within the parameters of KidSport, Sport Central, JumpStart or other bursaries or subsidies that the activity is applicable for (ex. Gymnastic Club Subsidy Program, Ponoka Agricultural Society).

b. The program the youth is registering in is a sustained program that is a minimum of 4 weeks in duration with a minimum of one session per week.

c. It is encouraged that in the case of camps, the youth attend a camp which provides at minimum two consecutive days (thus allowing for weekend workshops/seminars).

d. The applicant is a resident of the Town of Ponoka or the East end of the County of Ponoka.

2. Individual youth and/or families are eligible to receive funding for more than one activity per year, provided they do not exceed the individual and/or family maximum.

3. Locally based programs are encouraged, however if the program is unavailable within Town of Ponoka or County of Ponoka limits, accessing programs in other areas will be considered.

4. Revenue Canada's Low-Income Cut-Offs (LICO's) which are published by Statistics Canada MAY be used as a benchmark to determine if a family meets eligibility. If income levels are requested, and the family indicates they have extenuating circumstances (ex. have a significantly lower income than the previous year's Notice of Assessment indicates) it may be requested that they submit paystubs (E.I., income, etc.) from the previous 3 months.

5. Individuals are eligible for $250 per calendar year of funding and families are eligible for a maximum of $500 per calendar year of funding.

6. If an application falls outside the parameters of these guidelines and it is not eligible for other funding, the eligibility will be at the discretion of the Ponoka FCSS Board.

Possible Programs:

  • Music lessons / Camps
  • Leadership Courses / Camps
  • Public Speaking Seminars
  • Drama Classes / Camps
  • Photography
  • Computer Programming
  • Art Classes / Camps
  • Culinary Courses

Fund Administration:

  • The Youth Bursary program will exist until funds are depleted.
  • The bursaries isssued will not exceed the proceeds of the donated funds specified for the purpose.

Process of Application:

Applicants will complete the application form (see link below) and submit to FCSS Administrative Staff for review.

  1. Applications will be reviewed by FCSS Administrative Staff and if additional information is required, the Executive Director or Designate will forward that request.
  2. If fees have already been paid for the program by the applicant and a receipt was attached to the application, a cheque will be issued to the applicant directly for reimbursement or the maximum allocation (ex. camp fees for one child are $500, we would only support at maximum $250.)
  3. If it is a financial burden for families to "front" the funding, Ponoka FCSS can provide a cheque to the agency.

Youth Bursary Application

 

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