Apply for a Yukon High Performance Athlete Assistance Program grant

Funding assistance levels

The High Performance Jury reserves the right to move an athlete between the levels of funding.

Bronze assistance level: up to $ 2,500 for a maximum of two consecutive years

• The athlete must have demonstrated significant results at a provincial or equivalent level.
• The athlete must be a top-level athlete with demonstrable provincial team calibre or potential to make a provincial team.
• The athlete must have demonstrated the skill and potential to graduate to the silver or gold levels.

Silver assistance level: up to $ 4,000 for a maximum of three consecutive years

• The athlete must have demonstrated significant results at Western Canadian or equivalent level.
• The athlete must have demonstrated the skill and potential to graduate to the gold level.

Gold assistance level: up to $ 7,000

• Have demonstrated significant performance at the national or international level.
• The athlete must be identified as a potential national team athlete.

Additional funding

• An additional $500 will be available for those who have participated in a Junior World Championship.
• An additional $1,000 will be available, upon application, to those athletes that represent Yukon and Canada as a member of Team Canada at the Pan American Games, Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games or World Championships.

What can an athlete use the funding for?

The funding can help offset training and competition expenses.

We may consider basic cost-of-living expenses if an athlete had to move outside of the Yukon to train or compete.

How do we award funding?

Funding depends on:

• the amount of funds available; and
• the number of applications received.

You must reapply every year.

Can you appeal the funding decision?

No, funding decisions are final.

• Be a Canadian citizen, or a permanent resident of Canada, or a person whose family is in Canada on a work visa, for at least 12 months prior to deadline of submission.
• Be a resident of the Yukon 6 months before the submission deadline.
• You must have a valid Yukon health care card.
• If attending an educational institution outside of the Yukon, the applicant must have Yukon resident status and their principal residence must be in the Yukon..
• Athletes must apply on an individual basis.
• Individual players from team sports are welcome to apply.
• Be a member in good standing of a recognized Yukon sport governing body (YSGB), if one exists.
• Adhere to all major games, YSGB and national sport organizations competition codes of conduct.
• Have been eligible to compete as a Yukon athlete in the previous competitive season.
• Be eligible to compete for and represent Yukon in all inter-provincial competitions and national competitions if program allows.
• Be on a formal 12-month training and competition program agreed to and monitored by the YSGB, coaches, and athlete.
• Have shown potential for:
  • a national ranking; and/or
  • achieved national ranking; or
  • placement in recognized territorial, provincial, national, international competitions.
• Be willing and voluntarily submit to prescribed testing for banned or illegal substances when requested by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, SARB, YSGB, NSO, or competition organizers.
• Be willing, upon reasonable request, to share their knowledge and experience with other developing athletes by participating in at least 1 opportunity of giving back.
• Special or unique circumstances are considered.

Athletes considering a path to the National Collegiate Athletic Association must be aware of the requirements to declare such funding.

Factors that may impact eligibility

An athlete’s eligibility may be impacted by any of the following:

• Failure to actively train on a 12-month basis
• Failure to compete inter-provincially or natinally as a Yukon athlete, if program allows.
• In the event of injury requiring lengthy rehabilitation, SARB, in consultation with the YSGB and the Jury, will determine whether funding will be affected. At all times, the athlete must make every effort to rehabilitate and return to active participation as soon as medically possible and when appropriate. Medical reports may be requested by the YSGB and SARB.
• Use of non-medically prescribed, banned, or illegal substances, and other similar prohibited performance enhancing substances or techniques.
• Failure to fulfill commitments to a “giving back” opportunity.
• Failure to achieve goals and objectives established in the previous year’s training program without sufficient reason.
• Failure to comply with major games, YSGB, National Sport Organization (NSO), competition code of conduct.
• Failure to document any previous YHPAAP assistance such as outstanding post-season reports, incomplete or late applications.

Application deadline

The annual deadline is April 15.

Applications are accepted only through the online application form. 

Submit your application

What to include in your application

Include the following in your application form:

• Affiliation, classification and national team status;
• Past season results;
• Three-year history;
• Three-year plan;
• Budget for upcoming year; and
• Description of "giving back" activity.

Supporting documents

Be prepared to provide the following required supporting documentation:

• Athlete’s cover letter (mandatory) A cover letter must be included, which presents your personal perspective on how you see yourself as a high performance athlete in your sport and your goals for the future
• Athlete’s 12-month training plan (mandatory)

The 12-month training plan must indicate the following:

• nature of training,
• the number of sessions and hours per week,
• as well as the planned competitions for the complete 12-month period.

It is the responsibility of the YSGB to approve and monitor training and competition programs of those athletes training outside of the Yukon.

If the training program for the upcoming year has not yet been established, the athlete must provide a copy of the training program for the prior year and be prepared to update it once the new program has been established.

Applications that do not include a 12-month training and competition program will not be considered.

• Letter of endorsement from head coach (mandatory)
• Letter of endorsement from YSGB (mandatory, if YSGB exists)
• Letter of endorsement from NSO (mandatory for gold level)

Incomplete applications or those not received by the deadline will not be considered. The High Performance Jury relies almost entirely on the information provided by the athlete in their application.

For this reason, it is vitally important that the athlete ensure that all of the required and bene­ficial information is provided, that the information is accurate, and that it is presented in a manner that will convince the jury of the merit of the application.

Completeness, accuracy, neatness, and timeliness are critical.

When we notify applicants

We'll let you know results approximately 6 to 8 weeks after the funding deadline. We typically hold adjudication meetings at the end of May.

Who provides funding?

The Government of Yukon Sport and Recreation Branch (SARB) and the Yukon Lottery Commission provide funding for this and other programs.

The Yukon Recreation Advisory Committee (YRAC) allocates these funds to the various programs.

Who reviews the applications?

A High Performance Jury then reviews the applications and makes recommendations for distribution.

• YSGB may be required to prioritize applications upon SARB request.
• Priority is given to sports that are involved in Canada Games and Olympic programs.
• The jury will only consider results from competitions where ­ five or more athletes have participated.
• Athletes and YSGB will be advised of funding decisions by letter.
• All grant money is advanced to the appropriate YSGB, which in turn disperses the money to the athlete.

Athletes receiving high performance funding must complete the post-season report.