Active Communities Fund
Department - Organization: Provincial Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage (CCTH)
Description: The Active Communities Fund helps communities encourage movement through policies, social initiatives or physical environments. The program supports community-wide approaches and plans for simple movement that people can fit easily into their day. Projects should support community members who are less active or who have fewer opportunities for movement.
Eligible Activities
Funding can be used to:
- Plan, develop or evaluate policy
- Plan, create, improve or evaluate physical environments (limited to supporting low-cost physical environment initiatives)
- Plan, create, improve or evaluate social environments
Initiatives That Qualify
Initiatives that encourage simple movement people can fit easily into their day, such as:
- Reducing sitting time (e.g., walking meetings)
- Active play
- Cycling
- Gardening
- Walking (including using cane, walker or wheelchair)
Initiatives that encourage unstructured movement that may not fit as easily into the day (e.g., paddle boarding, cross country skiing) may be considered for up to $5,000 per application period. Such initiatives should be flexible for participants and encourage regular movement over long term.
Support for initiatives that encourage other types of physical activity (e.g., fitness classes) will be considered for up to $1,000 per application period (community applicants only).
Target Populations
Initiatives must aim to enhance physical activity among at least one of the following groups:
- Youth ages 12-18
- Aging population (anyone 45 years or older)
- Equity-deserving groups
- Less active adult population (in general)
Applicant-Specific Requirements
Community Applicants (Municipalities, Villages, First Nations):
- Eligible for up to $25,000
- Applications over $5,000 must be accompanied by and reflect part of one-year multi-faceted community-wide movement plan
- Applications over $10,000 must be submitted between April 1 and June 15
- Additional applications accepted until December 1 (if $25,000 limit not exceeded)
- Municipalities with more than 90,000 people may be eligible for more funds (contact regional office)
Community Organization Applicants (Non-profits, Regional Centres for Education):
- Organizations serving at community level eligible for up to $5,000
- Initiatives spanning more communities may be eligible for more depending on nature of project and ability to support local community-wide plans
- Applications accepted until December 1
Key Requirements
- Must contact CCTH regional office before submitting application to discuss proposed initiatives and application requirements
- Separate application forms for communities and community organizations
- Applications must clearly show how initiatives will meet needs of at least one target population
- Budget must meet government assistance limits
- Must acknowledge financial assistance of Province of Nova Scotia
Deadline: May 31, 2026
Contact:
Email:
Phone: 902-578-4813
Website: https://www.novascotia.ca/documents/active-communities-fund-guidelines-community-applicants
Jays Care Programs – Local Governments
Department - Organization: Jays Care Foundation
Description: This is an inclusion-focused baseball/softball for development program. This is offered to Canadian Local Governments offering programs for children and youth facing barriers. The aim is to use baseball or softball as a tool to enhance connection, belonging, and access to sport opportunities to kids most often sitting on the sidelines. Your community can apply to receive free training and equipment.
Deadline: Open
Website: https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/community/jays-care/community-partner/local-governments
The National Bank Play Your Court Program
Department - Organization: Tennis Canada
Description: The National Bank Play Your Court Program is operated by Tennis Canada and provides funding to municipalities to assist in the revitalization of public outdoor tennis courts. There is a growing demand for tennis and a need to update many outdoor community courts. Tennis is a sport that engages people from all ages, abilities, and stages of development. You just need a racquet, some tennis balls, and access to a court, which is where the National Bank Play Your Court Program comes in. The program’s focus is to work with municipalities to give new life to community courts, offering the public a space to get active, connect with others, and engage in the sport of tennis. THE PROGRAM’S OBJECTIVES ARE TO… 1. Assist municipalities and community organizations to revitalize outdoor tennis courts to help maximize participation in sport and physical activity through tennis. 2. Help build more community recreation opportunities for Canadians as recreation is essential to physical, mental, and social health. 3. Grow the game of tennis across Canada through safe and equitable participation for all.
Website: https://www.tenniscanada.com/change-game/access/facilites-funding/play-your-court
Kidsport
Applicants are encouraged to read the eligibility information noted here and ensure they meet the criteria before beginning an application. If eligible, please review and complete an application and all requested supplementary information by the 15th of each month.
KidSport is a national children’s program that helps kids overcome the financial barriers preventing or limiting their participation in organized sports. KidSport Nova Scotia provides funding of up to $500/year/child for sport registration and/or equipment. In operation since 1994, KidSport Nova Scotia has assisted over 31,000 children totalling over $7.7 Million.
For further information on how to apply please visit sport nova scotia.
Parasport Loan Program
The Sport Nova Scotia Parasport Loan Program is designed to provide Community Sport Organizations, Non-Profit Groups, and Recreation Departments involved with Parasport programs access to equipment and resources to offer introductory adaptive sport opportunities in their community.
Successful applicants may borrow a full set of equipment, program guides for how to facilitate weekly introductory programming in the selected sport, and leadership training in 1 of 6 available parasports for a 6-week period.
To apply please email , with 'Program Loan' in the subject line, to receive more information and the application form.
Max Bell Foundation Grants
Department - Organization: Max Bell Foundation
Description: Max Bell Foundation makes grants to support projects that are designed to inform public policy. They do so across four program areas: Education; Environment; Health & Wellness; and Civic Engagement and Democratic Institutions. A typical project supported by Max Bell Foundation ranges from 1-3 years in duration and has a budget that ranges from approximately $10,000 to $200,000. Max Bell Foundation is often the only financial supporter of projects they fund. Not for building or service delivery, it is for projects that inform public policy. You can view previous grants awarded here: https://www.maxbell.org/about-us/grants-database/
Deadline: Continuous intake
Contact: Contact Form
Website: Max Bell Foundation Grants
Smoke-Free Outdoor Spaces Signage Grant Fund
Department - Organization: Smoke-Free Nova Scotia
Description: The fund is intended to support communities which have already established smoke-free outdoor spaces by assisting with the cost of signage, as well as awareness and enforcement. This is a limited, one-time funding opportunity. Grants as high as $2,000 may be awarded.
Deadline: Continuous intake