The Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) has notified the membership to prepare and submit applications for the equipment grant fund.
Conceptualised to develop capacity among sporting associations and athletes, the fund was first launched in 2021. The total grant earmarked this time is $20 million, an increase of 33 per cent.
In making the announcement, the JOA issued a call for applications of interest to its membership, noting that it is “open exclusively to the members of the JOA. This grant will assist with acquiring equipment, which will help promote the growth, development and sustainability of your sport and your athletes”.
Ryan Foster, the JOA’s CEO/secretary general, said that the second edition of the equipment grant “is a continuation of a strategic initiative started a few years ago. The JOA believes that, for effective sports development, we need to look at the tri-vector within sports – the athlete, the coach and the additional resources such as the equipment.
“The JOA has extensively addressed the needs of our members through Olympic grants, educational programmes for athletes, coaches and administrators, and now we are seeking to address the equipment needs of our members, which will allow them to train and compete at a higher level,” he added.
Member federations interested in securing the grant must apply in writing to the JOA’s Secretary General, no later than February 29, 2024.
The applications must justify the need and purpose of the grant; the impact that the grant and equipment acquisition will have on the growth and development of the sport and athletes; and the budget for the acquisition of the relevant equipment.
The total allotment for this year’s equipment grant fund represents a hefty increase, as the JOA had invested $15 million in the initial programme. Those funds were secured through a partnership with Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL).
Some of the over 20 sporting associations that benefited from that grant were the Jamaica Triathlon Association, Jamaica Wrestling Federation, Jamaica Bobsleigh Federation, Jamaica Cricket Association and Jamaica Lawn Bowling Association.