enabling growth for local Sport organizations
The Sport Edmonton Event Accelerator Fund, powered by Edmonton Destination Marketing Hotels (EDMH), is a $40,000 fund to support local event hosting. Created to provide financial support ($5,000 or $10,000 grants), event expertise (Sport Edmonton staff support), and partnership sales (through the Sport Edmonton Partnership Program) to local sport organizations hosting events in Edmonton.
Total grant pool: $40,000
- Four (4) grants of $5,000 will be awarded during the 2026-27 season to existing events (one or more years experience)
- Two (2) grants of $10,000 will be awarded during the 2026-27 season to help start new events
Application Eligibility: Applicants must be an active Sport Edmonton Organizational Member at the time of application.
LOCAL
driving economic and community impact through sport
Achieving your goals requires more than just capital, which is why our grant support takes a full-circle approach to your success. In addition to financial backing, fund recipients will receive dedicated staff expertise and valuable partnership support to help amplify your events impact far beyond the field of play.
Financial Support
Providing support through a direct cash injection of $5,000 grants (total of four (4)) awarded to existing events and $10,000 grants (two (2) grants) to help jump start new events. Working with EDMH, we're investing a total of $40,000 into local sport event hosting in Edmonton during 2026-27.
Staff Support
Get direct support from Sport Edmonton staff to help make sure your event is a success. This includes up to 10 hours of pre-event planning, up to eight (8) combined hours of media and on-site staff support at the event, plus up to four (4) hours of support to debrief and review reporting.
Partnership Support
Through the Sport Edmonton Partnership Program, we'll pool assets from fund recipients to sell to corporate partners. In this way, Sport Edmonton will centralize value and provide an economy of scale in both the selling and servicing of partnerships created through the fund.
UNITING VALUE TO CREATE AN ECONOMY OF SCALE
Sport Edmonton Partnership Program
For the 2026–27 funding cycle, all successful Sport Edmonton Event Accelerator Fund recipients will grant Sport Edmonton assets associated with their event. By aggregating sponsorship assets across funded events, Sport Edmonton will create a compelling partnership platform that can be marketed to corporate partners and sponsors.
This collaborative approach allows us to maximize the collective value of participating events, creating greater market appeal through scale, while streamlining partnership development and activation. By centralizing sponsorship opportunities, Sport Edmonton can attract larger investment, enhance sponsor experiences, and generate increased benefits for the local sport event ecosystem.
Still want to sell yourself?: You should! Participating organizations can continue to secure sponsorships for assets not included in the shared partnership inventory.
Centralized Assets
Program Revenue
2026-27 Application Key Dates
Application Deadline
All applications for the 2026-27 Sport Edmonton Event Accelerator Fund must be submitted by July 31, 2026 through the application form below. Any applications received after the July 31, 2026 deadline will not be reviewed.
Review Period
Applications will be reviewed from August 2 – 14, 2026 by a committee of Sport Edmonton and EDMH representatives to verify they meet basic event requirements and asses the applications ability to meet the overall assessment criteria.
Applicants Notified
Both successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified by August 21, 2026 of their application’s status. Successful applicants will be given direction on next steps for payments and other support mechanisms offered through the grant.
BASIC EVENT REQUIREMENTS
Amateur Focused
We’re focused on supporting amateur events that are the foundation of Edmonton’s local sports scene.
Schedule Alignment
To meet the funding requirements, your event needs to occur between September 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027.
Hosted in Edmonton
Putting Edmonton first, your event must be hosted within Edmonton city limits.
Participant Inclusion
Includes participants from both Edmonton and visitors (80 km or more one way from their home).
We’re dedicated to putting our city first and delivering lasting value to Edmontonians.
As you prepare your application, please review the assessment criteria below to ensure your event proposal reflects these guiding principles. All submissions will be evaluated by a joint committee of Sport Edmonton and EDMH representatives based on their community impact, contribution to the visitor economy, and facility utilization.
Additionally, successful applications should clearly demonstrate how this opportunity will build organizational capacity, foster external partnerships, and ensure the long-term growth of the event.
Community Impact
Competitive opportunities provided for Edmontonians, along with how your event can engage the broader community.
Visitor Economy Impact
Estimate anticipated number of visitors (teams and/or individual athletes) and the number of days you anticipate each will stay.
Facility Usage
Showcase the overall quality of host facilities, and proximity to one another (for multi-venue events).
Further Considerations
Organizations must also consider how:
1. Funding elevates an existing event.
2. A new event is being created to meet community and/or organizational needs.
3. Organizational capacity will be enhanced as a result of the event.
4. The event can grow and become self-sustaining.
5. They’ll partner with any external organizations to ensure the event succeeds.
INFORMATION ON FUNDING & REPORTING
- Confirmation of funding will be provided via email to successful applicants no later than August 21, 2026
- Funding will be issued via e-transfer. The first half of the grant will be sent within 30 days of being notified of a successful application. The remaining funding will be sent within 30 days of post-event report submission.
- A final post-event report is required within 60 days of event completion. A standard report template will be provided to present information on financials, event participant data, event attendance, social media metrics (if applicable), and event results (scores, winners, etc…).