Grant Recipients 2022

Three teams received grants for the 2022-2023 season.

Kate Sherry Team: Kate Sherry, Amy Bonaparte Smith, Heather Proefrock, Elizabeth Brown from Broomstones Curling Club, for the 5 and Under National Bonspiel.

Daniel Laufer Team: Daniel Laufer, Shah Basirri, Sare Basirri, and Dylan Ciapka from Bucks Curling Club, for the Cape Cod Junior Summerspiel.

Julia Rydzewski and Jaime Christopher Vidaurrazaga from Broomstones Curling Club, for the CK Cup U21 Mixed Doubles Bonspiel.

2021-2022

Two teams received grants for the 2021 - 2022 season.

Above, pictured left to right are Julia Rydzewski, Kailey Price, Julia Pekowitz, and Addison Neill from the Broomstones Curling Club.

Pictured above, from the Four Seasons Curling Club, are Lily Olson, Bailey Vaydich, Gianna Johnson, and Allory Johnson (order unknown).

The History of Gifts and Grants

During USWCA's 50th anniversary year, 1997-1998, on the suggestion of the President, Anne Robertson, the Board of Directors of the USWCA voted to create a fund with the expressed purpose of supporting women's curling at the grassroots club level. The Fund was created in response to the growing recognition of the lack of money available to women who wanted to carry out a special project within their club or region, or needed financial assistance with travel expenses. It was also noted that fewer female teams were entering bonspiels compared to their male counterparts.

The Fund was originally named "The Future Fund" by Edieann Biesbrock Didham to express the intent that grants from the Fund would help promote women's curling in the future. The fund was renamed The Women's Curling Development Fund (WCDF) in September 2007, to more clearly express the purpose of this fund. In 2017, the Gifts and Grants Committee was created to administer the Gifts and Grants Fund which would replace the Women's Curling Development Fund and the Junior Travel Assistance Fund. These funds provided assistance to promote women's and junior curling at a grassroots level and were administered by two committees (Women's Curling Development and Junior Bonspiel). The Gifts and Grants Fund administered by the Gifts and Grants Committee is now the only funding arm of the USWCA.

The Fund has grown slowly but steadily with gifts made mostly in memory of past curlers. Some honorarium or in gratitude gifts have also been received. The Gifts and Grants Committee encourages everyone to donate to the Fund so that larger grants can be awarded in the future. Online gifts can be made from the Support page. For information on how to mail a gift, see Sending a Gift on the left. All contributions are tax deductible.

For information on how to apply for a grant, see Applying for a Grant on the left.

Gifts and Grants

The USWCA Gifts and Grants Fund exists to "promote women's and junior curling at a grassroots level by providing funding for special projects and programs." This reflects the Mission Statement of the USWCA - "To develop, nurture, and promote the sport of curling among today's women and all youth."

The Fund must be used by USWCA female members in good standing and junior curlers affiliated with a USWCA member club. Associate members of the USWCA over the age of 18 are not eligible.

Grants have been given for a variety of purposes; for example:

to a junior women's team to travel to a Five Year and Under event outside their region
to a female coach of a junior team to attend training
to pay for ice time for a Women's Five Year and Under event
to pay for Audio Visual equipment for a junior training program
to pay for Children's curling equipment
to junior men's team for travel to a junior bonspiel

The Gifts and Grants Committee

The Committee exists to develop, improve, promote, and sustain women and junior curling with financial assistance. Guidelines and Procedures were developed, along with a criteria based vetting process. These are used to make funding recommendations and disbursements.

The amount of funding available each year is determined by the Financial Committee and reported to the Chair of the Gifts and Grants Committee by the Treasurer. Applications are accepted throughout the year and reviewed twice per year coinciding with the Fall and Winter Meetings of the USWCA.

Applying for a Grant

The Grant Application and the Post Event/Project Grant Report have been set up as Google Forms that can be submitted electronically. Please fill out the Post Event/Project Grant Report within 30 days of the end of the event.

If preferred, the Grant Application/Post Event/Project Grant Report can be downloaded, filled out, scanned, and e-mailed to uswca.giftsandgrants@gmail.com. Send one application per event. Team members or groups should coordinate together to submit one application.

The committee accepts grant applications throughout the year. Applications are reviewed twice per year coinciding with the Fall (mid-September) and the Winter (mid-February) Meetings. Applications received after February 1 will be reviewed at the Fall Meeting. Applications received after September 1 will be reviewed at the Winter Meeting. Applicants will be notified of their grant application status following each meeting.

Sending a Gift

The Planned Giving Donation Form can be found on the Support page. The form along with a donations can be sent to the Comptroller at the address listed on the form. Donations can also be made online from the Support page.

For other information, go to the Contact page and 'Send Us a Message'. Mention Gifts and Grants in the Message box.