Gifts and Grants

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 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

Would you like to make a gift or donation to the USWCA? Click on this link to the Planned Giving Donation form.  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 here.

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

Grant Recipients

Winter 2026

Gifts and Grants is pleased to award a grant of $1000 towards the St. Louis Curling Club for expenses for
the All American Event for ice rental.

St. Louis

 

Gifts and Grants is pleased to award a grant of $300 towards the junior team of Katie Kelly, Hannah Shoemaker, Danielle Tolliver, Gina Boggs, Danielle Wain, and Coach Jess Gallicchio so that they may attend the USCA 5 and Under Nationals.

Kelly

 

Gifts and Grants is pleased to award a grant of $150 towards the Waltham Curling Club junior team of Bella
Hagenbuch, Heidi Holt, Rilee Kraft, and Mae Hagenbuch.

 

Gifts and Grants is pleased to award a grant of $2000 to the Wauwatosa Curling Club for the purchase of junior curling equipment.  Wauwatosa was hit with a massive flood August 2025 which destroyed a lot of their equipment. 

 

Gifts and Grants is pleased to award a grant of $2000 Coyotes Curling Club for funding to help offset the costs of running the Arizona Junior Doubles Camp and Bonspiel.

Coyotes

 

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Winter 2025

Two Junior teams from Granite Curling Club received funding in Winter 2025. Both received Grants for $300.

Team Miller is using their grant to register for the Optimist Junior Interclub Curling League, a competitive junior league
that plays across the border with teams in British Columbia. Founded in 1919, the Optimist Club is a community
service organization that focuses on bringing out the best in children, communities and its members through various
service initiatives. It operates worldwide with local clubs that engage in projects aimed at enhancing the well-being of
youth.

Team Miller

Team Janusiak participated in the Bill Mills Memorial Junior Bonspiel at Port Moody Curling Club, Port Moody, BC.

Team Janusiak

2023-24 season

Two teams/individuals received grants for the 2023-24 season.

Team Schapman – Youth team out of Duluth Minnesota and Rice Lake Wisconsin. Requested funding to attend Blaine U21 Qualifier.  Awarded $200.  Ava Schapman, Jessica Margarm,  Clare Schapman, Frances Schapman.
Gift 2025
Team Neil – Youth team out of Broomstones and Plainfield Curling Clubs.  Requested funding to support U18 Nationals.  Awarded $200.  Ivy Neil, Jill Segel, Kalina Petrova, and Lily Marzulo.

2024 Gifts Neil

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. For information on how to mail a gift, see Sending a Gift on the left.  All contributions are tax deductible.