Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport
Summary
- More than $56 million will support 1,225 non-profit organizations’ human and social services programs
- Grants help non-profit organizations deliver services such as child care, mental-health care, education and seniors' activities, as well as services for people with disabilities
- Since 2017, Community Gaming Grants have provided more than $544 million to more than 12,000 non-profit applicants in the human and social services sector
__________
Through Community Gaming Grants for human and social services, people throughout the province will benefit from enhanced programs and services for individuals and families facing challenges, creating a safety net that fosters stability, dignity and opportunity.
“B.C.’s non-profit organizations provide important services and programs for British Columbians throughout the province, and we know how much of a difference that makes in their daily lives,” said Anne Kang, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “Through these Community Gaming Grants, we are proud to support these organizations to provide important services to residents that enhance quality of life, address specific needs and help our communities thrive.”
Community Gaming Grants help non-profit organizations deliver human and social services that help make life better for people in British Columbia.
Non-profit organizations receive 1,225 grants
In 2025-26, more than $56 million was distributed among 1,225 non-profit organizations through the human and social services funding stream of Community Gaming Grants. These funds support programs and services for individuals and families facing challenges, creating a safety net that fosters stability, dignity and opportunity.
“The funding we receive is critical to supporting seniors, families and others on Denman Island, enabling us to continue providing regular, nutritious, seasonal meals, while also supporting local food producers,” said Erika Bland, manager and founding director, Farm to Family Meals Service Society. “We served over 4,000 meals to islanders last year. This funding helps us deliver programming that builds stronger community connections, strengthens partnerships and volunteerism, and encourages awareness around the value of healthy, seasonal and responsible eating.”
Some of this year’s grant recipients are:
- $6,000 to Farm to Family Meals Service Society
- provides regular, nutritious and seasonal meals to seniors, families and others in need on Denman Island
- $7,500 to VocalEye Descriptive Arts Society
- provides provincewide arts-accessibility programming, primarily for people with vision loss, as well as the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community
- $5,000 to Prince George Astronomical Society
- delivers unique science, technology, engineering and mathematics programming for youth, community events, observatory
- $10,000 to QChat Support Association
- provides provincewide digital services that deliver peer support for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth
“Funding plays a vital role in making our work at VocalEye Descriptive Arts Society possible,” said Ava Forsyth, managing director, VocalEye Descriptive Arts Society. “Supporting the delivery of live audio description creates access to arts and culture for blind and partially sighted audiences. This work helps reduce social isolation, strengthen community connection and create spaces where blind and low-vision people can participate in cultural and community life throughout British Columbia.”
For 2025-26, the Community Gaming Grants program will provide as much as $138.6 million to support the delivery of ongoing programs that directly benefit communities throughout the province. These grants ensure people in B.C. have access to programs and services that improve their quality of life, support local needs and build inclusive, vibrant communities.
Quick Facts:
- Community Gaming Grants fund programs and activities in the human and social services, arts and culture, sport, public safety and environmental sectors, and parent advisory councils and district parent advisory councils, as well as grants for capital projects.
- Program funds are provided from general revenues via provincial commercial gambling revenue from the B.C. Lottery Corporation.
Learn More:
- To learn more about the Community Gaming Grants recipients, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/gambling-fundraising/gaming-grants/cggreporting
- To learn more about the Community Gaming Grants program, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/gambling-fundraising/gaming-grants
- To learn more about the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, visit: https://bclc.com
- For information about how to connect to services and help save money, visit: https://gov.bc.ca/BCBenefitsConnector
