Volunteering in Community Sport

FAQ - Eligibility

Who is eligible to participate in the Community Sport Volunteer Grant Program?
Employees throughout Bell (Bell Canada, Bell Mobility, BIMS, BDI, Bell TV, Bell West, BCE, BCECS, Bell Conferencing and Bell Security Solutions Inc.), including temporary and part-time employees, are eligible, as well as Bell retirees.

How is the Community Sport Volunteer Grant Program administered?
Bell has partnered with the True Sport Foundation (TSF) to offer Bell employees and retirees an opportunity to recognize their volunteer time in community sport. Grant applications are reviewed by Bell’s Employee Giving Program Team together with TSF and, once approved, cheques are processed and returned to the applicant to present to the designated community sport group. Employees are asked to promptly present the cheque to their sports group.

How do I know if my sports group is eligible to receive a Sport Grant?
Eligible Canadian community sport groups include those organized by local parks and recreation associations, schools (except for private schools), community sport clubs, community associations, provincial and national team sport associations, faith-based sport organizations and other not-for-profit groups or charitable organizations who organize community sport events. You may also refer to the list of sport organizations who have received support from our program in 2008.

What do I have to have done as a volunteer to be eligible to apply for a grant?
You are required to complete a minimum of 50 hours of volunteer work over the course of one calendar year to be eligible for a grant of $500 for your group. If you are applying as a team, your team of volunteers must include a minimum of two Bell people (employees and/or retirees). The team must volunteer a minimum of 500 hours for an organization in the same year, with at least 250 hours contributed by Bell employees and/or retirees. There is a limit of one grant per employee or retiree per calendar year.

Am I eligible to apply to the Community Sport Volunteer Grant Program if I’ve already applied for a volunteer grant for a charitable organization?
Yes, but sports organizations or sports type programs are only eligible for a grant through the sports grant, not the charity volunteer grants.

How do I complete a grant application?
The grant application form is available here (PDF 94 KB - Dec 15, 2008) . Once completed, simply email it to employeegiving@bell.ca, mail it to the address on the bottom of the form, or fax it to us at (514) 391-3908. See an example of a completed application form (PDF 59 KB - Aug 21, 2008).

FAQ - Applying for a grant

What is the deadline for applications?
The deadline is November 30th for the current year. A final window to apply for a grant will be opened from January 1st to the 15th of the following year to allow those who have accumulated their eligible hours between Nov 30th and Dec 31st.

If I volunteer as part of a team of volunteers for a sport group that has already received a grant, can I also apply for an individual grant for other sport organizations I support?
No. There is a limit of one grant per employee per calendar year, either on your own or as a member of a team.

How can I know if a sports group has already received the maximum of $2,500?
The Employee Giving Team and the True Sport Foundation manage a database with all grant requests, including information on the sport organization receiving grants through the program. You may contact the Employee Giving Program Team at employeegiving@bell.ca or 1 866 670-8800.

How can I find out the status of my grant request?
You will receive an email or a call once your grant application has been received and approved. It will take approximately 4 to 6 weeks following that to receive the cheque for you to present to your sport organization.

What happens if I submit a grant application for a sports group that has already received a grant?
Because the limit per calendar year per organization is $2,500 for each sport organization, the organization will receive the amount remaining after taking into account the amount it has already received in individual grants.

If I volunteer more than 50 hours in a given year, will the sports group receive a larger grant?
No. The grant limits are set at $500 for an individual grant, and $2,500 if a team grant.

How can my sport organization use the grant money?
The grant application form specifies that the grant must be used to promote the values of fairness, excellence, inclusion and fun for sport participants. See examples (PDF 121 KB - Mar 3, 2008) .

If I miss the deadline, can I carry over my hours to next year and apply then?
No. You need to apply for a grant in the calendar year in which you volunteered the hours. Grants are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. In the interest of fairness, hours cannot be carried over to the following year.

Can a sports group apply directly for a grant?
No, only Bell employees and retirees can apply for a grant. In their grant application, employees and retirees must provide the name and telephone number of a representative of the sport group that Bell (and TSF) can call for further details.

How can the company know whether I've put in the required number of hours?
The Community Sport Volunteer Grant Program is based on the honour system. Bell and the TSF carefully reviews each grant request to ensure it meets eligibility requirement and furthers the promotion of values-driven sport. See examples (PDF 121 KB - Mar 3, 2008). Bell also reserves the right to perform audits of the information submitted.