To our valued subscribers,
 
Earlier this month we wrote to you to ask you to renew your membership with SPORT4ONTARIO. We were acting on a direction we felt we had from the members at the January meeting, where we understood the message was that there was support for increasing the membership fees to a level that would support the operations of SPORT4ONTARIO.
 
It turns out that we made a mistake. As pointed out by one of you, membership approval at an Annual General Meeting is needed to change the fees. So, we will re-issue the membership letter request, seeking your support as a member, and asking also for a donation to support our operations.
 
The membership fees will be the same as they were last year. The applications are attached in the links below:

• $196 for Active Members
• $95 for Affiliate Members
• $35 for Club Members
• $35 for Individual Members
• $25 for Student Members

 
For more information on the type of membership your organization falls under, please consult the SPORT4ONTARIO website.
 
As you are probably doing the math as are we, you will know that with approximately 50 members, we will not get very far with this level of support, without an additional donation. We would ask that you consider a donation in the following range, based on your organization’s base funding from the Ministry:
 
$500,000-$1 million  $1,000
<$500,000               $500
 
If you have already responded to the earlier membership request, we will be in touch with you to get your input on what action you would like us to take. 
 
We are attaching again the list of what SPORT4ONTARIO does and also a comprehensive list of benefits that SPORT4ONTARIO members will enjoy. Please contact us if you have any questions.

SPORT4ONTARIO Fact Sheet
SPORT4ONTARIO 2015 Benefits Matrix
 
If this has you wondering if you should support the activities of SPORT4ONTARIO then simply reply to this email telling us you’d like to hear more.  One of us will pick up the phone and call you to discuss it in more detail. 
 
Yours truly,
 
 
 
Blair Webster
Interim Chair
SPORT4ONTARIO

SPORT4ONTARIO 2015 Membership is now open! Please continue to show your support for our organization by becoming a SPORT4ONTARIO member. Below is an email from our Chair. 

 
To our valued subscribers,
 
I’d like to share a brief outline of our function and accomplishments with you in hopes that you would consider supporting SPORT4ONTARIO. The following outlines in somewhat formal language what SPORT4ONTARIO does:
 
SPORT4ONTARIO provides the collaborative environment, knowledge and resources to build capacity and drive leadership excellence in the Ontario sport community through education, advocacy, interaction, research and innovation. SPORT4ONTARIO creates member value and benefits that contribute to a stronger sport community for all Ontarians. 
 
SPORT4ONTARIO is an advocate on behalf of the sport, physical activity and recreation sector in Ontario.  We are one of the only groups advocating on behalf of sport organizations collectively. We receive no government funding and exist with the support of the sector itself.  Supporters include Provincial Sport Organizations (PSOs), Multi-Sport Organizations (MSOs) and a number of other groups that believe in what SPORT4ONTARIO does.  In 2014 we had 54 member organizations. 
 
We operate with 1 staff and have a Board of three, and are seeking more Board members.
 
SPORT4ONTARIO sends out member invoices annually to existing members and potential members. In the past, there has been a fixed membership fee, but we are now looking at restructuring our membership, both in payment and in amount.  The amount that we invoice each group is based on a loose scale of our knowledge of the organization’s revenue from the Ministry.  It is as follows:
 
<$1,000,000                      $1,500
$500,000-$1,000,000       $1,000
<$500,000                         $500
 
Our contributor base has been growing the past few years however we are always looking to broaden that support base. 
 
In terms of our activities please review the attached highlights sheet. However, I can tell you that our main activities are around advocating for sport organizations and educating them on the impact of legislation and government policy changes.  Given that we are not funded by the provincial government we are able to approach them without concern for jeopardizing that funding.  We believe that the Ministry prefers it this way as do we. 
 
Please see the attached list of what SPORT4ONTARIO does, and please contact us if you have any questions.
 
SPORT4ONTARIO Fact Sheet
SPORT4ONTARIO Membership Application Form

I hope this provides a clear summary of what SPORT4ONTARIO is all about.  Please feel free to visit our website at www.sport4ontario.ca for a more complete picture of our activities.
 
If this has you wondering if you should support the activities of SPORT4ONTARIO then simply reply to this email telling us you’d like to hear more.  One of us will pick up the phone and call you to discuss it in more detail. 

Yours truly,
 
 
Blair Webster
Interim Chair
SPORT4ONTARIO 


Tags:
Administration

SPORT4ONTARIO has submitted pre-budget consultation comments to the Minister of Finance, the Honourable Charles Sousa. In the letter, SPORT4ONTARIO discussed issues regarding various challenges and opportunities within the sport sector, the value of sport to society, and budget recommendations. We believe our recommendations encapsulate the needs of the sport sector. For more information, please read our letter here. Please feel free to circulate it.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact a SPORT4ONTARIO Board Member and they will be happy to discuss this topic with you. 

Tags:
Government
Finance

SPORT4ONTARIO is holding a professional development forum on Thursday, February 11 from 12:00 - 1:30 PM. Our forum will include speakers from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sport, Aboriginal Sport and Wellness Council of Ontario, and TO 2015. 

Please join us for a wonderful time of networking and learning! 

The agenda for the meeting is as follows:

Location: 3 Concorde Gate, Boardroom 3/4, Toronto, ON
Time: 12 PM - 1:30 PM

AGENDA 

12:00 noon Welcome and Introductions
12:05 pm     Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Sport Update 
                      Presented by Peter Evans (Manager of Sport and Recreation) and Gillian Steeve (Manager of the                         Policy Unity for Sport, Recreation, and Community Programs Division)
12:35 pm     Discussing new initiatives, programs, and structures for sport and physical activity for                                       Aboriginal peoples in Ontario 
                      Presented by Vanessa Lodge (Leadership Development Coordinator) and Clay Melnike,                                         Aboriginal Sport and Wellness Council of Ontario
1:00 pm        TO2015 Ticket Sales 
                      Presented by TO 2015
1:15 pm        Reports 
                      Coaches' Association of Ontario - Jeremy Cross
1:20 pm       Adjournment


Please RSVP your attendance by emailing Sophy at your earliest convenience! 
If you would like to join our forum but are unable to, please contact Blair about tele-conferencing options. 

napawc_sport_flyer.pdfRegistration for Let's Get Coaching! is now open!

The City of Toronto, in partnership with Coaches Association of Ontario and MLSE Foundation, will be offering National Coaching Certification Program training throughout 2015, starting in January. The Fundamental Movement Skills workshop and 27 sport-specific training sessions will be available at community recreation centres and other facilities. Best of all, these sessions will be FREE for Toronto residents.

See the attached information brochure for more details about the program or visit www.toronto.ca/torontofun.

Let's Get Coaching! is part of Toronto's Host City Showcase Program. This Council-approved program designed to ensure a legacy of long-term community benefits and enhance the experience of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games for residents and visitors. Visit www.toronto.ca/panam2015 to learn more about the Host City Showcase Program.


Tags:
Pan Am Games
A