Apply for funding to help support sport and recreation facilities: Planning Assistance Program
Communities and organizations can apply for funding from the Planning Assistance Program to help cover the cost of professional expertise needed to research, assess or design new facilities or expand existing facilities that advance sport and recreation in Nova Scotia. You need to apply by 30 June 2026 or 30 September 2026.
Use the Planning Assistance Program Application Form to apply for funding.
The Planning Assistance Program helps organizations cover the cost of professional expertise required to research, assess or design new facilities or expand existing facilities that advance sport and recreation in Nova Scotia. movement.
The fund supports projects that respond to the priorities of their community and the Shared Strategy for Advancing Recreation in Nova Scotia.
Funding amount
The Planning Assistance Program may fund up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum of $10,000 for each project. The applicant needs to fund the balance of the costs.
Eligible costs
Eligible costs include:
- general facility planning (like needs assessment, feasibility studies, master plans and facility operation plans)
- schematic design for new or renovated facilities and landscaping (schematic design illustrates the scale and charter of a project showing how the parts of the project relate to each other), including preliminary cost estimates
- research that investigates a specific topic to gather data, test theories or solve problems (information gathered needs to be used to guide decision-making)
- building audits to forecast the replacement of building components by professional consultants and result in the development of a life cycle plan for a facility
Eligibility
Communities and organizations can apply for funding if their facility has recreation, sport or physical activity as its primary function and the facility is open to all members of the public at reasonable times and at a reasonable rate or no cost.
Communities include:
- municipalities
- villages
- Mi’kmaq Band Councils
Organizations include:
- associations and non-profit societies registered and in good standing with Registry of Joint Stock Companies
- post-secondary education institutions and schools (through their Regional Centre for Education or Conseil Scolaire Acadien Provincial) if facilities are available for community use
The program is open for applications 2 times per year. You can apply from 1 April to 30 June 2026 or from 1 July to 30 September 2026.
How to apply
- Review detailed program criteria in the Planning Assistance Program Guidelines.
- Contact your local regional manager to discuss your project idea and confirm your eligibility.
- Complete the funding application.
- Check the application for details on all required supporting documents.
- Send your completed application and supporting documents by email.
- Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage reviews your application after the submission deadline (this can take 6 to 8 weeks).
How long it takes
It should take 6 to 8 weeks for the program to review your funding application and let you know if your funding application is approved. It can take longer if more information is needed or if your application hasn’t been filled in correctly.
Cost
There is no cost to apply.
Before you start
Make sure you have:
- Registry of Joint Stock Companies ID, if you're an association or non-profit society
- project description
- project budget and revenues