Venture Projects
Saskatchewan Agricultural Societies Program is a financial contribution program operating under terms and conditions set out in an agreement with the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport. SAASE has allocated a total of $45,000 to the program for 2024. Tourism Saskatchewan has allocated an additional $45,000 – making the funds available for the Venture Project Program in 2024 a total of $90,000. The SAASE Board of Directors has allocated $70,000 to Venture Projects and $20,000 to a newly develop funding stream called “The Digital Marketing Enhancement Program”. The new funding will assist in development and or enhancement of websites – social media – digital platforms, which will support the marketing of your Agricultural Societies programs and events. The focus of the new funding streams will be on tourism, by developing new events with a wide appeal, as well as promoting and enhancing the quality of life within communities throughout Saskatchewan. The funding may also support the development of new Agricultural Societies – bringing new communities under the umbrella membership of SAASE.
Agricultural Societies may apply for funding for 1 Venture Project and 1 Digital Platform Enhancement project per year. This could include a new Venture Project or funding for year 2 or 3 of an existing approved project, in addition to the Digital Platform Enhancement funding.
Venture Projects
- Venture projects are defined as projects or activities, which meet the objectives of the program: rural living, community development, agriculture awareness, and new agricultural society development. If an Agricultural Society has discontinued an event/program for a minimum of 5 years – they may apply for Venture Project funding with that discontinued event/program being considered as a new project
- This component of SASP is intended to support new and unproven projects of member organisations, as well as assist in the development of new Agricultural Societies across Saskatchewan. SAASE recognises that the chief impediment to undertaking new projects may be the lack of assured funding. The Venture Project funding allocation is 50% of eligible expenses up to a maximum of $10,000 – there is no guarantee on the amount of funding. Project funding will be based on the number of applications and the funding available.
Digital Platform Enhancement Program
- $20,000 of the $90,000 of funding has been allocated to this new funding stream intended to assist with cost such as website development or developing a social media program. The maximum funding allocation per Digital Platform Enhancement Project will be 50% of eligible expenses up to $2,500.
- Digital Platform Enhancements are defined as supports needed to redevelop/enhance or build a website for your Agricultural Society. Develop a social media strategy using the various platforms to promote your Agricultural Society and events. Developing an app for a particular event or program, as well as assisting in the training of someone to manage the website and social media.
Application Deadline
There will be one application deadline – the deadline will be March 31, 2025. That deadline includes applications for the Venture Project Program, as well as the Digital Platform Enhancement Program.
PDF Attachments
Read below to view the Venture Project Guide
Guide For Applicants
Program Objectives:
The program supports: Community Development/Rural Living projects – website/social media development which are projects that assist in community development by contributing to Saskatchewan’s high quality of life and promoting community development as part of the culture of our society. The events will have a focus on tourism by the promotion of the event to not only the local community, but also through the promotion of the community event on a regional, provincial or national scale. The event or project would showcase the community as being a great place to live, work and visit. Contributions under this program are intended to provide financial assistance to eligible organizations in support of projects that meet one or more of the following objectives:
Rural Living
- These projects would focus on the quality of living in the community or region. Projects could assist local producers in finding or creating a market or increasing the existing market for a product or products.
Community Development
- These projects will assist in community development.
Agriculture Awareness
- These projects should increase consumer awareness of what is involved in the production of agricultural products and of issues specific to rural communities and regions. These types of projects should result in consumers having a better appreciation of producer needs.
New Agricultural Society Development
- These projects would result in the formation of a new agricultural society and member of SAASE. The new agricultural society would be required to meet the criteria set forth by the SAASE Board of Directors. Upon becoming a new agricultural society and member of SAASE, the new society would have access to all the benefits that a member of SAASE is entitled to.
Digital Platform Enhancement Projects
- These projects would assist in the Agricultural Society developing a new website or developing social media platforms or enhancements including – constructing apps, training – developing a social media program to assist in the marketing of the Agricultural Societies events and programs.
Criteria of Elegibility
The objectives of the program are:
- Focus of projects must be on new event or agricultural society/community development, or the enhancement of an existing project/event/program.
- Projects should be broad based and show widespread community support. Projects of a limited focus may not be eligible.
- Development of a new agricultural society, which will include assistance in developing a new event, or enhancing an existing event.
- Projects must be new to the society and must be significantly different from other projects undertaken by the society.
- Funding of projects is subject to prior approval. Prior approval process must be adhered to in order to ensure that adequate funding is in place for all projects;
- Projects funded as new initiatives are not eligible for funding through basic program;
- Successful applicants must agree to report on the project to delegates at SAASE Convention.
- Successful applicants must agree to send a thank you letter to our funding partners expressing their appreciation of the funding and the benefits it has provided.
Multi-year Projects
- Agricultural Societies may apply for 3 years of funding for the same event. Applications must be made each year for each of the project funding streams and approval of each of the funding streams is for 1 year only does not guarantee that either or both of the projects will be funded for all 3 years.
- Funding of the Venture Projects will be based on the following limits with no guarantee:
- 1st year – 50% of eligible expenses up to a maximum of $10,000
- 2nd year – 35% of eligible expenses up to a maximum of $7,500
- 3rd year – 15% of eligible expenses up to a maximum of $5,000
- Funding of the Digital Platform Enhancement Program will be based on the following limits with no guarantee:
- 1st year – 50% of eligible expenses up to a maximum of $2,500
- 2nd year – 35% of eligible expenses up to a maximum of $1,500
- 3rd year – 15% of eligible expenses up to a maximum of $1,000
Agricultural Societies may only submit 1 Venture Project and or 1 Digital Platform Enhancement Project application per year – multi-year funding projects included. If an Agricultural Society has a new project, as well as an existing multi-year project – a choice has to be made as to which project the Agricultural society will apply for.
Application For Approval
For both streams – Venture Projects and Digital Platform Enhancement Projects use the attached application OR submit your proposal in another form assuring that all the information requested in this form is included in your proposal. Applications are subject to prior approval. There is one application deadline – March 31, 2024. This deadline will ensure that the SAASE Board of Directors will be able to adjudicate all the applications submitted and be able to allocate the funding available in the most efficient way.
Report & Claim For Payment
Upon completion of the project, submit a report of the project. This report should include an evaluation of how well the project achieved the stated objectives, any deviation from the original plan and should be accompanied by photos. Payment will be made within thirty days to the maximum approved in the application. SAASE will pay out a total of 75% of the approved amount, with the additional 25% being paid out once a presentation has been made at the SAASE Annual convention.
What are eligible and ineligible costs under the Venture Project Program?
Eligible Expenses
- Advertising costs – newspaper/radio/TV/signage
- Equipment rentals
- Cost of Judges
- Direct materials and supply costs
- Facility rental – if not owned by applicant
- Printing costs
- Travel costs related to project
Ineligible Expenses
- Inhouse expenses – including labour and facility rental
- Capital costs
- Food/Liquor
- Prize money
- Cost of hiring entertainment
Digital Platform Enhancement Project Eligible Expenses
- App development
- Consulting firm fees
- Educational/training programs
- Start-up hosting fees – for first year only
Ineligible Expenses
- Hardware including – computers, laptops, Ipads, etc.
- Advertising fees
- Inhouse labor costs
- Administrative costs
Hints on filling out the application
Project Description
Give us an overview of what your project is and what you are hoping to accomplish. Tell us when the project is going to happen and who is involved.
Need for the Project
Let us know how this project fits into the Venture Project objectives of community development/rural living or agricultural awareness. How will this project have an impact on your Agricultural Society and your community.
Objectives
Let us know what your objectives are for the project and what the results will be.
Benefits
State who will benefit from the project – the agricultural society/community etc. Also state how they will benefit.
Partners
Who are your partners in the program. The more partners, whether they are community groups or business, that you have involved in the program the more it shows the broad community support for the program.
Project Workplan
What are the timelines on when the program components are going to take place. Make sure you put them in order and put down what you want to accomplish with each activity.
Total Sources of Funding
Indicate where your funding is coming from for the program. In-kind costs can include volunteer hours/donations etc. Who are your sponsors in the program and how much will they be donating. How much money are you requesting from SAASE.
Project Budget
Include all your revenue that you expect to generate, as well as whatever expenses you may have. Because Venture Project funding is seed money, it is important that the project has the potential to successfully continue.