Ontario Square and Round Dance Federation
How the Federation can help You
The aims and objectives of the Federation are outlined fully on the website: http://squaredance.on.ca.
Highlighted here are some of the more tangible ways in which the Federation can offer support to clubs, leaders and dancers within Ontario. Various bursaries are available to help offset the cost of recruitment, caller training, new club set-up and leadership training. Each bursary has its own criteria, deadlines and regulations so please pay careful attention to these, which are fully explained on the website.
All applications for bursaries must be routed through your local Association so you must allow sufficient time to meet the various criteria and deadlines of each bursary.
The Federation consists of 6 Associations, listed below. As Northern Ontario and Northwestern Ontario do not have an Association committee, applications from these areas should go directly to the Federation.
• Eastern Ontario Square and Round Dance Association
• Toronto and District Square and Round Dance Association
• Square and Round Dancers of South Western Ontario
• Lakehead & District Square & Round Dance Association
• Northern Ontario Square and Round Dance Clubs
• Northwestern Ontario
In some cases your local Association may also offer bursaries; please refer to your own Association for information.
The Canadian Square and Round Dance Society (CSRDS) also offer a Caller training bursary and a Leadership Training bursary. Please refer to their website for information.
http://www.csrds.ca/csrds-leaders.htm. An amount of up to $500 is offered.
New Club Bursary
Any person/s wishing to start up a new club (square dance, round dance, line dance or clogging group) may apply to their Federation for help to offset the start-up expenses incurred. The Federation may award, to each successful applicant, a maximum one time grant of up to $200. A maximum amount for any calendar year to be awarded to all applicants is $1000. All applications will be dealt with on a first come first served basis.
Leadership Training Grants
The purpose of establishing a Grants Program is to provide financial assistance for Associations/ clubs or groups affiliated with the Ontario Square & Round Dance Federation to sponsor caller/cuer/ leader training or upgrade the skills of established dance instructors. This is not available to an individual.
Caller/Leader/Instructor Bursary
Any dancer wishing to become a Caller/Leader/Instructor in the different dance categories (square, round, clogging, line, western), or a current Caller/Leader/Instructor wishing to upgrade their skills may apply for a bursary to help offset the expenses incurred. The application form can be found on the website. It must be approved by your local Association before being submitted to the Federation. The Federation may pay up to 50% of the approved costs, to a maximum of $400.
Recruitment Bursary
All member clubs can apply for this bursary to help offset the cost incurred in recruiting new dancers. An amount of up to $200 is available. Again, please read the criteria listed on the Federation website. It will be awarded on a first come basis. As the annual amount given out is limited to $1000, it may be reduced depending on the number of successful applications.
Large event Sponsorships
A new initiative by the Federation is to allocate $500 to towards sponsorship/advertising of large events, some of which draw people from all areas of the province and therefore cover the jurisdictions of different Associations. If any club has knowledge of such events they think meet this criteria, please make the Federation aware of it.
Prepared by Howard and Jean Lander
Publicity and Promotion