Long Track SEED Program

Speed Skating Canada 's Long Track SEED Program is the CMDC's response to calls for a way to specifically support long track speed skating clubs, facilities and programs in Canada . The Long Track SEED Program delivers a Long Track SEED Package to each of two select clubs each year. The Program seeks to distribute its benefits all over Canada , and each Package is applied in one lump sum. Each Package provides funding to make a significant contribution to capital projects or other facility start-up costs that support long track speed skating. The goal of the Program is to foster the start-up, maintenance and expansion of long track speed skating facilities and programs. The Long Track SEED Program was an offshoot of the now well-established SEED Program that preceded it, one of the most popular ideas that arose from the April 2001 National Club & Membership Development Forum held in Winnipeg . The very title of the program stands for Support, Equipment, Education and Delivery, and the program will depend on the involvement of all levels of SSC to fulfill that mandate.

The Long Track SEED Program offers financial assistance to clubs that have been in operation for at least one year and that operate long track facilities (or are setting up to do so). The funds are generally allocated to relatively expensive capital projects such as cooling systems, water systems, ice preparation equipment, long track skates, timing booths, timing equipment and club houses either to help start a long track facility or to expand its operation. Clubs granted a Long Track SEED Package will receive their funding upon SSC's receipt of bills for the specified expense(s). In the event that a Long Track SEED club should fail, equipment directly purchased with Long Track SEED funds will revert back to SSC ownership (if possible i.e. if assets are liquid and/or divisible enough) to be redistributed to another long track club, with the first priority going to other long track clubs in the same Branch. Interested clubs are asked to fill out an application for a Long Track SEED Package. Branches are expected, as part of the Long Track SEED Program philosophy, to help the club make the most of whatever capital equipment the club is seeking. This may include matching funding or it may include plans for how the benefits will be magnified by the Branch. Clubs that are awarded Long Track SEED Packages will have provided convincing plans showing why they need the funding, and how it will help further long track speed skating in their region.

To ensure that Long Track SEED funds are used responsibly, certain constraints are applied to those clubs seeking Long Track SEED Program funding. Clubs that are applying for Long Track SEED Packages must submit a list of Club Executive members, contracts from the community for ice time in the coming season (ice that they are either buying or supplying) and for equipment ownership, a letter from their Branch acknowledging the application, and a brief business plan (including a budget), showing how and where funding will be developed to support the project for which Long Track SEED funds are sought.

With the Long Track SEED Program, SSC's intent is to provide financial support to those clubs that run long track facilities and programs, to ensure the continued development of our sport. SSC and the Branches must work together to provide this support for growth, and the Long Track SEED Program is a tool to help us achieve that goal.