Each quarter, the SCCA Foundation presents certain SCCA® Regions with funding from the Region Development Grant, allowing members of those Regions to accomplish something for the greater good that may otherwise have been out of reach. Leading up to the February application deadline, numerous Regions applied for the first Region Development Grant of 2024, with Lake Superior Region, Central Florida Region, and New England Region receiving funding – now, your Region is encouraged to apply before the next set of Region Development Grants, which has an application deadline of May 31, 2024.
Before we tell you how your Region can apply for the Region Development Grant by May 31, let’s check out the three most recent recipients and their programs that will benefit from the Region Development Grant.
Lake Superior Region: RallyCross Program Expansion
After hosting a trial RallyCross® event in 2023, Lake Superior Region was looking to continue the momentum by including a novice driving school in its program. “The novice school will focus on those who are new to RallyCross, new to driving overall, those who want to improve their skills on low traction surfaces, or those who just want to try a new sport,” the Region’s application read. “Our hope is the novice school will lower the barriers for those participating in their first event, [and] provide a laid back and friendly atmosphere that will focus on safety, having fun, and learning.”
The Region intends to host the novice school on a Saturday, pairing experienced drivers with students attending the school to help them through various skill stations in the morning and a practice course in the afternoon. The plan is to host a school each summer, followed by a series of RallyCross events. The problem is, funding is needed to achieve that goal – now thanks to the Region Development Grant, the SCCA Foundation will be supplying $2,500 of the $6,050 needed to host these initial events, with the grant’s funds earmarked for venue rental and operating supplies.
Central Florida Region: SCCA Women on Track Program
“This initiative is designed to encourage women to be an active member of the SCCA,” Central Florida Region wrote in its grant application. The Region is building its initiative based on the National SCCA Women on Track program to encourage more women to become involved in motorsports and the SCCA.
The $500 in funding from the Region Development Grant will augment Central Florida Region’s investment in the project, with the Region’s Solo Chair supplying partial funding for the social meet-and-greet for women to learn more about Central Florida Region’s Women on Track program.
New England Region: CPR & AED Training
New England Region was in need of assistance in covering the cost of a CPR and AED class for its three SCCA programs (Solo®, Club Racing, and RallyCross) and to have members included in the national “Stop The Bleed” program.
The Region’s hope is that through training, members will feel more pro-active and capable should there be a need for immediate intervention on site during an event.
The SCCA Foundation’s Region Development Grant will assist with up to $40 per student for 10-12 students, along with up to $200 for classroom rental (up to $800 total). For its part, the Region will cover roughly $5-$10 of each student’s fee.
Your Region Can Apply, Too
Rather than running through the SCCA Foundation Region Development Grant application details here, we suggest you follow this link for all the info.
The long and short of it, however, is that the SCCA Foundation Region Development Grant program supplies Regions with up to $2,500 in assistance and is designed to provide supplemental funding by the SCCA Foundation for qualified programs. An eligible Region program must have an educational or charitable purpose consistent with the mission and purpose of the SCCA.
In evaluating a grant, the selection committee will give the most attention and focus to projects which meet the following criteria:
- Educational or charitable purpose.
- Open to or benefiting the general public and not just Club members.
- It is innovative or demonstrates need.
- It is backed by a detailed project management plan that includes a description of the request, a project schedule, and specific project management.
- The majority of project funding is coming from other sources.
Region Development Grants are not intended to fully fund a Region project. Regions should be prepared to indicate in their application the cost of the project, the Region investment in the project, other contribution sources, and the amount needed from the Foundation.
Regions not ready to apply this time around will have quarterly opportunities throughout the year, with application deadlines being Feb. 28, May 31, Aug. 31, and Nov. 30 of each year.
You Can Help the SCCA Foundation
Funding for programs like the Region Development Grant comes from the SCCA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose mission is to support the Sports Car Club of America by providing inclusive opportunities for motorsports competition, safety, education, and historical preservation through such programs as Tire Rack Street Survival, VETMotorsports, SCCA Women on Track, SCCA Archives, and more.
Head to the SCCA Foundation’s website to discover more about the not-for-profit charitable organization, along with how you can make a donation.
