Open Call for Car Seat Grant Program (Canada)

Deadline: 31-Dec-2026

The Car Seat Grant program provides funding to organizations in Saskatchewan to purchase car seats for families experiencing financial hardship. The program aims to improve child passenger safety by helping high-risk families access appropriate car seats and learn how to use them correctly.

About the Car Seat Grant Program

The Car Seat Grant program was established to address the need for child passenger safety among families facing financial hardship in Saskatchewan. The initiative supports organizations that work directly with families who may otherwise travel without appropriate child passenger safety seats. By providing funding for car seats and requiring educational sessions for recipients, the program combines access to safety equipment with practical knowledge about proper car seat use. Purpose of the Program The main purpose of the program is to help protect children while traveling in vehicles and reduce the risk of serious injuries and fatalities.

The program focuses on:

- Improving access to appropriate car seats. - Promoting correct car seat use. - Supporting families experiencing financial hardship. - Reaching high-risk families. - Increasing awareness of child passenger safety. - Strengthening community involvement in child safety. Program Objectives The Car Seat Grant program aims to reduce injuries and fatalities among children involved in vehicle collisions. To achieve this objective, the program emphasizes: - Proper use of child passenger safety seats. - Community-based support. - Educational sessions for families receiving car seats. - Monitoring and reporting of programme outcomes. - Accountability for grant-funded activities. Funding Available Organizations can receive a maximum grant of $2,500 per calendar year. The grant is contingent upon evidence of at least a 10% financial contribution from other sources. This cost-sharing requirement encourages organizations to secure broader community support and contributes to the sustainability of child passenger safety initiatives. What Can the Grant Support? The funding can be used by eligible organizations to purchase car seats for families experiencing financial hardship. The funded car seats should benefit children and families who face a higher risk of traveling without appropriate child passenger safety equipment. The programme also requires educational sessions for recipients so families understand the importance of proper car seat use. Educational Requirements Providing a car seat is only one part of the programme. Organizations must provide educational sessions to recipients to promote correct child passenger safety practices. These sessions help ensure that families understand how to use the provided car seats appropriately and safely. Reporting and Accountability Organizations receiving funding must report on the programme to help measure its impact and ensure accountability.

Reporting helps demonstrate:

- How grant funding was used. - Whether families received appropriate support. - The reach of the programme. - The impact on child passenger safety. - The effectiveness of community-based activities. Who Can Apply? Eligible applicants include organizations and groups in Saskatchewan that directly encounter or support families facing financial hardship and child passenger safety risks.

Eligible applicants include:

- Traffic safety enforcement agencies that encounter families in need during patrols. - Non-profit organizations working directly with families at high risk of traveling without appropriate child passenger safety seats. - Newcomer groups supporting people experiencing financial hardship. Applicant Requirements Applicants must demonstrate a clear need for the programme within their community.

They must also show:

- That families in the community face a need for appropriate child passenger safety seats. - That no similar programme currently exists locally. - Strong community involvement. - At least a 10% financial contribution from other sources. - A clear approach to delivering educational sessions. - Capacity to report on programme activities and outcomes. Community Need Applicants should clearly explain why the Car Seat Grant is needed in their community. The application should demonstrate the specific challenges faced by families experiencing financial hardship and explain how the proposed programme will help children who may otherwise lack access to appropriate car seats. Applicants must also establish that a similar local programme is not already available. Community Involvement and Cost-Sharing The programme encourages organizations to involve their communities in supporting child passenger safety. Applicants must demonstrate strong community involvement and provide evidence of financial contribution from other sources. The required 10% contribution helps demonstrate local support and encourages organizations to build partnerships around child safety. Expected Impact The Car Seat Grant program is designed to create direct safety benefits for children and families.

The programme can help:

- Increase access to appropriate car seats. - Reduce the number of children traveling without suitable safety seats. - Promote correct car seat use. - Improve family awareness of child passenger safety. - Reduce the risk of serious injury and death in vehicle collisions. - Strengthen community action around child safety. Tips for a Strong Application Applicants should make their proposal clear, practical, and focused on the children and families who will benefit.

A strong application should:

- Clearly identify the local child passenger safety need. - Explain why families are experiencing difficulty accessing car seats. - Demonstrate that no similar programme exists locally. - Identify the families and children who will benefit. - Explain how educational sessions will be delivered. - Demonstrate community involvement. - Provide evidence of the required 10% contribution. - Explain how programme a