(Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands - Wednesday, August 9, 2023) The Athlete Development Fund (ADF) developed by the TCI Sports Commission has officially launched for grant applications.
In June 2022, The ADF was initially launched, coinciding with the Turks and Caicos Islands' first Long-Term Athlete Development Symposium. This launch sparked the partnership between the private and public sectors for sport funding. The ADF is guided by a committee that determines and prioritises investment strategies for sports associations, clubs and athletes in an effort to enhance sport development in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Key sponsors have committed funds which will finance awardees for 2023-24 and the upcoming year. The main objectives are to increase sporting participation opportunities and increase the Turks and Caicos Islands' capacity to compete and develop a sporting system that systemically achieves world-class results.
Funding is provided to eligible organisations and athletes for programming that supports Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) with a particular emphasis on High-performance Development. LTAD caters to grassroots programmes at the primary and high school levels, leading the athletes to semi-professional and professional levels. This high-performance development could take the form of sports training camps, sport leagues and tournaments and sport equipment.
The Director of Sports Mr Jarrett Forbes explained the importance of the ADF, "We strongly believe that sport is a positive pathway for building young people and consequentially building stronger communities. And we believe that there are many individuals who live in these islands or who have a strong interest in the TCI, who also believe in building strong communities… who find value in a safe, enjoyable and productive Turks and Caicos Islands."
The ADF also finds a path to tackle funding challenges, as while the Turks and Caicos Islands Government is steadily increasing its allocation for sports development, further streams of funding are essential.
Forbes explained this further, "Many countries around the region are heavily supported by the Olympic Solidarity Fund. However with the TCI currently not an associated member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), we do not receive Olympic Solidarity funding. Neighbouring countries like the Bahamas, and Jamaica, and major countries like Canada and the United Kingdom’s sports systems are heavily funded by a National Lottery but in the TCI, we do not have such a sport funding system. We, therefore, found it important to find a way to provide additional resources to our sports organizations and athletes through the creation of the Athlete Development Fund."
During the press conference, Director of J&W Construction Samuel Harvey presented a $10,000 cheque adding to the pool of funds to serve the 2023/24 year of the ADF. J&W Construction also committed funding in the inaugural year of the ADF.
Mr Harvey shared, "I believe in the going forward of the youth in this country and with sports...From the second this was shot to me I said, "Yes this is a good idea and I will guarantee you that J&W are going to back this project." We were hoping to be trailblazers."
In attendance was also the Minister of Education, Youth Sports and Social Services, Hon Rachel Taylor. She shared, "The government understand the significant impact sports can have on a country. More importantly the youth of a country and the growth and development it can provide to both...Our young people want to see that we are interested and believe in them. Nothing shows belief like investment. That is why I want to encourage the private sector to not just give to the fund but invest in the future of the Turks and Caicos Islands. TCIG has made intentional investments in sports and with private sector collaboration, we have the ability to transform lives because partnerships cultivate efficiency effectiveness and productivity."
If you or your organisation is interested in investing in the Athlete Development Fund, contact the Committee at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
About the ADF
The Athlete Development Fund (ADF) is designed to support the development of Turks and Caicos Islands athletes. Under the mantra "The future is now", funding is provided to eligible organizations and athletes for programming that supports Long-Term Athlete Development with a particular emphasis on High-performance Development.
The objectives of the ADF are to:
1. increase opportunities to participate in quality sport activities for all Turks and Caicos Islands, including under-represented groups;
2. increase the capacity of the Turks and Caicos Islands sport system to systematically achieve world-class results at the highest international competitions;
3. contribute to the provision of technical sport leadership within the Turks and Caicos Islands sport system; and
4. advance Turks and Caicos Islands' interests, values and ethics in sport at home and abroad.To find out more about the ADF and how to contribute to the fund, visit https://www.tciathletedevelopmentfund.com.