Now accepting requests

Money for kids who want to play.

We fund the teams, clubs and schools that keep Ottawa kids moving. Ice time, chess boards, buses, and the registration fee a family couldn't cover.

Email letsplay@playottawa.org
$45Kgranted so far
3orgs backed
2 wksto hear back
2people behind it

What we fund

If it puts an Ottawa kid in motion, ask us about it.

Fees & gear

Registration, jerseys, sticks, boards, mats. The cost of getting in the door.

Ice, gyms & buses

Rentals, tournament entry, and the ride that gets a team to the game.

New programs

Leagues, after-school clubs and school board projects reaching kids who aren't playing yet.

Eligibility. You serve kids in Ottawa, the money goes to activity, and you'll tell us afterwards what it paid for. Non-profits, schools, minor associations and informal groups all count.

How it works

1

Email us

Write to letsplay@playottawa.org. Tell us who you are, how many kids it reaches, and what the money buys. No forms.

2

We talk

A reply within two weeks, usually with questions and sometimes a visit.

3

Funds go out

We transfer the grant and follow up once at the end of the season.

Where the money has gone

Our first three grants.

$15,000

Ottawa Chess Cavaliers

Boards, clocks and coaching for a club that outgrew two library rooms and now runs weekly matches for 90 kids.

$20,000

Blackburn Minor Hockey Association

Ice time plus a fee-assistance pool, so no family in Blackburn Hamlet sits out a season over cost.

$10,000

Ottawa Catholic District School Board

Intramural equipment shared across schools, aimed at lunchtime play for kids who aren't on a team.

Who we are

Play Ottawa is Mike and Luigina Potter — two Ottawa parents who kept hearing the same thing on the sidelines: the program exists, the kids want in, the money doesn't stretch.

There's no organization behind us and no staff. It's just the two of us, reading every request that comes in.

Mike PotterFounder
Luigina PotterFounder

Questions we get

How much can we ask for?

First grants were $10,000 to $20,000. Small asks are just as welcome — a $400 bus rental is a real request.

Do we need charity status?

No. Clubs, schools, associations and informal community groups can all apply.

Can a family apply directly?

Yes. We'll usually route the support through the club so it stays private.

Is there a deadline?

No. Requests are reviewed as they arrive, all year.