Beef and Barley Grant

The Russell Beef and Barley Festival has been a cherished tradition of celebrating Russell’s agricultural spirit since 1973. In recent years, the festival proceeds have been reinvested into local initiatives that strengthen our community.

The Beef and Barley Grant Program exists to distribute funds raised through the annual festival to local organizations, groups, and projects that benefit the community. Its purpose is to:

  • Support initiatives that address community needs and improve well-being
  • Promote cultural, social, and recreational opportunities
  • Foster collaboration among community organizations
  • Ensure festival proceeds are reinvested in a transparent, fair, and impactful way

The program prioritizes projects that demonstrate strong community benefit, responsible use of funds, and alignment with the values of the festival. The Grant Program is committed to serving a diversity of communities and people across the larger community area served by the Festival.

RULES

  1. In order to qualify for funds from the proceeds of the Beef and Barley Festival, the Applicant and/or the project must:
  1. Be based in the local community or directly benefit it; local community generally includes the communities and rural areas of the R.M. of Russell-Binscarth, R.M. of Riding Mountain West, Waywayseecapo First Nation, and Gambler First Nation.
  2. Be led by a registered nonprofit, charity, or unregistered community group.
  3. Align with at least one of the Organization’s priorities:
  1. Community development;
  2. Arts & culture;
  3. Youth & senior programs;
  4. Health & wellness;
  5. Food security;
  6. Recreation; and
  7. Social support services.
  1. Not be primarily political, religious, or for-profit in nature.
  1. Applications must be complete and submitted by 11:59 pm CDT on April 30, 2026.
  2. No Applicant may receive more than one grant per year; however Applicants may receive grants in successive years.
  3. All applications are scored by each Board member using the scoring metric shown below. The metric score is a tool used for assessment and is not the only determining factor in the success of an Application. Other factors may be considered, such as the additional criteria listed below.  
  4. Funds must be used only for the approved project or ongoing cost. Any deviation from the proposed project must be approved by the Board of Directors for the Beef and Barley Festival Planning Committee. Rebudgeting requests can be submitted to beefandbarleyfestival@gmail.com.
  5. The grant funds cannot be used for:
  1. Debt repayment;
  2. Staffing costs;
  3. Political campaigning; or
  4. Personal benefit.
  1. At the request of the Board, successful Applicants must:
  1. Submit a short report by a specified deadline at least three (3) weeks from the request by the Board; and/or
  2. Provide pictures or marketing material for festival advertisement by a specified deadline at least three (3) weeks from the request of the Board.
  1. A requested report shall include all reasonable information requested by the Board, including, without limitation, a report on the progress of the project, proof of the project’s completion, and/or receipts for goods or services procured.
  2. Failure to comply with Rules 7 and 8 may affect future eligibility.

Scoring Metric (100-Point System)

Each project is scored out of 100 points using the following weighted criteria:

1. Community Impact (25 points) : 0–8: Limited or unclear benefit / 9–16: Moderate benefit to a defined group / 17–25: Significant, broad, or long-term impact

2. Feasibility & Planning (20 points) : 0–6: Poorly planned or unrealistic / 7–14: Reasonable plan with some gaps / 15–20: Clear, achievable, well-documented plan

3. Festival Involvement (15 points) : 0–5: Capable group and has never volunteered / 6–10: Moderate participation / 11–15: Strong participation

4. Festival Visibility (10 points) : 0–3: No visibility opportunity / 4–7: Moderate visibility / 8–10: Strong visibility (branding opportunity or provides positive impression of the festival, if contextually appropriate)

5. Financial Need & Budget Clarity (10 points) : 0–3: Unclear or unrealistic budget / 4–7: Reasonable budget / 8–10: Strong justification and clear need

6. Sustainability / Long-Term Benefit (10 points) : 0–3: One-time impact only / 4–7: Some lasting benefit / 8–10: Ongoing or multiplying impact

7. Community Engagement & Inclusiveness (10 points) : 0–3: Limited participation / 4–7: Some community involvement / 8–10: Strong, inclusive, community-driven project

8. Additional Criteria to be Considered:

  • A preference to underserved populations;
  • A preference to single project infrastructure or equipment improval or purchases;
  • Geographic distribution across the entire community;
  • Diversity and inclusion (for example, distribution across specific subsets of the community, such as kids, seniors, minorities, persons with disabilities, etc.); and
  • First-time applicants.