The Arctic Winter Games formally began with the registration of the Arctic Winter Games Corporation under the Canada Corporations Act on January 18, 1968. The head office is located in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. The corporation is also registered in Alaska, Alberta, Nunavut, Yukon and federally in Canada. The Arctic Winter Games Corporation formally changed its name to the Arctic Winter Games International Committee in 1992. The Board of Directors is composed of volunteer directors appointed by each permanent member (Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Northern Alberta, Nunavut and Greenland). The AWGIC is supported by one contract position; the Operations Coordinator.
THE HOST COMMUNITY
Through a competitive bid process, the AWGIC selects the host community approximately 3½ to 4 years in advance of an Arctic Winter Games. The host community enters into a formal contract with the AWGIC to ensure that the Games are run in a suitable manner and for the purpose intended by the AWGIC. Once a host community has signed a contract to stage the Arctic Winter Games they form a non-profit Host Society to conduct the event on their behalf. An agreement between the host community and the Host Society provides the connection with the AWGIC requirements.
THE HOST SOCIETY
This is the non-profit body (usually incorporated as a Society) that is created for the purpose of staging a particular set of Games. Traditionally it is brought into existence shortly after a community is awarded the Games and is dissolved within six months of their conclusion. Typically the Host Society will have as many as 15 - 25 directors and between 1,500 and 3,500 other volunteers, as well as a number of salaried employees. It stages the Games in accordance with the Arctic Winter Games Staging Manual and the Arctic Winter Games Policy Manual as well as the terms of the contract signed by the host community and the Arctic Winter Games International Committee.