Organizers say many Paralympic athletes work full-time jobs, hindering their ability to attend training camps. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)

While sponsorships for the Paralympics have been pouring in as the Games are held on Canadian soil for the first time, organizers say athletes still need more funding to rise to the top.

Competition in the 2010 Winter Paralympic Games kicked off in Vancouver on Saturday morning.

The Canadian Paralympic Committee says support for the team — in terms of both fans and money — is better than ever.

CEO Henry Storgaard said sponsorships have doubled in the past year.

"We have gone from sponsorship revenues of about $1 million to in excess of $2 million this year," he said.

"We have literally been able to double our corporate sponsorship just because the Games are being hosted in Canada. Now, I know that's not a lot of money compared to the Canadian Olympic Committee but I can assure you, to us that is a significant amount of money that adds to the competition of these Paralympic athletes."

Combine that with the federal government's recent commitment of $10 million over the next two years and it amounts to the most support the team has ever had.

"Our budget right now for 2010 to 2011 is $1.8 million, and they just added $5 million to that, so that was a very big increase for us," said CPC president Carla Qualtrough.

While the committee is thrilled with the budget increase, Storgaard said athletes will need even more help if they're to compete at the highest level.

"Some of them are coming up to us — they are two- or three-100ths of a second off a world record — and they just need to get a little bit more money so that they don't have to work full time so they can attend training camps. I mean that is heartbreaking," he said.

The committee expects the team to finish in the top three for gold medals in the 2010 Winter Paralympic Games.