The Neighbourhood Small Grants program is expanding its range into the South Okanagan Similkameen.
The program, administered by the Community Foundation South Okanagan Similkameen, with co-funding partnerships with Vancouver Foundation and the City of Penticton, allows area residents to apply for a small grant of up to $500 to bring people together and build community in their neighbourhood.
The Neighbourhood Small Grants concept is to help connect and engage residents in their community by encouraging them to come up with their own ideas for how their neighbourhood can be strengthened.
“The purpose of these grants is to bring people closer together, to build a stronger sense of belonging, and to make connections between citizens,” said Aaron McRann, CFSO executive director.
“The grants are small because the money is meant to serve as a catalyst for action. The real impact comes from real people doing things that matter for their neighbours. Neighbourhood Small Grants are intended to be ‘Big Enough to Matter and Small Enough to Do’.”
Small grants of up to $500 are available for projects by local residents (not charities), and the grants are administered through our program partner organizations and resident advisory committee members — all local community volunteers.
Neighbourhood Small Grants applications opened June 27 and the deadline for applications is July 29.
The Neighbourhood Small Grants program was created by the Vancouver Foundation in 1999 based on the idea that when people feel a sense of connection and belonging to their neighbourhood, they are more likely to be engaged in activities that make it a better place to live.
Visit www.cfso.net for more information on the Neighbourhood Small Grants program and to apply online.