Vancouver Foundation and City of Vancouver Partner to Expand Neighbourhood Small Grants
June 27, 2011
Vancouver Foundation announced today it is partnering with the City of Vancouver to expand its Neighbourhood Small Grants program in the Downtown Eastside communities.
June 27, 2011—Vancouver Foundation announced today it is partnering with the City of Vancouver to expand its Neighbourhood Small Grants program in the Downtown Eastside communities.
“We are delighted the City of Vancouver has provided $50,000 to increase the number of grants we can offer in the area served by the Strathcona, Carnegie and Ray Cam community centres,” said Faye Wightman, President and CEO of Vancouver Foundation. “This program enables residents to develop and implement ideas that will improve their neighbourhood.”
“When residents become more active in their neighbourhoods, communities are strengthened from the ground up,” noted Mayor Gregor Robertson. “We know that communities become more vibrant and safer when people are engaged, and this particular program is known for sparking creativity and involvement of citizens in local solutions.”
Neighbourhood Small Grants is one of Vancouver Foundation’s grassroots projects. It provides small grants (up to $500) for residents to design and undertake local community-building projects. In total, nine neighbourhoods participate in Neighbourhood Small Grants program covering Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, and North Vancouver.
Last year more than 400 proposals were funded, with projects developed by residents and selected by residents of the local neighbourhood.
Many of the projects involve inter-generational collaborations or promote opportunities for diverse groups to work together for the benefit of their neighbourhood. Chinese brush painting for seniors; community gardens; canning workshops; model making classes for low-income youth; neighbourhood beautification projects; and street safety improvements are all examples of citizen-led projects that have been funded over the 10 years the program has been running.
For 2011, the Foundation along with its donors allocated $300,000 to the entire program.
The City of Vancouver’s additional $50,000 will be directed specifically to the neighbourhoods in the Downtown Eastside.
With more than 1,400 funds, and assets of almost $750 million, Vancouver Foundation is Canada’s largest community foundation. Since it was founded in 1943, Vancouver Foundation, in partnership with its donors, has distributed more than $830 million to BC charities.
For more information:
604.688.2204
City of Vancouver
Corporate Communications
604-871-6336
media@vancouver.ca