With the new season of Spring about to begin, Community Foundation North Okanagan is announcing the opening of the Smart & Caring Communities Grants Program. Applications are being accepted starting March 1, 2022 and can be submitted through the new online granting portal until March 31, 2022.
The pandemic has had a negative financial effect on the non-profit sector and the Community Foundation North Okanagan recognizes that this has magnified many existing inequalities and issues in our region. The Smart & Caring Communities Grants Program is open to applications in the following areas: Arts & Culture, Education, Environment (including animal welfare), Health, and Social Services, projects or programs that focus on making positive social change.
The Foundation would also like to attract organizations that have not previously received funding before to consider applying for a grant. Organizations and projects that support Indigenous-led organizations and initiatives, engage youth in leadership, or are working towards the mitigation of climate change and equitable solutions are strongly encouraged to apply.
It is recommended that organizations reach out with any questions prior to beginning the application process.
Highlights from 2021 Smart & Caring Community Grants Program:
Canadian Red Cross – Health Equipment Loan Program (HELP) has been providing families in the Okanagan with short-term loans of health equipment to help patients safely transition out of hospital into their homes. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for HELP home care systems has risen dramatically as families attempt to shorten the duration of their loved one’s hospital stay and indefinitely keep them out of long-term care. This grant helped purchase the equipment needed to meet the unexpected growth of this program.
Athletics 4 Kids (A4K) – Youth Sports Granting Program offers financial assistance to families that don’t have the resources to put their kids in amateur sports. The benefits of sport go far beyond physical activity, they help children learn and experience critical life skills around team building, leadership, empathy, communication and collaboration. The COVID-19 pandemic prevented A4K from hosting their usual fundraising events and has negatively impacted the funds available for sports grants in the region. This grant assisted A4K in awarding grants, averaging $200 each, to North Okanagan families.
Okanagan College Foundation – Kalamalka Garden Drying Shed
K’nmalka? Senqualten (Kalamalka Garden) is an Indigenous Garden that serves as a place of healing, a place of transferring traditional knowledge from one generation to another, and a unique working environment where Indigenous youth can be employed to teach their traditional knowledge. This grant helped complete the build of a drying shed for the garden. Kalamalka Garden will be using the drying shed for traditional drying practices to make teas, foods, medicines, and gifts. They have also started inviting small groups of visitors to experience the garden.
Organizations interested in applying are encouraged to visit www.cfno.org and reach out to Leanne at leanne@cfno.org or call