Nine community groups were awarded 2018 grants-in-aid from City of Powell River at the council meeting on June 7.
The grants-in-aid program was created to provide financial assistance to non-profit organizations for activities and events.
From the $25,000 available in the fund, $22,083 was approved by council. The total request for financial support was $73,726.22, exceeding the funds available by $48,726.22.
Meanwhile, to simplify the grant application process at city hall, council approved a community partnerships policy at the June 7 meeting.
“It’s a one-stop location that makes it easier for people to understand where they should go, who they should go to and what kinds of grants are available,” said councillor Russell Brewer.
Brewer extended recognition and thanks for community volunteers who assisted on crafting the policy, including Powell River Council for Arts and Culture representative Myrna Leishman, Powell River Community Forest Fund president Greg Hemphill, Powell River Chamber of Commerce manager Kim Miller and community at large members Karen Kamon and Ann Nelson.
“They put in a lot of time and contributed a lot of expertise,” said Brewer.
Councillor Karen Skadsheim commented that the consolidated policy will make city grants much easier to administer.
“I especially like the policy backgrounder that’s included because that explains it very well for members of the public,” said Skadsheim.
The policy will be made available on the city’s website, powellriver.ca.
Brewer, who sits on the Powell River Regional District board as a municipal director, said the regional district should also revamp its grants-in-aid programs to enable more alignment between what the city does for community groups and what the regional district does.
“They do quite a few as well and there’s confusion between when somebody should go to the regional district versus the city,” he said. “They have their economic development service, which is, in effect, a grants-in-aid service; they also have electoral area grants-in-aid and there’s general grants-in-aid shared between city and rural area residents.”
Recipients of 2018 grants-in-aid include:
Inclusion Powell River Society: Banner to bring awareness to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Day, $833
Marine Area Business Association: Blackberry Festival and Santa Parade, $2,000
Powell River and District Christmas Cheer Committee: Purchase of food, toys and gifts for inclusion in Christmas hampers, $1,000
Powell River Action Food Bank: Food Bank activities, $5,000
Powell River Gymnastics and Cheer: To assist up to 100 parents attend drop-in with their children with subsidized insurance, $1,250
Powell River Hospice Society: Hospice Volunteer Training and Coordination Program, $5,000
Powell River Logger Sports Association: Powell River Logger Sports activities, $6,500; pending cash grant award for wood carving, $1,606
Powell River Pride Society/Powell River Diversity: Powell River Pride events, $500
Powell River Cycling Association: Bike to Work and School Week, $500
