qathet Regional District’s finance committee has received 18 requests for funding from a variety of organizations seeking financial assistance.
At the May 11 finance committee meeting, directors had 17 delegations scheduled on the agenda, with one no-show, and one unregistered delegation not on the agenda that was permitted to present.
Committee chair George Doubt, a City of Powell River director on the regional board, said the meeting consisted entirely of delegations from people who were making applications for regional district grant funding.
“It’s exciting to see so many members of the community here to talk to us about the great things they are doing and plan to do,” said Doubt.
He outlined to presenters that they had 10 minutes to make their presentations and that there would be questions from board members.
“What will happen later at a finance committee meeting next week is the committee will make decisions on the grant applications that will go through to the regional board,” said Doubt. “We are not making decisions on grants tonight. We are hearing everyone’s applications and are providing an opportunity for you to tell us all about what they are doing.”
The finance committee heard funding requests from: Powell River Academy of Music; Powell River Sports Hall of Fame; Texada Arts Culture and Tourism Society; qathet Symphony Orchestra; qathet Community Justice; Sunshine Coast Tourism; Powell River Festival of Performing Arts; Powell River Outdoor Recreation User Group Trails Society; Everybody Deserves a Smile; Powell River Christmas Cheer; Vancouver Island North Film Commission; Lift Community Services; Lasqueti Island Nature Conservancy; Powell River Orphaned Wildlife Society; Texada Island NonProfit Seniors Housing Society; Texada Island Dragon Boat Club; Powell River Child, Youth and Family Services Society; and Trans qathet Alliance for Gender Diversity and Support.
After nearly two and a half hours of presentations, Doubt said it was amazing to sit in the board room and look at all of the active people in the community coming and talking about the huge range of things they want to volunteer and help to do to make qathet a better place to be.
“It’s truly an impressive group of people and I hope the other directors agree with me in that analysis,” said Doubt.
Total requests for grant funding for the regional district in this round of applications was $347,593. The amount budgeted for the financial requests is $333,000.
Expenditures will come from three of the regional district services: grants-in-aid, economic development and social planning services.
Doubt said the finance committee will be meeting again on May 18 and discuss recommendations to the regional board at that time.
