Community Foundation distributes spring grants – 290K to local charities
STRATFORD, ON, June 8, 2021 – Stratford Perth Community Foundation (the Community Foundation) is pleased to announce the spring grants made on behalf of the Family of Named Funds held with the Community Foundation. The Foundation has distributed $290,000 throughout its service region of Stratford, St. Marys, North Perth, Perth South, West Perth, and Perth East. Grants range from $1,000 to $15,000 made to a wide range of requests – supporting urgent needs, funding operating priorities, driving program improvements, and bolstering new ideas.
Working with fund holders, the Community Foundation facilitates grants in a few ways – designated grants to a specific charity, scholarships to local high schools, and an open grant application each Spring. In total 52 grants and 19 scholarships were provided to 36 organizations representing a broad range of sectors in the region. In the Fall, SPCF will disburse an additional $22,000 in grants from their Smart & Caring Community Funds dedicated to supporting local priorities in the region the Fund represents. Grants will range from $2,500 to $8,500.
“The charitable sector continues, and will continue for some time, to feel the effects that the pandemic has placed on their organizations. Each organization has a unique set of circumstances from the need to increase services to fundraising challenges to support their operations,” says Heidi Culliton. “Local organizations have been compelled to pivot and reimagine access to their programs and services, and their operating sustainability. In response, we expanded our grant criteria this year to support applications requesting support for general operations, business planning and staff development, leaning in where local charities were deeply impacted by funding gaps.”
2021 Grant Highlights
- The Local Community Food Centre received a grant of $10,500 to provide community meals through curbside pickup and delivery for individuals and families in Stratford and St. Marys experiencing food insecurity.
- Ballinran Productions Limited, in partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Stratford Charitable Foundation, received a grant of $7,500 to create the “Face of Diversity” video series documenting through story-telling the positive impact of diversity throughout Perth County.
- Family Services Perth-Huron received a grant of $7,000 to reduce wait times for youth counselling services throughout Perth County.
- Maitland Conservation received a grant of $4,500 to help restore the health of the Middle Maitland River upstream of Listowel, North Perth, and overall health of the watershed.
- Millbank Heritage and Arts Society in partnership with the Township of Perth East received a grant of $6,000 to provide the community centre with short term support for fixed expenditures ensuring future community programing for the Millbank and surrounding area.
- Cooking with Class in partnership with the Municipality of West Perth received a grant of $1,575 to provide an eight-week cooking program this fall for youth aged eight to 13 where participants will learn healthy eating habits, food preparation skills, and food and kitchen safety.
- ONE Care Home & Community Support Services received a grant of $5,000 to support the Community Support services Bundled Care Program for seniors living independently throughout Perth County.
- Stratford Symphony Orchestra received a grant of $6,300 to produce the SSO Virtual Cushion Concerts to be accessible by residents throughout Perth County and beyond.
- Hospice Care Avon Maitland (Rotary Hospice) received a grant of $10,000 to provide access to grief and bereavement services for families throughout Perth County experiencing loss during pandemic restrictions.
“As the local Community Foundation, we exist to support community-based organizations delivering programs and services that focus on local priorities, in the best way we can with the resources we have,” says Culliton. “It is an honour for our Foundation team to assist individuals, families and businesses with establishing community legacies that will support local organizations doing important work today, tomorrow and forever.”
Full list of 2021 Grant Recipients