Neighbourhood Small Grants

Small Things Can Have a Big Impact

The Neighbourhood Small Grants (NSG) is a new grant stream created to support small scale community projects from across the province that:

  • build community strength and resilience,
  • foster community creativity and well being, and
  • alleviate social isolation.

Our grants range from $50 to $500. A grant is money we give you to help you bring your project to life. You must apply for the grant, but you do not need to pay the money back.

Neighbourhood Small Grants (NSG) is guided by the following principles:

  • Everyone has gifts: Anyone can offer their ideas, talents, skills, experiences and contacts to build a strong community
  • Small is powerful: Small amounts of money have a potential to bring powerful changes in community in forms of new relationships, increased self-confidence, leadership development, stronger sense of place and creation of local traditions
  • Local decisions are best: Community members from diverse backgrounds and experiences get an opportunity to make decisions on who should get the grants in their community
  • Where we live matters: the grants enable anyone to team up with their neighbour and come up with a project that they can carry out within an area of where they live and based on what they think works best in their community
  • We learn together: There is no single right way to build community so anyone involved in the program will have many opportunities to learn, share, reflect, exchange and capture knowledge, skills and information that they can use within and beyond the program
  • Everyone is invited: The program is accessible and inclusive to anyone living in an NSG area no matter their age, ethnicity, income, cultural background, gender, ability and sexual orientation

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online through our Grants Portal (login or create an account and look for “Neighbourhood Small Grants”).

Applications that meet our criteria and are approved will be partnered with an appropriate charity group for fund disbursement.

Neighbourhood Small Grants Shuswap

Social Media

If you like using social media, follow SCF and mention us when you promote your project. Use the #SCFNSG hashtag, and we’ll look for ways to help promote your project.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

NSG Resources

The following Neighbourhood Small Grants documents are available for download.

Neighbourhood Small Grants FAQ

Who can apply?

  • Grants of up to $500 will be available to residents of the Shuswap region to carry out small community building projects that comply to the public health requirements of social/physical distancing.
  • Projects can ONLY be curried out by individuals and/or family members from the some household.
  • You may not apply on behalf of a business or registered organization, but you may apply on behalf of an informal group (for example, a meetup or shared interest group).
  • Service delivery and emergency relief programs supporting low-income and other vulnerable people are out of the scope of NSG.

What are the eligible projects?

  • You may apply for any project that will bring your community together, build community strength and resilience, or tackle social isolation.
  • Some common types of Neighbourhood Small Grant projects include care package deliveries or teaching people a new skill, but there are also many unique projects that don’t fall into these categories.
  • Any product, service, or event created with the support of a Neighbourhood Small Grant must be offered for free.

What additional information do you need to know about the Neighbourhood Small Grants?

  • Your project must be free to attend and participate in. We encourage applications for projects that are accessible to people with disabilities and inclusive of all people.
  • You may not fund raise for other projects and/or organizations. However, we encourage you to seek donations or gifts in kind from local businesses to help support your project.
  • You can apply for one NSG project at a time and as soon as you complete your project and upon the submission of your project story to your local Coordinator, you can reapply for another grant.
  • You must begin your project after the grant decision is made. Projects are not supported retroactively.
  • While some projects may continue year-round, it is expected that your NSG grant money is spent by November 30, 2020.

What do you need to think about when you are estimating your project costs?

  • Grant requests for projects are expected to be under $500. However, applications that offer unique and creative ways of meeting the NSG purposes may be considered for additional funding.
  • Grant money may be used to pay people for services (also called honorariums) to help with the project. An honorarium is a small fee paid to someone for their in-kind skills or knowledge contributions. Examples: an artist sharing skills and talent.
  • Total honorarium(s) may not be more than $350 per project. The final honorarium amount for the project is at the discretion of the Neighbourhood Grants Committee (NGC) that reviews grant applications.
  • Applicants are eligible to receive an honorarium for sharing their skills and talents through online workshop formats.

What do you do after you receive the grant money?

  • To inspire other people to do similar projects, please write a short summary and document your project with photos, videos or by writing a short summary and share them with your local NSG Coordinator as soon as you are done with your project.
  • Once you submit your project story, you are eligible to apply for another grant.
  • Shuswap Community Foundation and Vancouver Foundation should be acknowledged by displaying appropriate logos on your project promotional materials.
Brought to you by the 191 Community Foundations of Canada
Brought to you by the 191 Community Foundations of Canada
Community Foundations of Canada
Community Foundations of Canada