GUELPH – The Guelph Community Foundation (GCF) distributed $2.5 million dollars to community organizations in 2023.
Last year ended with 25 local charities receiving $107,400 through a community grants program.
The year was particularly challenging as GCF received the highest number of applications ever, officials report.
The community grants application period runs each fall for local charities and registered non-profit groups to apply.
Funding of up to $5,000 was made available for applicants.
Charitable organizations seeking funding must demonstrate their application fits within the framework of local Toward Common Ground wellbeing concepts, and connect to one of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.
GCF has continued to grant funds not only for programming, but for operations and capital projects.
The 25 GCF community grant recipients and their application titles:
– Art Not Shame: Building Spaces of Creativity, Care, and Community;
– Big Brothers Big Sisters of Guelph: Multiplying Mentorship Opportunities for Guelph’s Youth;
– Children’s Reading Room: Books Without Barriers;
– Child Witness Centre: Critical support to young victims and their families, building resiliency and strengthening mental health and wellbeing so they can heal;
– Church of the Apostles (St. James and St. Matthias): Living Better On Less for Youth Program;
– Community of Hearts Lifelong Learning: Social Committee and Social Club Expansion Program;
– Guelph and District Multicultural Festival: 38th Guelph and District Multicultural Festival;
– Guelph Black Heritage Society: Preserving the Past, Enriching the Present: Guelph Black Heritage Society Museum Expansion Initiative;
– Guelph Community Health Centre (Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy): Wellington County Harm Reduction Forum;
– Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition: North End Harvest Market Staffing;
– Guelph Wellington Seniors Association: Musical Instructor Fund;
– Immigrant Services Guelph Wellington: Scam SMART;
– Jobs.Opportunities.Enterprise: J.O.E. WINTERWORKS;
– Kerry’s Place Autism Services: Breaking Barriers;
– Kortright Presbyterian Church operations: Circular Store Community Outreach Program;
– Lakeside HOPE House: Art Etc. – Supporting a Therapeutic Art Program for All;
– Rotary Club of Guelph: A New Rotary Forest in South Guelph;
– Seed, Soil and Spirit School: Seed Soil Spirit Outdoor Classroom;
– Shelldale Family Gateway: Shelldale Family Gateway Operational Support 2023;
– Silence: Silence Guelph;
– Tetra Society of North America: Tetra Guelph Chapter – Devices Breaking Barriers;
– The Guelph Enabling Garden: Accessible Website Rebuild;
– The Grove Hubs: The Grove Guelph Youth Outreach Program;
– Your Downtown Guelph Friends: Your Downtown Guelph Friends Meal Supports; and
– Youth Voices of Ontario Empowered Youth for Climate Resilience: A Toolkit for Young Activists.
The impact the 2022 community grants had is outlined in a report, available at guelphcf.ca/reports-and-financials.
GCF thanked the grants committee members, investors, fund holders and community supporters in a press release.
“We are so grateful to be able to have such an impact in our community and are excited to share the grant impact stories in our upcoming 2023/24 impact report,” officials state.
To learn more visit guelphcf.ca.
