Vancity announces latest annual community project grants of $75,000
Vancity announces latest annual community project grants of $75,000:
Community support ‘more important than ever’ during economic downturn
Vancouver, February 3, 2009 – Nine southern Vancouver Island organizations that have shown exceptional leadership in the local community have been honoured with community project grants from Vancity.
In the last 12 months, Vancity has distributed approximately $850,000 to not-for-profit, community organizations across BC, in the form of community project grants. It is one part of the credit union’s community investment program, which is funded from a proportion of Vancity’s annual profits and, since 1994, has invested $46 million in grants to community organizations.
The latest wave of southern Vancouver Island grants – which range in value from $4,000 to $10,000 and total $75,000 – will fund locally-based projects that focus on climate change, facing poverty, or growing the social economy (a third sector of the economy that falls between the private sector and the public sector and includes co-operatives, non-governmental organizations, and charities).
“During these uncertain economic times, supporting our communities is more important than ever,” says Vancity Board Chair Patrice Pratt. “When people find themselves struggling, they often turn to non-profit organizations for support. The groups receiving community project grants from Vancity make a difference in people’s lives every day.”
“We’re all in this together,” adds Pratt. “Supporting non-profits that help individuals and families is not just a good deed, it is a wise investment in the well-being and the future of our communities.”
The nine recipients of this wave of community project grants are: The Dogwood Initiative for their Keep Jordan River Green project; Habitat Acquisition Trust for the Millstream Creek Good Neighbours project; Island Pathways for Partners Creating Pathways; Land Trust Alliance of British Columbia for the project Protecting Land, Climates, and Communities; Pacifica Housing Advisory Association for “Our Garden” Community Garden Project; Peninsula Streams Society for the Saanich Peninsula Restoration/Education Project; the Land Conservancy of BC for the Local Government Toolkit for Agriculture: Farmland; the Victoria Foundation for their Every Step Counts project; and the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society for the Economic Well-Being for Newcomers project.
Additional information for local non-profit groups, including how to apply for future community project grants, can be found at www.vancity.com/grants. Vancity’s granting deadlines for 2009 are: January 30, June 15 and September 30, 2009. Vancity funds one (1) grant application per organization in a given calendar year.
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Photos of the latest community project grant recipients are available upon request.
Media enquiries:
Jane MacCarthy
Public Affairs & Corporate Communications, Vancity
Phone: 778-837-0394
Email: mediarelations@vancity.com
Vancity is Canada's largest credit union, with $14.1 billion in assets, 400,000 members, 59 branches throughout Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Victoria, and two Squamish Savings branches. Vancity owns Citizens Bank of Canada, serving members across the country by telephone, ATM, and the Internet. For further information, visit: www.vancity.com.