The magic of a community that cares for each other can start with just one project.

Here are 37 ideas to build your community for less than $500, the maximum size of a Neighbourhood Small Grant.

You can put your grant money towards almost anything that may be needed for your project. For more information about what you can and cannot use your grant money for, please visit our FAQs.

Click on each link to be taken the story and write-up shared by the project’s organizers (also known as “project leaders” around the community).

  1. Make (and Eat!) Dumplings Together.
  2. Teach Metis Dancing over Dinner.
  3. Go Vote, Then Get Ice Cream.
  4. Cook and Give Hot Meals to Neighbours in Need. 
  5. Cultural Cooking Workshop
  6. Get Together for a BBQ
  7. Just Have an Eat and Meet Party 
  8. Host a Dragon Walk
  9. Celebrate Eid Al-Adha
  10.  Go on a Moonlight Paddle
  11.  Celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival
  12.  Showcase Your Local Talent 
  13.  Connect Newcomers and Immigrants
  14.  Share Traditional Healing Knowledge
  15.  Host a Neighbourhood Reunion of People Who Lived There in the 60s
  16.  Test Your Knowledge of Indigenous Facts Over Bannock
  17.  Create a Queer Literary Series
  18.  Learn to Make Terrariums
  19.  Talk to Teens About Housing
  20.  Brainstorm How to Survive Cold and Flu Season
  21.  Host a Zero Waste in the Kitchen Workshop
  22.  Help Save the Bees
  23.  Host a Climate Action Workshop
  24.  Draw Vancouver Together
  25.  The Pit Stop Teen Party
  26.  Revive Your Street for Halloween Trick or Treaters
  27.  Make a Little Free Library
  28.  Know the Block Watch
  29.  Build a Tool Shed For Your Community Garden
  30.  Screen Your Favourite Movie
  31.  Collect Takeout Chopsticks for Art 
  32.  Make Buttons for Protest Marches 
  33.  Kickstart a Regular Game Club
  34.  Host a Regular Film Club
  35.  Start a Meeples Board Game Night
  36.  Host a Reading Event 
  37.  Have a Birthday Party for a Local Park
Did you get some inspiration from our list for your next project? Let’s go put your project idea together.
Start your application here.
Written By:

Esther Tung

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News and announcements about the Neighbourhood Small Grants program. Updated by staff at Vancouver Foundation and network partners.