Neighbourhood Small Grants has created many lasting connections between generations and cultures. The NSG 2019 Annual Report, published today, illustrates both our strengths and the challenges that our community faces through interviews and stories.
In 2019, Neighbourhood Small Grants gave out $610,887 to 1,374 projects that strengthened neighbourhoods. This money came from Vancouver Foundation and partner organizations local to each region.
Relationship & Skill Building
Many project leaders were enthusiastic about the connections that were made through their events or projects (p.11). Many also reported the ability to build skills through organizing their project and a strong sense of pride.
More Diversity
Some of the main challenges were around diversity and inclusion (p.12 and p.15). Though a key principle of the program is that “everyone is invited,” it does not always mean that everyone feels welcome.
Both project leaders and the grant committee members tend to be primarily women, homeowners, and people who have lived in their community for more than five years. As this program evolves, we are taking steps to foster a more diverse community (p.15 – Recommendations).
Resources for Project Leaders
The annual report also includes several pages of resources (p.23+) for common FAQs by project leaders, which you can access here:
- Effective Grant Writing for Project Leaders
- Event Planning Logistics 101
- Inclusive Event Planning 101
- Land Acknowledgments 101
- Social Media Promotion 101
If you are a project leader, grant committee member, or just thinking about applying, we hope this will give you a sense of how the NSG community is connected. You can also read reflections by the authors of the Neighbourhood Small Grants 2019 Annual Report here.