Eligibility & FAQs

The Responsive Neighbourhood Small Grants (R-NSG) is a new grant stream created to support small scale community projects that adhere to the new social/physical distancing guidelines. The purpose of R-NSG is to build community strength and resilience, foster community creativity and wellbeing, and tackle social isolation.

Anyone from across the province is eligible to apply for R-NSG of up to $500. Projects can ONLY be carried out by individuals and/or family members from one household.

Projects must take place from or close to one’s home in order to accommodate the self-isolation public health requirements.

Projects that can ease social isolation of vulnerable people with physical distancing in mind.

Example: Dropping off care packages of dry goods to elderly or other vulnerable people from safe distance

Projects that use, share and exchange local assets/gifts using online platforms such as (ZOOM, FaceTime, Skype)

Example: Arts and culture workshops, cooking demonstrations, storytelling or yoga and meditation sessions.

Dry goods including canned food items, healthy snacks, toiletries, water bottles, grocery cards can be included into care packages. Food can be distributed ONLY if it’s prepared at a ‘food safe’ kitchen where at least one person has Food safe training. If fresh fruits or veggies are included in a package, it is important that there is an accompanying note to properly wash fresh foods before consumption.

No, Projects that bring any number of people for face to face interactions are NOT eligible.

Yes, individuals or a family from one household can carry out boulevard gardening and/or beautifying of public space projects nearby their homes.

Community garden projects are eligible with adherence of social distancing of two meters apart. Community gardens will need to:

• have sign up sheets to assign all members specific dates and times for gardening in order to reduce crowding
• gardeners will need to use their own protective gloves and disinfect shared garden tools before and after usage

This is on a case-by-case basis where projects that follow social distancing and municipal by-laws might be eligible. Many public parks are currently closed. Applicants are encouraged to find out the status of a park where they plan to hold their project before applying for a grant. Projects that require a municipality/park board permit or a liability insurance are not eligible.

Grant requests for Responsive NSG projects are expected to be under $500. However, applications that offer unique and creative ways of meeting the Responsive NSG purposes may be considered for additional funding.

The goal of the grant is to contribute to expenses associated with your project such as canned goods, art and craft supplies, gift cards, Zoom, Skype or Zoom subscriptions and honorariums or other items as necessary.

Yes, you may budget up to $350 towards honorariums for skill sharing projects such as an artist facilitating a virtual drawing workshop for children and adults. You may pay yourself or someone else for in-kind skills or knowledge contributions. The decision on the honorarium amount is decided on a case-by-case basis by the Neighbourhood Grants Committee members.

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 NSG Coordinator, you can reapply for another grant.

Registered charity organizations and businesses are not eligible to apply. Service delivery and emergency relief programs supporting low-income and other vulnerable people are out of the scope of NSG. Such requests will need to be directed to the Community Response Fund at https://www.vancouverfoundation.ca/covid19

Vancouver Foundation and its NSG community partner organizations deliver the Responsive NSG program. The program is delivered within eight regions across the province.

One of the core values of Neighbourhood Small Grants is that residents know what is best for their community. Volunteers from diverse backgrounds and life experiences are organized in Neighbourhood Grant Committes (NGC) according to their community or regions across the province to  review the applications and make grant decisions

Communities will accept applications beginning April 15th, with a closing date to be determined

• Grants of up to $500 will be available to anyone from across the province to carry out small community building projects that adhere to the public health requirements of social/physical distancing.

• Projects can ONLY be carried out by individuals and/or family members from one household

• Projects must take place from or close to your own home in order to accommodate the self-isolation public health requirements

• Projects that bring any number of people for face to face interactions are NOT eligible

• Registered charity organizations and businesses are not eligible to apply and such requests can be directed to the Community Response Fund at https://www.vancouverfoundation.ca/covid19

• Service delivery and emergency relief programs supporting low-income and other vulnerable people are out of the scope of NSG. Such requests will need to be directed to the Community Response Fund at https://www.vancouverfoundation.ca/covid19

You can apply for oneNSG 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.

No. The Responsive Neighbourhood Small Grant program does not fund projects by organizations. However, we encourage you to spread the word to the members of your programs or community! Your staff may be able to provide support and mentorship for a project, but the applicants are encouraged to plan, implement and take leadership in their projects.

Yes, if your group is not incorporated, and your group does not generate a revenue.

You are one of the lucky few people who can choose which community they want to apply to — but you have to choose. You still will only be able to apply in one community.

A group of volunteers who also live in our community decide which applications will get funding and distributes the funds between those projects. They are called the Neighbourhood Grant Committee.

Usually between 1-2 weeks following the submission of a completed application. During this time, applications from the community are being reviewed by a local advisory committee.

When is the deadline to finish the project? The deadline for all projects to be completed is end of November that calendar year.

Yes, although funding preference is given to projects that been funded fewer than three times. A previously funded project should also show some changes or evolution from the previous project to be considered a strong candidate for more funding.

Yes. You may ask for a nominal donation of attendees to support the project, but it should not be required in order to participate in the event or project.

No. A Responsive Neighbourhood Small Grants project is not designed to be an opportunity to raise funds for another organization or cause. It’s a lovely gesture, but please host a separate fundraising event.

We’re sorry to hear that, and encourage you to apply again next year. Yes, we do encourage as many projects as possible to still happen, even if we cannot provide funding at the time. However, you will not be able to use any of the Neighbourhood Small Grants collateral or resources to support your project.

Yes, you may use part of your grant to cover the cost of municipal permits.

Yes, you may use your grant to cover the cost of an honorarium for services  up to $350 per person.

Sometimes. You can’t use a Neighbourhood Small Grant to cover the cost of upgrading infrastructure, capital projects (such as building a new structure on a playground), or maintenance projects.

Equipment purchased with a grant must remain in a communal area where community members can access it. Because these types of purchases can be expensive, we encourage applicants to find a way to borrow equipment or find an additional sponsorship.

Vancouver Foundation is a community foundation that started the Neighbourhood Small Grants program in 1999. Vancouver Foundation co-funds the grant program in each community, along with any local partner organizations. Vancouver Foundation takes the lead on expanding NSG into more communities across BC, but do not directly interface with grant applicants or project leaders.

Only if one of our local partners in a community is a government agency. Vancouver Foundation is funded by donors, just like most foundations and charities are. In each community, our partners are often other foundations or charities, but sometimes they may also be with the city itself.

Each community has a community coordinator, who is available as a resource to grant applicants and project leaders. Many communities are grouped together in what is called a “network,” which is managed by a network partner organization, who designated a network hub coordinator among their staff members.

For example, in Metro Vancouver, the Association of Neighbourhood Houses BC (ANHBC) is the network partner for 11 communities in the Metro Vancouver area, Blanca Salvatierra is ANHBC’s network hub coordinator. Blanca is the point of contact for the community coordinators in those 11 communities. It’s a little complicated, but this explains all the different logos you see around our website and as we describe the structure of the program.

A project leader is a person who has their grant application approved and is bringing their idea to life. Project leaders are the lifeblood of the Neighbourhood Small Grants community. We tend to consider all project leaders as part of our community for life.