Imagine how you could use your knowledge, skills and talents to connect with your neighbours and build new relationships.
That is the question the Squamish Community Foundation asks through our Neighbourhood Small Grants program. And our community project leaders have come up with many wonderful answers.
The Neighbourhood Small Grants or NSG provide a grant of up to $500 for project ideas that connect people across boundaries of age, ethnic background, income level, sexual orientation, physical ability, etc.
The goal of the program is for neighbours to share their skills and knowledge and learn from each other. There are six very simple principals that the grants encourage:
Everyone has gifts – we all have passions, skills and knowledge we can pass on to other and in turn, we can learn from the gifts of others.
Small is beautiful – a little act of kindness, of reaching out to our neighbours goes a long way to building a strong community.
Local is best – neighbours know what is best for their community and are best placed to make a difference in their own neighbourhood.
Where we live matters – in building community, it is the community that is the expert.
We learn together – a sense of belonging requires engaged and empowered residents.
Everyone is invited – we must always be conscious of barriers to action and support efforts to overcome them.
Any resident of Squamish or Britannia Beach can apply – young, old or in between.
The application is very straight forward, and we will want to know “What is your idea?” and “How can we help make it happen?”.
Of course, this year, we will also ask how you will keep your neighbours safe within the Provincial COVID health guidelines.
There is no financial reporting for your project and all we ask is that you join us for a year end wrap up party in November to celebrate with all the other project leaders.
So what ideas have our project leaders had in the past? Here are just a few:
A shared butterfly garden
Block parties to meet new neighbours
Community small library boxes
Area cleanups and plantings
Outdoor movie night
Children book package and online story hour
Shared class on food canning
And many, many more.
If you have an idea for a NSG project in your neighbourhood you can get more information and apply at neighbourhoodsmallgrants.ca
Applications are open until April 20, 2021. If you need a paper application or one in a different language please contact the Squamish Community Foundation. squamishfoundation.com
We are excited see your project ideas to create lasting impact in the places we live.
Doug Hackett is the director of Squamish Community Foundation.
