Community Services Grants

The applications deadline for the 2012 Community Services Grants is FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2011.

PURPOSE

Community Services Grants are provided to Vancouver-based non-profit organizations to:

• help ensure equitable access to appropriate social services
• enhance the ability of community organizations to successfully address social issues
• maintain and strengthen linkages/integration between community services and programs and City policies and priorities

Community Services Grants are a tool to meet the City’s social planning goals of:

• working with community organizations, colleagues, other civic departments and other levels of government to address social problems and bring about positive social change
• building on the visions of inclusiveness and partnership and equity of opportunity, access and outcome which are so essential to the development of a fair and just society

THREE GRANT CATEGORIES

1. Direct Social Services Grants

• are for the provision of services and/or programs which are designed to address specific current social problems and issues.

2. Neighbourhood Organization Grants

• provide on-going, sustainable funding for neighbourhood-based organizations to ensure that they can continue to be engaged in a variety of activities which strengthen their local neighbourhoods and address a range of social issues.

3. Organizational Capacity Building Grants

• are for non-profit organizations whose purpose and mandate is to support other non-profit agencies to improve their ability to deliver social services, address social issues, and navigate change.

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for funding, organizations must meet basic eligibility criteria, which includes:

• The organization must be a registered non-profit society in good standing with the Registrar of Companies, with an active governing body composed of volunteers.
• The organization cannot exclude anyone by reason of religion, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, language, disability or income. It must have a proven local track record of efficiency, effectiveness and stability.

There are also some separate eligibility criteria for each grant category so be sure to read the instruction sheets for each to determine whether or not your organization qualifies.

INELIGIBLE SERVICES

City Council has established that certain types of services and programs are not eligible for funding from the Community Services Grants program. Included on this list are services which are within the legislated mandates of other levels of government; recreational or educational services; medical treatment, maintenance or rehabilitation programs; residential programs or housing; capital expenses; direct welfare supports; conferences or workshops; etc.

GRANT LIMITATIONS

All grant applications are considered within the limitations of the Community Services Grants budget as established by City Council. Consequently, not all organizations meeting the criteria and priorities will necessarily receive a grant or grant increase.

PROCESS

Applications are accepted in the fall/winter of each year for the following year’s Community Services Grants.

A Social Policy staff committee reviews all applications and reports its recommendations to City Council. Applicants are notified of the recommendations in writing prior to the Council meeting at which grants are considered.

• City Council considers the recommended grant allocations in March/April of each year.

To read more about the Community Services Grant program, please review the Information Sheets connected with the three grant categories. These Information Sheets include information about the three grants categories, the Outcomes Measurement Framework used in the applications, and the Priorities List for the Direct Social Services Grant.

HOW TO APPLY

Application forms are available from the Social Policy Division in the fall of each year. The forms can also be downloaded from the Instructions for Applicants webpage. All new applicants should discuss their proposal with a Social Planner by calling 604.829.2007 before submitting an application.

» Download applications and information sheets

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