ELORA – Started to help people make connections with their neighbours and community coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the township’s Neighbourhood Grant pilot project was a resounding success last year.
Communications and strategic initiatives specialist Kendra Martin made that announcement to council at its committee of the whole meeting on Feb. 13.
Through the pilot project in 2022, 13 projects were approved and received $1,000 each to help them get off the ground. Most were neighbourhood parties or barbecues.
Martin was seeking direction from council on how to approach the grant project this year. There is $20,000 in a reserve fund for the project and $5,000 in the 2023 budget for the grants.
Martin offered two options for council:
- award $1,000 to each of five projects selected with assistance from the Community Services Advisory Committee; or
- explore other ways of distributing grants, such as awarding the $5,000 to just one larger event or offering a matching grant program, where the applicant fundraises an amount and the township matches it to a maximum $5,000.
Martin said the program took up a lot of time in 2022 as staff helped groups through the application process, coordinated street closures with the OPP, and ensured the groups had adequate insurance coverage.
Councillor Bronwynne Wilton asked if the application could be streamlined to save staff time and Martin said staff have been contemplating an “event in a box” kind of form that would include information about insurance requirements and such.
“The intent is to have neighbours get to know neighbours,” noted councillor Jennifer Adams, adding she doesn’t want to limit the number of applications.
“The point is the gathering and not the dollar figure.”
CAO Dan Wilson said staff intend to run the program as a pilot again this year and incorporate the program, if council agrees, into the Community Impact Grant budget for 2024.
Council unanimously supported option one.
Info about the grant and how to apply will be posted on the township’s website.
