Community organizations will benefit from grants recently ratified by the board of the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
Ontario Minister of Culture Aileen Carroll said funding totalling $1,721,600 will help 30 organizations meet local needs in arts and culture, environment, human and social services, and Sports and recreation sectors.
The Trillium system has paid high dividends in our community," said Donald Bourgeois, the grant review team Chairman. "OTF funding plays a tremendous role in financing improvements to community facilities and helping organizations build their capacity, train volunteers and expand their programs."
The Ontario Trillium Foundation is an agency of the government of Ontario. Its annual funding was boosted to $105-million from $100-million in 2007 and will be further increased to $120-million in 2009-2010.
The money is the profit from Ontario casinos and slots facilities.
That enhanced funding has resulted in an increase to the maximum amount available for capital grants and the creation of a $2-million Future Fund, which will focus this year on strengthening the impact of organizations working on environmental issues. To learn more about OTF programs, visit www.trilliumfoundation.org.
The lists of Community and Province-Wide grants enclosed were confirmed by the Ontario Trillium Foundation Board of Directors.
There were several area organizations that benefited from this round of funding.
The Everdale Environmental Learning Centre will receive $100,400 over four years to hire an executive staff member who will increase the development of sustainable farming-program models and the delivery of sustainable living workshops in South Central Ontario.
The Guelph Business Enterprise Centre Inc. gets $110,600 over two years to create training workshops and job placement opportunities for 120 rural youth and youth at risk. The program will help them obtain entry positions in retail, hospitality and the food services industry throughout the county.
The Guelph Community Foundation will receive $78,000 over two years to conduct Vital Signs, a community report card on significant trends in 10 community-determined critical areas that will be used to measure quality of life in Guelph and Wellington County.
Guelph Youth Singers receive $34,500 over one year for staff resources to strengthen the organizational infrastructure, train more volunteers and create new marketing practices for future sustainability.
The Hillside Community Festival of Guelph Inc. will receive $82,100 over 28 months to train and organize volunteers by supporting the creation of a new winter event called Hillside Inside in Guelph and Wellington County. That will increase the community’s engagement in the arts.
The Macdonald Stewart Art Centre in Guelph receives $75,000 to replace the centre’s obsolete cooling and ventilating equipment, bringing the building up to international standards and helping to preserve and protect its important collection of contemporary Canadian art.
The Royal Canadian Legion’s Erin Branch 442 will be granted $43,800 over one year to replace the flat part of its building’s roof and install a ramp. That will improve its accessibility for all members of the community and increase participation in activities.
The Township of East Luther Grand Valley will receive $15,000 over six months toward the overall cost of purchasing and installing new safety glass in the community centre.
The upgrade will ensure better safety for the patrons of three rural townships who use this facility.
