Communities on Vancouver Island will benefit from up to $800,000 in Community Wellness Grants being provided by Island Health to improve the health and well-being of Island residents.
Now in its fifth year, Island Health’s Community Wellness Grant program provides the opportunity for not-for-profit organizations, local government organizations and Indigenous Nations, organizations and communities to apply for one-time funding for the development of new wellness initiatives and programs.
In the face of two provincial health emergencies, the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing drug poisoning crisis, the focus of the 2022/2023 funding cycle is community resilience, including connected, diverse, safe, active, and nourished communities.
“A key priority for Island Health is improving the health and wellness of the population, including supporting community-led health and wellness initiatives,” said Kathy MacNeil, Island Health’s President and CEO.
“The innovative projects funded by the Community Wellness Grant Program make a real impact for the people we serve throughout our region.”
A total of up to $600,000 is available for individual/small grant funding. Individual grants will be awarded up to $12,000 each.
To encourage partnerships and collaboration, the remaining $200,000 is allocated for projects that are multi-jurisdictional/multi-agency and involve a minimum of three partner organizations. Partnership grant applications will be awarded up to $50,000 each.
“Communities being able to identify and address the health of their members is a key component of community wellness,” said Dr. Charmaine Enns, Island Health’s Acting Chief Medical Health Officer.
“The collaborative wellness interventions that Island Health supports through this program make a difference in empowering communities for improving the social determinants of health.”
Examples of projects funded recently through Community Wellness Grants Program include a tenant-built Indigenous plants and medicine garden at a culturally supportive housing site, a trauma informed mindfulness and movement group for survivors of violence, and a ‘school to farm’ program where youth learned about agriculture and climate change mitigation.
For more information on how to apply for a Community Wellness Grant and for updates on some of our previous grant recipients, please visit http://communitygrants.islandhealth.ca/.