People and communities on Vancouver Island and surrounding coastal communities 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 seventh year, Island Health’s Community Wellness Grant program provides the opportunity for not-for-profit organizations, local government organizations and Indigenous Nations and organizations to apply for one-time funding for community-led wellness projects that reduce barriers and increase supports.
"Health is determined by more than health services. Each year I am inspired by the positive health impacts achieved with the assistance of the Community Wellness Grant Program," said Kathy MacNeil, Island Health's President and CEO. "We know that upstream wellness interventions, like those made possible through this program, are an essential part of keeping people well and healthy.”
The focus of the 2024/2025 funding cycle is community resilience, promoting connected, diverse, safe, active, and nourished communities. Organizations may apply in either the individual grants category (up to $12,000 per project) or the partnership grants category (must be a collaboration amongst a minimum of 3 partner organizations, up to $50,000 per project).
The Community Wellness Grant Program is highlighting community resilience again this year, which is a key priority for Island Health,” said Dr. Réka Gustafson, Vice President Population Health and Chief Medical Health Officer. “These grants provide an opportunity for local organizations to improve the social determinants of health in their communities in creative and community-specific ways.”
By funding community-based wellness initiatives, the Community Wellness Grant program makes a positive contribution to the health and wellness of diverse groups of Island residents. Projects that received funding in 2023 included an Indigenous lifeguard training program run by the Strathcona Regional District in collaboration with the We Wai Kai and Nuchatlaht Nations; a discussion and education series on the environmental impacts of wood burning led by the Thetis Island Community Association; and an intergenerational food security learning program for children run by the LifeCycles Project Society in Victoria.
For more information on how to apply for a Community Wellness Grant and for updates on some of our previous grant recipients, please visit communitygrants.islandhealth.ca.