Annual grants pivot to reduce potential barriers in light of Covid 19

For Immediate Release – Whistler, British Columbia, May 6, 2020

The Community Enrichment Program (CEP) from the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) has historically supplied funds for Whistler Community Foundation (WCF) Neighbourhood Small Grants Program (NSG). The NSG is known for bringing neighbours together to work on projects, learn new things as a community and build resilience neighbourhood by neighbourhood.

In service of community

Given the CEP program was designed to serve our community in the realm of environment, social service, community service, recreation and sport or arts and culture, we always believed it to be a great partnership with our community foundation and Whistler’s neighbourhoods.

In light of Covid 19, Vancouver Foundation, the lead foundation on the NSG program, pivoted to create a broader scope that would help maintain connections, but online and with a more interest-based (e.g. cooking, music, gardening) program delivery across the province.

With the NSG program modified and less neighbourhood centric, Whistler Community Foundation (WCF) was pleased to learn that the barriers to spending on the CEP Grant had been removed. In short order, the RMOW granted us $4,000 in funds to use as WCF sees fit.

Recovery Support

The most recent focus of the Whistler Community Foundation has been to support urgent needs of local charities through our Emergency Fund. WCF Executive Director Claire Mozes states, “As charities move from a need for immediate relief on to a recovery stage, we will monitor our local vulnerable population needs carefully to be able to provide support over the coming months.”

We are proud to be entrusted with the funds and will use them carefully to continue our enrichment and support of the community to the best of our strengths. As always, the WCF takes the longview and will use the money to invest in a thriving community.