From accessibility measures to theatre, memory kits to lunch programs, Niagara Community Foundation (NCF)’s fall grants are making a noticeable impact in Niagara.
December 18, 2023 - The final installment of NCF grants has been released, investing more than $222,000 into Niagara charities. These grants continue to turn the intention of our donors into impact here in Niagara.
Through our Community Grants Program, ranging from $5000-$15,000, NCF is funding projects such as Family and Children Services Niagara in building an accessible play area for families; REACH Niagara in purchasing a portable ultrasound machine to treat wounds in real time; and Bravo Niagara! so they can film and record their new ballet Kimiko’s Pearl, reflecting on the life of Japanese Canadian families.
Many of our 2023 Community Grants are made possible by the Niagara Casinos Fund. Created in 2002, the Niagara Casinos Fund has granted more than $550,000 to charities in Niagara. “We are committed to building a stronger Niagara with our dedicated associates, neighbours, and friends by understanding and responding to those in need. We are extremely proud of our legacy of giving in Niagara with our Niagara Casinos Fund and the partnerships we have built with local charities across the region,” says Richard Taylor, President of Niagara Casinos. This year, the Niagara Casinos Fund supported Community Crew, Gateway Residential, Community Support Services of Niagara, Links for Greener Learning, Heartland Forest, and Start Me Up Niagara.
Through our Fall Mini Grants Program, we are supporting organizations such as Horse Cents for Kids, so they can purchase new horse-riding helmets; Avanti Chamber Singers, so they can purchase A/V equipment for greater promotion; and the Lincoln Pelham Public Library, so they can enhance their mobile library for homebound clients. These are just a few examples of the measurable impacts made in Niagara.
“The needs of our community are always changing,” says Bryan Rose, NCF’s Executive Director. “But our charitable sector in Niagara is adaptive and responsive to these needs. It’s our privilege to empower the charities in our community so they can make a tangible impact here in Niagara.”
For the full listing of grants awarded, please see the chart below.
NCF has opened its Granting Portal for the 2024 Environmental Grant program. Charities and qualified donees are invited to apply before Monday, February 12th, at noon. For a listing of all application deadlines, please visit NCF’s website.
Established in 2000, Niagara Community Foundation has raised over $77 million and has granted in excess of $23 million to charities working in the arts, heritage, environment, social services, health, education and community development sectors. NCF connects donors to causes and communities to resources, turning intent into impact.
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Community Grants
ORGANIZATION | APPROVED | DESCRIPTION |
| Alzheimer Society of Niagara Region | $10,000 | Support team building and skill development post COVID, and invest in cohesion and growth of the team, and strengthen staff capacity and resiliency. |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of Niagara | $10,000 | Support Power Up and Play, an inclusive school-based group mentoring program for children in grades 4 and 5 that enables participants to realize their power and potential thanks to support from caring adult mentors. |
| Bravo Niagara! Festival of the Arts | $15,000 | Support the audio recording and filming of Kimiko's Pearl, which will enhance both the reach and impact of the production, which also includes a special taiko performance for the world premiere presentations in St. Catharines. |
| Carousel Players | $10,000 | Support new - The Niagara Children’s Festival - an exciting multi-day event offering live theatre, performance, and culture for young audiences, from early years to teens, in three Niagara municipalities in May 2024. |
| Community Crew* | $7,000 | Meet the needs of an increasingly ethnically diverse population in the Niagara region, including Halal and other culturally diverse lunches. |
| Community Living Fort Erie | $10,000 | Implementation of a digital eMAR system that will provide medication management for individuals with developmental disabilities in multiple residential locations and will promote efficient/accurate medication administration to vulnerable people. |
| Gateway Residential and Community Support Services of Niagara* | $15,000 | Food for Life is a Healthy Eating Program that provides opportunities to individuals to access healthy, affordable meals onsite at home. Access to a prepared meal will support individuals to learn the skills to cook independently on their own. |
| Habitat for Humanity Niagara | $9,900 | Purchase and implementation of a new accounting system and specialized CRA Canada - Not-for-Profit Certificate training for our Finance Manager. |
| Heartland Forest Nature Experience* | $8,500 | Expand Volunteer Work Experience Program for adults of all abilities, thus reducing barriers to participation and strengthening Niagara as an equitable, diverse and inclusive community for all people. |
| Horse Cents for Kids | $10,000 | Provide new fencing to improve the safety of horsemanship programs. |
| Lincoln Pelham Public Library | $5,525 | Purchase Memory Care Kits to be added to the library collection and for use in Long Term Care and Retirement Homes for care partners and individuals living with cognitive changes to access locally and at no cost. |
| Links for Greener Learning* | $7,000 | Support 'Growing Diversity Project' with the primary objective to construct a new garden in Niagara Falls at MacBain Community Centre that is accessible to seniors and other community members. |
| Nelles Manor Heritage House | $5,700 | Support Concert Series during July and August 2024 to highlight local artists and meld the Historical aspects of our History with the celebration of music. |
| Niagara Foundation for Family & Children's Services | $15,000 | Support building of a new, accessible play area at the St. Catharine’s site, which will be used during visits between children in care and their respective family members. |
| Niagara Jazz Festival | $7,500 | Expand community outreach and programming to Grimsby and Thorold by providing free & family-friendly live music, vendors, food & beverage. Thorold - JAZZ in the STREET. Grimsby - WORLD MUSIC in the STREET. |
| Regional Essential Access to Connected Healthcare Niagara | $15,000 | Purchase a portable ultrasound machine to treat issues in real time and to equip staff to care for wounds to prevent infection and hospitalizations of patients. |
| Rodman Art Institute of Niagara | $10,000 | Support the installation of an accessible washroom on the main floor of our new public gallery to ensure all members of the community can enjoy the space. |
| St. George's Church - Niagara Community Benefits Network | $10,000 | Support capacity building for the NCBN as the next step in realizing our vision of Niagara as an inclusive, thriving Region in which all residents have equitable opportunities to contribute to healthy communities and a prospering economy. |
| Start Me Up Niagara* | $14,025 | Support the 2024 tour called "Come Together" that aims to implement four key actions that will enhance inclusivity and equity: enhanced training, multi-lingual communication, increased bi-lingual volunteer base, and expanded partnerships. |
| Start2Finish Canada | $10,000 | Support after-school Running & Reading Club+ program, a partnership with the District School Board of Niagara, providing 50 equity-deserving children (grades 1-6) with physical activity, SEL and literacy supports. |
* Funded by Niagara Casinos Endowment Fund
Fall Mini Grants
ORGANIZATION | APPROVED | DESCRIPTION |
| Avanti Chamber Singers | $750.00 | Purchase audio/visual equipment to create high-quality informational and promotional videos, which will be used to market the concert series and events to the public. |
| Faith Tabernacle Pentecostal Assembly (Faith Welland Outreach) | $750.00 | Support the purchase of new folding chairs to be used at the Community House. |
| Fenwick United Church | $750.00 | Purchase an AED for the congregation, those associated within the church and community members that gather for worship, socialization, education, leisure & work, as the location can't be reached by EMS within 5 minutes. |
| Horse Cents for Kids | $750.00 | Purchase new horseback riding helmets for riding programs. |
| Lincoln Pelham Public Library | $750.00 | Enhance the Visiting Library Service with sturdy, dark and zippered bags to deliver books in a confidential manner to our homebound clients who cannot access the library in person or virtually. |
| Scouts Canada - 10th Welland Scouts | $720.00 | Provide volunteers with a training opportunity to receive their Food Safe Handler Certification, increasing the safety of youth in the program. |
| The Brown Homestead | $750.00 | Support the purchase of branded flags and tablecloths to be used on-site and at community events. |
| The Willow Community Support Services (Willow Arts Community) | $750.00 | Purchase new laptop that will provide instructors with necessary digital resources to enhance arts education programs and participants greatly benefit from accessing digital tools for creative exploration. |
