Grant and Funding Programs

Quick Links:

• Community Enrichment Program Grants 
• Fee for Service Agreements
• Strategic Community Investment Funds

Community Enrichment Program

The Community Enrichment Program provides funding to non-profit organizations or societies based within Whistler that are considered by Council to be contributing to the general interest and advantage of the Municipality.

The Community Enrichment Program has been created to support Whistler2020 - Moving toward a Sustainable Future.

Whistler2020 is a comprehensive sustainability plan describing what Whistler aspires to be in the year 2020 including values, sustainable principles, vision, priorities and directions that define success and sustainability for the resort. The Community Enrichment Program supports the plan by allowing community groups to bring forward and define their sustainable programs and explain how their initiatives help move Whistler toward a sustainable community.

2013 Recipients:

On April 2, 2013, the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) announced $136,976 in grant funding to Whistler non-profit organizations and societies through the 2013 CEP. Click here for the news release.

In 2013, 26 applications were received with a total of $249,939.75 in grant requests. This year, a total of $136,976 in grants was awarded to 26 separate programs or organizations. This amount is within the budget of $156,200 allocated for the CEP in the 2013-2017 Five-Year Financial Plan.

• Get Bear Smart Society $7,500
• Howe Sound Women’s Centre – Children Who Witness Abuse $5,000
• Howe Sound Women’s Centre – Whistler Women’s Drop-in Centre $7,600
• MPCS - Parent Advisory Council $2,000
• Sea to Sky Community Services - Whistler Parent Tot Drop-In $10,000
• Sea to Sky Invasive Species Council $4,000
• Whistler Naturalists Society $4,000
• Whistler Adaptive Ski Program $20,000
• The Point Artist Run Centre Society $1,500
• Whistler Writers' Group $0*
• Whistler Gymnastics Club $6,000
• Whistler Minor Hockey $5,000
• Whistler Nordics Ski Club $8,000
• Whistler Off Road Cycling Association $15,000
• Whistler Sailing Association $5,000
• Whistler Valley Quilters' Guild $600
• Whistler Waldorf School Society $1,500
• Whistler Youth Soccer Club $9,500
• Whistler Children’s Chorus $2,000
• Whistler Secondary School Scholarship $2,000
• Whistler Centre for Sustainability $2,000
• Whistler Girl Guides - Coast Mountain District $2,000
• Whistler Sea Wolves $3,165
• Zero Ceiling Society $4,500
• North Shore Schizophrenia Society $2,651
• Moving Mountains for Whistler Children - Music Together Program $2,500
• Community Foundation of Whistler $3,960

TOTAL AMOUNTS $136,976

* Funding received from alternate source for project

Fee For Service Agreements

At the February 5, 2013 regular council meeting, council authorized the signing of fee for service agreements with Whistler Animals Galore ($60,000), the Whistler Arts Council ($536,800), Whistler Museum and Archives Society ($150,000) and the Whistler Chamber of Commerce ($110,000) for the 2013 and 2014 calendar years subject to approval of the annual municipal budget.

Council authorized two-year fee for service agreements to support longer term planning by both recipients and the municipality, and to allow recipients to build on their existing programs into the second year. The total amount that will be awarded in both 2013 and 2014 is $856,800.

The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) provides financial assistance on an annual basis to not-for-profit community organizations and societies for services, which they provide and are aligned with the priorities outlined in Whistler2020, Whistler’s shared community vision and plan.

Read the full news release here.

The following is an outline of 2011 and 2012 RMOW contributions, 2013 and 2014 requests, and the amount authorized for each group in 2013 and 2014:

Whistler Animals Galore, the Whistler Arts Council, Whistler Museum and Archives Society, and the Whistler Chamber of Commerce made presentations to council on January 8, 2013 outlining their use of funds in 2012 and requests for funding for 2013 and 2014.

Whistler Animals Galore –$60,000

Whistler Animals Galore (WAG) is a non-profit society dedicated to protecting and enhancing the lives of lost, unwanted and homeless animals in the Sea-to Sky corridor between Whistler and Mount Currie. WAG operates Whistler’s animal shelter and provides veterinary care, spaying and neutering, socialization, training, and rehoming services to animals in need. WAG is also a resource to the Whistler region providing education, advocacy, and support for animal care.

Whistler Arts Council –$536,800

Whistler Arts Council (WAC) is a registered charity established in 1982 with a mandate to build and integrate arts into the fabric of the Whistler community. It advocates for the arts and local artists; provides the community access to the arts and vice versa; and provides resources and information to the community, outside organizations and local artists by acting as a referral service, co-programmer and information network.

The Arts Council operates Maurice Young Millennium Place, which includes the Scotia Creek Gallery, and produces a number of festivals, events, and programs throughout the year, including a Performance Series, the Whistler Children's Art Festival, Bizarre Bazaar, ArtWalk, Whistler Arts Festival, and student art awards and bursaries.

In 2013, WAC plans to continue representing the broader arts, culture and heritage sector by working closely with key resort partners toward common objectives to ensure the economic diversification and viability of the resort. This includes partnering in the delivery of the RMOW Festivals, Events and Animation and the Cultural Tourism Development strategies; developing programming and initiatives for Whistler Olympic Plaza; and leading or assisting with action items from the Whistler Community Cultural Plan, which is scheduled for completion in March/April 2013.

Whistler Museum and Archives Society – $150,000

The mandate of the Whistler Museum and Archives Society (WMAS) is “to collect, preserve, document, and interpret mountain life for the benefit and enrichment of the public.” The Museum’s vision is “to become one of the leading institutions in the collection, preservation, documentation, and interpretation of mountain life.” The Museum fulfills these objectives through the use of innovative exhibitions, educational programs, tours and multimedia projects, which collectively provide a cultural centre and learning forum.

In 2012, WMAS managed its significant collection and exhibits; and produced a speakers series, Whistler Debates, family activity days, school programs, heritage walking tours, art and heritage tours, and the children’s LEGO building competition. In 2013, WMAS plans to build on the variety of programs delivered in 2012 and to continue to manage its collection and exhibits. The services that the Whistler Museum and Archives Society provides support the development of cultural tourism and are considered a resort community priority.

Whistler Chamber of Commerce – $110,000

The Whistler Chamber of Commerce (Chamber) is a not-for-profit voluntary organization of businesses and associations with a 40-year history in supporting local commerce and enhancing visitor experience. The Chamber has a membership of approximately 800 with a mission to maximize success for all businesses in Whistler by providing support, resources and tools.

In 2013, the Chamber plans to deliver the Service Strategy, which includes the Spirit Pass Program, ServeUs Challenge, ServeUs 100, and Service Recognition Program. These Chamber programs further the resort community’s objective of providing service excellence to its guests.

The funding is subject to a favourable program review and outcomes.

Strategic Community Investment Funds

The Strategic Community Investment Funds agreement is a continuation of an existing grant program to local governments and provides a commitment by the Province to continue the grants until June 30, 2014.

The Small Community Grants are unconditional grants to local governments, to assist them to provide basic services. Grant amounts are based on a formula that factors in a base amount, population and assessment values. These grants generally apply to municipalities with populations up to 19,000. 100 per cent of the funding is intended to be used to support municipal administrative services over the term of the Strategic Community Investment Funds agreement. The Resort Municipality of Whistler received $460,676 from the Small Community Grants program in 2012, and in 2013 will receive $21,309 to help pay for basic municipal services.

The Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing program assists municipalities that directly pay police enforcement costs. The grants come from ticket fines and court-imposed fines on violation tickets, and the amount of money a municipality receives is based on its contribution to total municipal policing costs. 100 per cent of the funding is intended to defray the cost of local police enforcement in the municipality over the term of the Strategic Community Investment Funds agreement. The Resort Municipality of Whistler received $320,456 from the Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing program in 2012, and will receive $157,240 to help cover the cost of local police enforcement in the municipality.

Click here for the 2012 Strategic Community Investment Funds Agreement.

Related

Files: 

RMOW Strategic Community Investment Funds Agreement 2012