bc interior community foundation
COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM
Community Grants are awarded by the BC Interior Community Foundation twice a year.
Deadlines for grant applications are April 1st and October 1st.
REGIONAL FUNDING
Supporting community-based projects and programs within the Thompson, Nicola, and South Cariboo regions.
A HELPING HAND
Our community grants can help cover the costs of your project or program. Apply today and bring your idea to life!
SUPPORTING LOCAL
Available within the communities of Lillooet, Lytton, Clinton, 70 Mile House, Ashcroft, Cache Creek, Kamloops, Clearwater, Barriere, Chase, Logan Lake and Merritt.
Apply today to fund a project or program that’s close to your heart!
Community Grants – Information Summary
- Grant amounts will be up to $3000
- Your organization must be a registered charity or qualified donee under CRA regulations
- If you are not a registered charity or qualified donee you will need to partner with one to apply
- Grants will only be given within our funding region
- Project and programs must fall within the important dates listed below
- Organizations are only eligible to receive one Community Grant per year
- Please read through the full grant guidelines before applying.
Guiding Principles
- Community-Driven Impact
We support projects that respond to clearly identified community needs and demonstrate meaningful impact. - Trust-Based Approach
We trust organizations to understand their communities and to request funding that reflects their true needs and capacity. - Collaboration and Connection
We value initiatives that bring people and organizations together, strengthening partnerships and shared investment in our communities. - Responsible Stewardship
We prioritize the thoughtful and effective use of financial and human resources to maximize community benefit. - Inclusion and Participation
We encourage the involvement of those who will benefit from the project in its planning and delivery. - Sustainability and Growth
We support initiatives that consider their long-term impact and the potential to continue beyond initial funding. - Learning and Accountability
We value reflection and evaluation as tools for learning, improvement, and demonstrating impact.
Projects We Support
- registered charity projects/programs
- projects/programs from organizations with a charitable partner
- projects/programs from organizations sponsored by their municipality/First Nation partner
- project/programs sponsored or initiated by another type of Qualified Donee
Check out this post about our 2020 Grant Recipients to learn more.
Grant Amounts
We offer grants of up to $3,000 to support projects that make a meaningful impact in our communities. We take a trust-based granting approach. This means we encourage organizations to apply for only what they truly need, rather than automatically requesting the full amount. By doing this, we can fully fund more requests and ensure that as many organizations as possible benefit from the funding available. We trust that you know best what will make the biggest impact in your work, and we want to support that in the most effective way.
Grants may cover up to 50% of your total project or program cost, to a maximum of $3,000. Requests should reflect your organization’s capacity and be supported by a clear, realistic budget.
Projects that include additional funding sources or partnerships are viewed favourably, as they demonstrate strong community support and collaboration.
Our Funding Region
Projects in our region of the Thompson, Nicola and South Cariboo include:
- Ashcroft, Barriere, Chase, Cache Creek, Clearwater, Clinton, Kamloops, Lillooet, Logan Lake, Lytton, Merritt, 70 Mile House.
- Adams Lake Indian Band, Lytton First Nation, Neskonlith Indian Band, Nlaka’pamux Nation, Oregon Jack Creek Band, Shuswap Indian Band, Simpcw First Nation, Skeetchestn Indian Band, Skuppah Indian Band, Splatsin First Nation, Spuzzum First Nation, T’kemlups te Secwepemc, Whispering Pines/Clinton Indian Band.
- These are just a few of the larger municipalities/ First Nations within our region – please see the geographical grant area map for a better idea if your organization is covered by our region.
Ineligible Projects
Grants will not be awarded:
- for operational requirements
- to rescue an organization from a financial deficit situation
- to religious organizations, unless the community-at-large will benefit significantly
- to individuals
- to promote political, religious, moral or ethical philosophies
- for purposes which may be deemed discriminatory.
- to the same group within one calendar year
Am I a Qualified Donee?
Partnering with a Qualified Donee
Important Dates
COMMUNITY GRANTS – SPRING
Eligible Projects must begin after June 1st
- March 15 > Project Evaluations due (if you have received a previous grant)
- April 1 > Application Deadline
- June > Cheques disbursed
COMMUNITY GRANTS – FALL
Eligible Projects must begin after December 1st
- September 15 > Project Evaluations due (if you have received a previous grant)
- October 1 > Application Deadline
- December 1 > Cheques disbursed
ARE YOU READY TO APPLY?
Applications can be completed online. Please note, you must complete the full application as the form will not save incomplete applications.
Please note: Incomplete applications will not be evaluated.
Documents you will need to upload when completing your application:
- Your project expenditures form (download the fillable PDF form here)
- Your registered charity number or your sponsoring charity’s number
- If you are not a registered charitable organization or qualified donee, you will need to include a written agreement establishing a partnership with a registered charity that will sponsor the proposed project. (Sample template letter here)