Thanks to the generosity of donors to the Covid Emergency Preparedness and Relief Fund, the Salt Spring Island Foundation announces a grand total $237,548 has been awarded in contribution to the many innovative pandemic relief, recovery and re-start efforts in our community.
"The Foundation's Pandemic Impact Survey revealed priority needs among island charities related to re-building volunteer, staffing and fundraising networks in order to thrive during the Public Health phased re-start. In response, the Foundation Board offered Covid Recovery funding as a means for SSI charities, and any non-profits working in partnership with qualified donees, to move through this final phase of the pandemic and to build their community work anew," stated Sandra Heath, the Foundation's Grants Advisory Committee Chair.
The Salt Spring Island Foundation made a call for applications for up to fifteen Covid Recovery Grant awards of up to $5,000 per community organization for projects that address ongoing impacts of the pandemic on their organization, including programming, or operational costs. The Foundation is pleased to announce these twelve funding awards made in July 2021:
1. Salt Spring Public Library: $4,000.00 to help cover the cost of staffing, and database and software subscriptions.
2. Salt Spring Farmer’s Heritage Foundation and SS Farmer’s Institute: $5,000 towards the cost of building supplies to construct a shelter for volunteers for a safe Fall Fair re-start.
3. Institute for Sustainability, Education and Action & Transition Salt Spring: $5,000 to support the Climate Coach Coordinator position.
4. Salt Spring Conservancy: $2,500 towards project costs related to the removal of invasive plants at Nature Reserves.
5. Salt Spring Baroque Music Society: $5,000 for the Baroque Music Workshop for students and amateur musicians.
6. Salt Spring Literacy: $5,000 to support the running of the Books and Bling fundraising event in 2021.
7. Salt Spring Community Services: $5,000 for the Farmer’s Market Coupon Program for Salt Spring Island families.
8. Lady Minto Hospital Auxiliary: $2,500 towards costs of enhanced cleaning at the Thrift Store.
9. Island Stream and Salmon Enhancement Society: $5,000 towards costs of restarting priority stream and watershed restoration work.
10. Fulford Harbour Child Care Society (Treefrog): $5,000 towards costs of dangerous tree removal for safety at the daycare.
11. Salt Spring Arts Council Society: $5,000 towards ArtJam project restart which served more than 100 marginalized persons with an opportunity for creating art together in 2019.
12. Salt Spring Island Historical Society: $5,000 for operating costs that exceeded low fundraising income due to the pandemic.
The Salt Spring Island Foundation and funding recipients are grateful for the ongoing support of all of its donors. For more information about the fall grants cycle, opportunities to support your community foundation, the annual report or results of the Pandemic Impact Survey, please visit http://www.ssifoundation.ca or contact the Operations Director, Shannon Cowan at shannon@ssifoundation.ca.
