This year, the Victoria Foundation's Community Grants Program is distributing over $6.1 million to help support 252 organizations throughout the South Island to help meet the growing need for resources as non-profits continue to experience increasing demand for their services.
According to a news release, the Community Grants Program will provide a 26 per cent increase in funding compared to last year, which the foundation says is a record amount of funding.
“This record-amount of funding through the Community Grants Program vital stream will help to strengthen philanthropic organizations to achieve their missions,” said Victoria Foundation CEO Sandra Richardson in a news release. “Generous funding from the Community Prosperity Fund will also help many organizations, who continue to work under significant pressures, to better meet the community’s needs around poverty reduction and social inclusion.”
Three out of four grants will support organizations and projects that significantly benefit "equity-deserving populations," including people of colour, the LGBTQ+ community, women, children and youth, people with disabilities and newcomers.
This funding announcement came after the latest State of the Sector report, which found that many non-profits today are grappling with high costs of inflation and skyrocketing demand for services, that they often experience burnout, and that they’ve seen a decline in revenues and volunteerism.
“With this funding, [Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society] pioneers a transformative initiative merging three vital programs to combat profound challenges: food insecurity, culturally sensitive mental health for racialized women, and youth leadership development for immigrants and refugees in Greater Victoria,” said VIRCS representative Ava Shabestari in the release.
