BC Rural Network eNews

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February 2016

News and events

Thanks to those communities that submitted an application to host the next BC Rural Communities Summit! We are looking forward to an exciting 2016 event and will announce more details soon. Find out more about the summit and read up on past events here.

BC’s Climate Leadership Plan Consultations – The second public consultation on BC’s climate action plan is open now until March 25, 2016. To participate, read the Consultation Guide and provide thoughts on the most important actions we can take to lower our greenhouse gas emissions. Find the guide and more information here.

Work BC Find Your Fit Tour – An interactive event where students (grades 6-10) will jump right in and try the skills they’ll need for different careers in demand across the province. This hands-on program will help students apply real life experiences to their career planning. Find out if the tour is coming to your town (or request that it does!) here.

Register now for the 2016 Rural Health Services Research Conference to be held April 25-26 in Kamloops, BC. This year’s theme is “Developing Intercultural Connections and Practical Solutions for Improving Health.” Find all the information here.

Grant Opportunities
B.C. Community Gaming Grants Program – Arts and Culture Organizations and Sport Organizations – Intake February 1, 2016 to May 31, 2016 – To apply, visit the Community Gaming Grants website here.

Co-op Community Spaces Fund – Deadline February 12, 2016 – Grant funding available to improve community spaces such as parks, playgrounds, and community gardens. To apply, visit the Co-op website.

TD Friends of the Environment Foundation – Deadlines February 15 and July 15, 2016 – Funding is available for a wide range of environmental initiatives, with a primary focus on environmental education, urban greening and enhancing biodiversity, and energy conservation. Registered charities, local governments, Aboriginal groups, and schools are eligible to apply. Find more information here.

RBC Blue Water Project, Community Action Grant – Deadline February 18, 2016 – These grants range from $1000 to $10,000, and are awarded to local or community-based organizations in Canada, the U.S. or the Caribbean. Find more information here.
Canada Summer Jobs – Deadline February 20, 2016 – Grant funding available to non-profit organizations and small businesses to create summer job opportunities for young people aged 15 to 30 years who are full-time students intending to return to their studies in the next school year. To apply, visit the Service Canada website here.

Healthy Communities Capacity Building Grants: Round 3 – Deadline February 29, 2016 – This is a call for expressions of interest from local governments in BC who are leading the way in creating the conditions that enable healthy people and healthy places – in partnership with regional health authorities and other key community stakeholders. There are two streams of support available, “Seeding Healthy Small, Rural and Remote Communities,” and “Growing Impact: BC’s Next Level of Healthy Communities Leadership.” Find out more here.

BC Rehab Foundation Project Grants – Deadline March 2, 2016 – Funding is available to support initiatives and capital projects designed to benefit people with disabilities. To apply, visit the BC Rehab website here.

Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) Community Contributions – Deadline March 10, 2016 – Grant funding available for outdoor infrastructure projects that inspire and enable people to be active outdoors, environmental initiatives, and more. To apply, visit the MEC website.
Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC – Applications accepted on an on-going basis. Program ends March 31, 2018 – The Canada-BC Agri-Innovation Program has been renewed under the the federal-provincial Growing Forward 2 Agreement. Funding is available to support industry, academia, retailers and others in late stage research and pilot projects that lead to the commercialization and/or adoption of innovative products, technologies and practices. For more information click here.

BC Equestrian Trails Fund – Deadline April 15, 2016 – Grant funding available for new trail construction, trail rehabilitation, signage, horse camp facilities, and more. For more information, visit the Horse Council of B.C. website here.
The Northern Development Initiative Trust has announced the launch of its Fabulous Festivals and Events program, which provides non-profit organizations with up to $2,500 in annual grant funding to support unique events and festivals throughout the region that contribute to service sector revenues in the local economy. For more information on the Fabulous Festivals and Events program, visit www.northerndevelopment.bc.ca. Funding applications for this program are accepted on continuous intake cycle. Applications for festivals or events occurring in the 2016 calendar year can be submitted starting November 1, 2015.

Air Canada has a proud history of supporting organizations that focus on improving the lives of Canadians. Their support of community organizations has made Air Canada an active participant in those efforts and in their successes. For more information, about the funding opportunities available click here.

Environment of Canada Science Horizons Youth Internship Program – ongoing intake – Environment Canada’s Science Horizons program is a collaborative effort with Canadian universities, the private sector, non-governmental organizations and other eligible organizations that offers promising young scientists and post-secondary graduates hands-on experience working on environmental projects under the mentorship and coaching of experiences scientists and program managers. Maximum of $12,00 per year is available for eligible applicants. Find out more here.

Get Youth Working! Program – ongoing intake (as long as funding is available) – This program, funded by the Government of Canada through the Canada-British Columbia Job Fund, offers employers in your region of BC a $2,800 hiring incentive to hire eligible youth 15 to 29 years of age. Additionally, employers may request up to $1,000 to purchase training for the newly hired youth. Find out more here.

Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program Community Engagement Grant – ongoing intake – The goal of the Community Engagement Grant is to provide an opportunity for FWCP stakeholders (e.g. environmental groups, rod and gun clubs, non-profits, stewardship organizations, government, and First Nations), to apply for small amounts of funding to support their conservation and enhancement work. Click here for more information.

YMCA’s Youth Job Match Program – ongoing intake – The Job Match Program provides youth with skills training and work experience in various high-demand occupations, while supporting companies with a wage subsidy of $9.25/hour for the first 12 weeks of full time employment. This province-wide program assists young, motivated individuals gain experience, build skills, develop confidence, and through the support and guidance of YMCA program staff, overcome barriers to employment. Participants work with program staff to secure paid, full-time employment within high-demand occupations for a minimum period of 12 weeks. Find out more here.

Healthy Eating School Food Grant – ongoing intake – The Action Schools! BC Healthy Eating School Food Grant will assist your elementary or middle school in implementing lessons and activities from the Healthy Eating Action Resource. Find more information here.
The BC Rural Network has proudly served BC’s rural communities since 2004. Interested in learning more about the network? Visit the BCRN website here.

If you have any news or events you would like added to the BCRN eNews, please email us at enews@bcruralnetwork.ca