Overview

Island Health's community wellness granting program provides the opportunity for not-for-profit organizations, local government organizations and Indigenous Nations, organizations and communities to apply for one-time funding for the development of new initiatives and programs. We know that the experts on what is needed to promote wellness in communities are the communities themselves. The community wellness grants program is designed to support collaborative community-led wellness interventions. The focus of this program is upstream wellness interventions that reduce barriers and increase supports, enabling all members of the community to enjoy health and wellness. This funding is not intended for initiatives/projects directly related to primary or acute patient care, chronic disease management, access to care, or coordination of services for those requiring care.

Criteria

The focus of the 2023/2024 funding cycle is community resilience, including connected, diverse, safe, active, and nourished communities. Projects must address one or more of the following community resilience criteria:

• Diverse Communities
  • Promoting dignity and human rights
  • Addressing discrimination, racism and stigma
  • Decolonizing and Indigenizing community wellness
• Connected Communities
  • Social connectedness
  • Building intergenerational connections
  • Supportive and welcoming communities
• Safe Communities
  • Injury prevention
  • Violence and domestic abuse prevention
  • Active transportation
• Nourished Communities
  • Community gardens
  • Food security
  • Nutrition
• Active Communities
  • Physical activity for all, including people with different abilities
  • Mindful movement
  • Connection and access to nature

Funding

A total of up to $600,000 is available for individual/small grant funding. Individual grants will be awarded up to $12,000 each.

To encourage partnerships and collaboration, the remaining $200,000 is allocated for projects that are multi-jurisdictional/multi-agency and involve a minimum of three partner organizations.

Partnership grant applications will be awarded up to $50,000 each.

All funds must be spent and project activities complete by April 30th, 2024^th.

News & Articles

Check out this article about Community Wellness Grants in the summer 2017 issue of IslandHealth Magazine.

Island Health Magazine - Summer 2017

Grant Updates - Videos

Grant Updates - Photos

Check back for updates on how these grants are making a difference in your community.

Grant Recipients 2023

North Island

Campbell River & District Public Art Gallery
CRAG Art Hive - a community art studio for peers with lived experience

Comox Valley Family Services Association
Family Nutrition Project

Cortes Community Health Association
Connection, Creativity and Mentorship - Youth Program

Discovery Coast Greenways Land Trust
Zeballos Ehattis Good Food Box

Hardy Bay Senior Citizens Society
Garden upgrades and wellness

LUSH Valley Food Action Society
Youth in Food Systems

North Island Metis Association
Miitsho: Feeding Our Métis Youth

Robron Centre, SD72
Robron After School

Sointula Resource Centre Society
Community Pantry and Garden Market Stand

Denman Island Community Education Society
The Eyrie - Teen Support Space

Strathcona Regional District
Enhancing Social Capital Through Water Lifesaving Training and Education

U'mista Cultural Society
Ha'mi'ksila (cooking, preparing food)

Central Island

1st Cobble Hill Scout Group
New tents for Dry Scouts - Camping Opportunities for Youth

Cowichan Brain Injury Society
Project Leisure

Cowichan Family Caregivers Support Society
Caregiver Community Resource Library

Cowichan Green
Community Resiliency Project

Cowichan Social Planning Society
Poverty Challenge

Cowichan Valley Arts Council
Art Sharing Connections

Cowichan Women Against Violence Society
Healthy Relationships, Youth Summer Program

Gabriola Community Bus Foundation
GERTIE free rides project

Gabriola Health Care Foundation
MamaMood/PapaMood

Growing Opportunities Farm Community Co-op
Preserving for the Future

Ladysmith Resources Centre Association
Healthy Food for All

Nanaimo Association for Community Living
Club Wellness

Nanaimo Brain Injury Society
Getting to Tomorrow - Ending the Overdose Crisis - The Anti-Stigma Project

Nourish Cowichan Society
Growing Good Food for Healthy Kids

Qualicum First Nation
Eat and Learn!

Regional District of Nanaimo
Area A Youth Social

School District 68 Community Schools
Community Schools Programming

The Men's Centre
Male Domestic Violence Prevention Toolkit

Thetis Island Community Association
Let’s Talk about Burning

Uchucklesaht Tribe Government
Uchucklesaht Community Garden

Volunteer Cowichan
Seniors Supported Volunteer Driving Program

Warmland Restorative Justice Society
Restorative Justice School Program

Warmland Women's Support Services Society
Calling Ourselves Home - Indigenous Outreach

Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government Ucluelet First Nation
Community Harm Reduction Project

South Island

BGC South Vancouver Island (previously Boys and Girls Club of Greater Victoria)
Fostering Fathering Connections

Canadian Earth Institute
Q'ushintul / Walking Together Peacemakers Gathering & Ancestor Walk

Edward Milne Community School Society
Community Cultural Kitchen

Home is Where We Live - LifeCycles Project Society
Active Outdoor Learning Project

Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria
Bystander Intervention Training for Youth: Practical Anti-Racist Tools

James Bay United Church
James Bay Community Lunch

Saanich School District #63 - Saanich Schools
Connect-ED Community Wellness Partnership

Sooke Family Resource Society
Women's Support Groups

Sooke Region Communities Health Network
Increasing access to food in the Sooke Region

Take a Hike Youth Mental Health Foundation
Take a Hike Cowichan Program

The Chuan Community Arts Society
Gabriel's Kitchen

The Galiano Club
Good Food Box Galiano Pilot Project

Umbrella Society for Addictions and Mental Health
Umbrella Cooking Academy

Victoria Community Food Hub Society
Nourish: a Food Equity Project

Victoria Disability Resource Centre
Lived Experiences Around Disability (LEAD)

Victoria Native Friendship Centre
Nourish and Network

Victoria Women's Transition House Society
50+ Support Group Project

View previous recipients