Community groups in Gravenhurst will share $25,000 in funding through the Terrence Haight Financial Assistance Fund.
Mayor Paul Kelly says thanked all the groups for their exceptional work that they do for the community.
Groups receiving the money this year include Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Muskoka ($3,000), Gravenhurst Against Poverty ($3,800), the Gravenhurst Women’s Centre ($3,000), MIND AID ($9,360), the Ryde Community Cooperative ($3,340), Safe Quiet Lakes ($1,000) and YWCA Muskoka ($1,500).
For the 2021 intake, the Town received nine grant applications for a total request of $44,688. From 2014 to 2020, there have been 72 applications from 39 unique organizations with requests totaling $329,387. Grants awarded to date through the Terence Haight Fund are $101,283.
The Terence Haight Financial Assistance Committee will begin planning for next year’s application process, with marketing activities beginning in the fall for a December 6, 2021 submission deadline for 2022 funding applications. Community groups are encouraged to follow updates on the Town’s website.
In addition to this annual grant process, on May 20, 2020 Council created the COVID-19 Financial Assistance Fund with an amount of $25,000 from the Terence Haight Endowment. The fund, in response to the pandemic, was to be made available on a one-time basis to assist established community agencies and service clubs who offer, among other things, financial, mental health and food security assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Review Panel composed of three Council members was set up to recommend grant awards under that program.
To date a total of $12,000 has been disbursed to the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst, the Moon River Metis Council and Gravenhurst Against Poverty.
Town Council established the Terence Haight Financial program in 2013, following the significant financial bequest by Mr. Haight of $1 million to the Town.
The fund’s goal is to provide limited financial assistance to groups and organizations within the municipality to assist with activities, special events or with an improvement to the organization’s existing assets. To learn more about the grant please visit: www.gravenhurst.ca/communityfunding