The District of Muskoka launched the 2023 Muskoka Community Grant Program in March of this year which offered grant opportunities through the Pay it Forward Grant Program and Community Enhancement Fund.
Pay It Forward (PIF) Grants are awarded to projects that fulfill one or more of PIF’s strategic goals including:
- Supporting a healthy, vibrant community
- Building community capacity and leadership
- Creatively problem solve to fill a community need
- Fostering volunteerism and encouraging community engagement
Community Enhancement (CE) Grants offer up to $10,000 to non-profit organizations. Grants are awarded for projects that address one or more of the CE grants’ strategic needs such as:
- Poverty reduction
- Food security
- Housing and living conditions
- Education and training opportunities
- Volunteer and job development
- Citizen engagement
Bouncing Back with a Renewed Sense of Hope
A total of 47 applications were received for the 2023 Grant Program – a 59% increase since 2022.
“We were so pleased to see the resurgence in the number of applications received for this year’s grant program,” said Arfona Zwiers, Commissioner of Community and Planning Services. “In recent years, we had observed a decline in the volume of applications, which we have attributed to the COVID-19 Pandemic. This notion was further reinforced by a key theme that emerged in this year’s applications – the rebuilding of community supports and programs which had been disrupted by COVID restrictions. These applications show us that our community has a renewed sense of hope and the resiliency to overcome adversity. Muskoka is bouncing back.”
The second key theme seen in nearly half of the funded projects revolved around food security.
Grant Recipients Announced
A total of 23 applications were awarded funding this year, amounting to grants of $93,888 being distributed to successful applicants.
To view the complete listing and to learn more about how these grants support our community, visit the Community Grant Program project page on Engage Muskoka.
