Applying for grants has become a skill needed by many different group and individuals.
Lynda Lefleur, Community Liaison Officer for the Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) will be conducting a Grant Application Writing workshop on February 11, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
The event will be at Pynelogs in Invermere and will be general in nature so individuals or groups will be able to use what they learn when applying for grants from a variety of sources.
The idea of holding this type of workshop came from members of the community who expressed the need for guidance in applying for CBT grants and proposals according to Lefleur.
“Learning is always great and in my work as a community liaison I see firsthand how the gap in understanding of how any grant process really works often translates into unsuccessful applications and a lot of disappointments,” Lefleur said.
“I will provide an overview of our programs and focus on the programs that are available now such as our arts, culture and heritage program delivered by Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance (CKCA) and the community initiatives program. I will review criteria and what the key elements of the process are. We will go through a discussion around taking a great idea to the project development stage. This includes development of a budget, a description of desired outcomes and putting it all together in a clear and concise manner,” she added.
The guest speaker also feels it is important to recognize that the majority of community projects are undertaken by volunteers who have very busy lives.
“Other projects are done by organizations trying to do more with few resources. Given these situations it is understandable that the skill of developing proposals and knowing where and how to access funds is simply not possible and opportunities are lost,” Lefleur said.
She feels that sharing this knowledge is key to developing a stronger community and in many cases stronger capacity to individuals.
“Raising funds takes time and that seems to be a shrinking commodity for our volunteers and organizations. We will spend some time learning about ways to access funding information in a shorter time period. Many people do not realize the opportunities that exist. Some have told me they thought programs were only for large projects. By CBT reaching out to communities this perception will change,” she said.
Please phone Jami at Pynelogs at 250-342-4423 to register in advance.
Information will be provided about upcoming grants available from the Columbia Valley Community Foundation and the CKCA as well as the Columbia Basin Trust.