WINTER
2017
106
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make good things happen
Local residents
want toexpandacommunity
garden. A talented choir is
looking formoney tohelpcover
travel expenses toa choral competi-
tion. The local school wants topurchase
sheetmusic for itsmusicprogram.Agroup
ofadult residentsneedsstart-up funding foranewdramaclub.
But their applications for financial support from local sources
havenot been successful.
In keepingwith itsmotto, “makinggood things happen in
our community”, Beaver ValleyOutreach is launchinga
newCommunity Fund that will provide some financial assis-
tance to local residentswishing toenhance thesocial, cultural,
economic and environmental well-beingof the Town of The
BlueMountains. The fund is designed to helpgroups or indi-
vidualswhowould like todevelop their community-building
idea,butareunable tosecuresufficient finances throughother
sources.
“Wedecided tostartup theCommunityFundbecause it came
toour attention that there is agap in our community. People
with good ideas are not always successful in securing the
money theyneed,”saysCathy Inness,ChairofBVO. ”If some-
onewants to start aproject or program that will enrich life in
thecommunity, be it acultural, support, healthor business ini-
tiative,wemaybeable tohelp.”
Whileother fundingoptions in the regionhaveannual dead-
lines forapplications,BVO’sCommunityFundwill beaccessi-
ble year round. Applicationswill be acceptedanytime, and
BVOwill reviewandconsider them four timesperyear.Grant-
ing criteria include the following categories: children’s inter-
ests, families’ interested, adult/seniors’ interests, education,
healthandwellness, recreationandcommunityengagement.
Someof thegranting
considerationswill in-
clude: aprovenneed
for the project or pro-
gram; a value-addedben-
efit to the community; a realistic
budget; andproject objectives that are
in line with BVO’s mission and values.
BVOhopes that theavailabilityof itsnewFundwill
also help identify possible needs and gaps in the
community.
“We’reveryexcitedandoptimisticabout thisnew
initiative,” says BVO ExecutiveDirector Carolyn
Letourneau. “It will promote community engagement
andstimulatecreativitymoving forward.”Sheemphasizes that,
whileBVO is not a fundingor granting institution, theorgani-
zation is looking forward tohelping individualsorgroupswith
some funds tobring their ideas to fruition.
Establishedover thirty years ago, Beaver ValleyOutreach is
acommunity-basedcharitableorganizationof volunteersand
staffdedicated to“makinggood thingshappen inourcommu-
nity”withqualityprogramsand services for families, children,
youth, seniorsand individuals inTheBlueMountains.
Doyouhavean idea thatwill enhance thequalityof life inour
community, but are havingproblems securing funding? BVO
CommunityFundwill beofficially launching in January.
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For more information, please contact BVO’s Executive Director
at 519-599-2577, ext. 5, or email
communi ty
BVO launches a new
Community Fund to
helpBlueMountains
residents enhance
community life.
Beaver Valley OutreachHelps Locals
“Make GoodThings Happen”
