City of Kelowna Grants

Since 2005 the COF has been administering grants on behalf of the City of Kelowna. The three granting programs that we currently administer are:

  1. Community Social Development Grants
  2. Grants to Address the Sexual Exploitation of Youth
  3. Emergency Grants

These are open to not-for-profit organizations and registered not-for-profits. Click below for more on:

City of Kelowna Grants Information

Community Social Development Grants
Grants are available to registered non-profit Kelowna based organizations offering primary prevention programs to reduce the incidence of social breakdown. Programs must be orientated towards groups, preventative in nature and not funded by a senior government. The application deadline is 3:30 p.m. on the last Friday of February.

Emergency Grants
Emergency grants may be available to registered non-profit organizations offering social programs in Kelowna, for the purpose of assisting the organizations through a financial crisis. Any monies granted will be short-term bridging funding only and will depend on the availability of funds in the Social Development Grant Reserve. Grants will not exceed $5,000.

Grants to Address the Sexual Exploitation of Youth
The Planning and Corporate Services Department administers Grants to Address the Sexual Exploitation of Youth. Annual allocations for these grants are based on business license revenues. Handled by Community Planning, the grants are available to agencies developing programs to combat the sexual exploitation of those under 19 years of age within Kelowna city boundaries. The application deadline is 3:30 p.m. on the last Friday of February.

For all categories of grants, grant applications, letters of agreement and terms of reference are posted on the City of Kelowna Website.

http://www.city.kelowna.bc.ca/CM/Page89.aspx

To View the City of Kelowna’s Official Community Plan click on the following link: http://www.city.kelowna.bc.ca/CM/Page357.aspx

Applying for a City of Kelowna Grant

Registered non-profit organizations or community organizations offering social programs in the municipality of Kelowna interested in applying for a grant should contact:

Cheryl Miller at the Central Okanagan Foundation at (250) 861–6160 or cheryl@centralokanaganfoundation.org

Alternatively, you may fill out the following form, but we strongly suggest a consultive conversation with the Central Okanagan Foundation before completing the application:

Previous Grants

City of Kelowna Grants

Central Okanagan Access Awareness Team $3,669
Kelowna Community Food Bank $1,050
Living Positive Resource Centre $500
Community Recreational Initiatives Society $2,800
Meals on Wheels & Dinners @ Home $1,000
Kelowna Women’s Resource Centre Society $4,500
Resurrection Recovery Resource Society $500
Central Okanagan Access Awareness Team $408
Living Positive Resource Centre $400
Central Okanagan Teachers’ Association $450
PLAN Okanagan $4,500
Kelowna Family Services Centre Society $6,300
Kelowna Women’s Resource Centre Society $500
Living Positive Resource Centre $4,500
Kelowna & District Society for People in Motion $18,900
Central Okanagan Elizabeth Fry Society $11,700
Resurrection Recovery Resource Society $4,500
New Opportunities for Women (NOW) Canada Society $12,600
John Howard Society of the Central & South Okanagan $2,655
Seniors Outreach Services Society $1,000
Project Literacy Kelowna Society $743
Central Okanagan Region Nutrition Society $6,165
   
Total: $89,339


Vancouver Foundation LEAD Grants

Kelowna Community Resources $2,500
Kelowna Community Food Bank Society $1,700
Church Serve $2,500
Canadian Red Cross Society $1,000
Festivals Kelowna $2,500
Kelowna Visual & Performing Arts Centre $2,500
Kelowna Veendam Sister City Association - City of Kelowna $1,700
Okanagan Symphony Society $1,000
   
Total: $15,400

FAQs

Q:  Can an agency apply for a Central Okanagan Foundation grant as well as a City of Kelowna grant?

A: Yes. The funds come from different sources and applying for a COF grant does not affect your application for a City grant.

Q:  Who makes the decisions as to which applicants will receive a City of Kelowna grant?

A: A separate advisory committee was established to review the applications and make the recommendations for City of Kelowna grants. This committee is made up of two COF Board representatives, two City of Kelowna appointees, and two community members. The recommendations from this committee are presented to City Council who give their final approval.

Q: How do Advisory Committee members determine if they have a conflict of interest regarding applications and should be absent from the discussion?

A: Our Conflict of Interest Policy is very explicit about the need for Advisory Committee members to absent themselves from discussion pertaining to applications when they are on the board of, or employed by, the applicant organizations. In situations where the involvement is less direct, conflict of interest is most effectively avoided by declaring the bias and asking for guidance in terms of participation in the discussion. A Committee member can do this by contacting the Grants Coordinator prior to the meeting, discussing the potential conflict with the Chair, or by declaring the potential conflict to the whole Committee during the meeting.

4.3 Other Grants

The Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (“SIDIT”) has launched a pilot granting program through the Central Okanagan Foundation (“COF”). This program targets economic development initiatives through community based non-profit entities and charitable organizations. SIDIT supports initiatives that have measurable and long lasting economic benefits.

For information about this grants program please contact Cheryl Miller Central Okanagan Foundation's Grants Manager at 250-861-6160.