Community members taking a selfie at a BBQ

Did you know?

More than 100 young leaders have graduated from the Youth Now program.

Each year, over 100 non-profit professionals attend our training opportunities.

Over two dozen non-profit organizations have participated in the Youth Now program.

The CCRR provides nearly 400 child care referrals per year.

On average, the CCRR hosts 30 workshops and training courses each year.

Every year, over 500 child care providers and parents attend CCRR training opportunities.

Every year, RCRG completes over 3,000 grocery orders for local seniors.

Nearly 300 seniors make use of our Better at Home services.

Our volunteer drivers complete more than 1,200 trips annually.

At least 350 people per year find a volunteer position using our Volunteer Match program.

Close to 500 volunteers support RCRG’s programs and services.

Volunteers contribute nearly 23,000 hours to our organization each year.

Each holiday season, the Richmond Christmas Fund helps more than 2,200 low-income residents.

Every year, the Christmas Fund provides over 600 children with toys, books, and sports equipment.

The Richmond Christmas Fund was first started by Ethel Tibbits, in the 1930s.

The number of Neighbourhood Small Grants we’ve awarded has increased every year since 2014.

Block parties are the most popular type of Neighbourhood Small Grant project.

Every year, the Richmond Women’s Resource Centre serves over 7,300 local women.

The Richmond Women’s Resource Centre currently offers 16 programs and services.

Nearly 60 volunteers support the Richmond Women’s Resource Centre, contributing nearly 2,500 hours per year.

Richmond is home to over 350 registered charities, all of which rely on volunteer support.

There are nearly 13 million volunteers across Canada.

International Volunteer Day is celebrated throughout the world on December 5.

There are 35 volunteer centres in British Columbia.

In 2016, the Foundation awarded 10 grants to non-profit organizations, worth a combined $59,000.

The Foundation manages $6 million in 60 Forever Funds, returning, on average, CPI plus 4%.

Between 2020 and 2022, the Foundation distributed $656,000 in grants, scholarships, charitable disbursements, and Emergency Community Support Funds.

Foundation activities result in the enhancement of our community and residents’ sense of belonging.

ROCA has raised over $21,000 for local charities.

ROCA has performed its Elementary School Concert Series to over 8,000 students.

ROCA provides mentoring and life changing opportunities for aspiring musicians.

The Richmond Arts Coalition was founded in November of 2005.

RAC co-produces the ArtRich exhibition every two years!

RAC highlights Richmond's arts events in a monthly email.

The Richmond Music School is the oldest not-for-profit music school in Richmond.

The Richmond Music School offers affordable music lessons through its diverse programming.

Our students performed 40 hours of music to welcome the Olympic athletes to the 2010 Olympic Games.

Neighbourhood Small Grants

Small Projects, Big Impact

A neighbourhood isn't just a place. It's a group of people who call that place home. And because they share a home, they also share a connection to one another. The Neighbourhood Small Grants (NSG) program was created to make those connections stronger.

Funded by the Vancouver Foundation, the program operates in communities throughout British Columbia. In Richmond, it's proudly administered by RCRG.

Here's how it works. Each year, we distribute grants of up to $500 to Richmond residents, so they can organize small community projects like cooking classes, urban gardens, and art exhibitions, to name just a few examples. While the projects we fund are diverse, they all have the same goals: to build community, alleviate social isolation, and strengthen connections between neighbours.

2024 Applications Are Now Open

The title says it all! As of March 7, you can apply for a 2024 Neighbourhood Small Grant!

Like last year, there are four funding streams to choose from, each offering up to $500 so you can organize a fun, creative, inclusive community project.

Standard Neighburhood Small Grants are available to everyone, and support projects that deepen social connections and foster positive community change.

Indigenous individuals living in Richmond are encouraged to apply for an Indigenous Neighbourhood Small Grant, which can be used for projects that uplift Indigenous voices and talents, and strengthen connections between Indigenous people and the broader community.

Youth Neighbourhood Small Grants are open to applicants between the ages of 12 and 24, giving young people a chance to build community among their peer groups and beyond.

Finally, Lighter Living Neighbourhood Small Grants are intended for projects that benefit the environment, enrich sustainability, and enhance social wellbeing.

If you're looking for inspiration, you'll definitely find it in this archive of nearly 2,000 previous projects, from communities across BC. Or, of course, you can come up with something completely original. Either way, a Neighbourhood Small Grant offers a unique opportunity to bring your idea to life!

Applications are due April 18, and can be submitted online through the Neighbourhood Small Grants website. If you have questions along the way, reach out to Jennifer DeWolff, the Community Coordinator of Neighbourhood Small Grants Richmond, at 604-279-7118 or jdewolff@rcrg.org.

Project Spotlight: Greener Living

Earlier this year, Selina Chen was among the first recipients of a new type of Neighbourhood Small Grant, designed to promote environmental sustainability and social wellbeing. The Lighter Living funding stream, as it's known, aligned perfectly with Selina's project, which took place on an August afternoon at Garden City Park.

Selina had signed up eight families - including 15 energetic kids! - for an important mission: to rid the park of every last speck of litter. Equipped with garbage pickers, garbage bags, and disposable gloves, parents and children scoured the park and surrounding neighbourhood, zeroing in on any trash they could find. As it turns out, they found a lot, collecting six bags full!

One of the more fascinating discoveries was a discarded VHS tape, which, to the mystified kids, may as well have been an alien artifact!

With the park in a far better state than they found it, the participants enjoyed some light snacks and celebrated a job well done. As a thank-you gift, each family received a potted succulent plant, a pack of TruEarth laundry strips, and a dual pack of Swedish sponge cloths.

Most importantly, every family got to keep their garbage picker, so they'll be ready the next time they spot litter on the loose!