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.
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.
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!