OLIVER 鈥 A program funding small-scale events like community picnics and block parties is helping strengthen communities across the South Okanagan and Similkameen.
Kim English, regional development and neighbourhood grants manager for the Community Foundation South Okanagan Similkameen (CFSO), informed Oliver council about the neighbourhood grants program, which has distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past decade.
Applications for the 2025 season opened last week. Since 2016, the program has supported over 700 projects across the region. Last year, 70 projects were funded, offering up to $500 for resident-led initiatives that connect neighbors and strengthen communities.
鈥淭hese grants empower residents to turn small ideas into big community impacts,鈥 said English. 鈥淣o experience or formal organization is required 鈥 just an idea to build community.鈥 Past projects include block parties, wellness workshops, sustainability projects, and cultural events.
In Oliver, grants supported a 鈥渕indful eating鈥 event, a garden project, and several block parties. In Keremeos, a new 5-kilometre walk/run event attracted 100 participants, and plans for expansion are underway. The program also prioritizes Indigenous-led and youth-led applications.
Applications for 2025 funding are due by April 18. English will host an information session on March 29 at the Oliver Regional Library, with similar sessions in Osoyoos and Okanagan Falls in the following weeks.
Mayor Martin Johansen praised the program, encouraging others to apply. 鈥淚tsa国际传媒 easy to do and brings people together,鈥 he said, noting he successfully applied for funding for a block party in 2019.
For more information, visit the CFSO website.
