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Ontario Trillium Foundation provides $2.5 million for Aboriginal communities and groups

April 8, 2010 - 7:09am | by brianbeaton

Press release

$2.5 million in 29 OTF grants for Ontario Aboriginal communities and groups

April 7, 2010 

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is awarding $2,541,600 to 29 projects benefiting Aboriginal communities and community groups across Ontario. Funding represents $1,639,600 in Community grants made to 23 local eligible organizations and $902,000 in Province-Wide grants awarded to six larger or umbrella organizations whose projects will serve Aboriginal communities across the province.

Many of these latest grants will increase opportunities for success in school, skills training and employment and foster community partnerships. This funding also responds to the urgent need expressed by Ontario’s charitable and not-for-profit organizations. As they face an unprecedented increase in demand for their services, they need to do more while sustaining themselves over the long term. 

QUOTES

“The Ontario Trillium Foundation grants support cultural vitality, creativity and economic stability across Ontario and improve the quality of life for local residents. Supporting such initiatives creates new opportunities for success to build a brighter future.”
- Michael Chan
Ontario Minister of Tourism and Culture

“In uncertain times, people turn to volunteers and community groups. The Ontario Trillium Foundation supports communities by sustaining these organizations. At OTF, we know local solutions are more important now than ever before.”
- Helen Burstyn
Chair of the OTF Board of Directors

SAMPLE GRANTS – see attachment for full list

Community grants

Native Women's Resource Centre of Toronto
$225,000 over three years to fund the executive director's salary, develop a volunteer base and expand the centre’s outreach. This will support sustainable operations so the organization can provide resources and services to more First Nations women.

Algoma Paddlers, Serpent River & Whitefish River First Nation Traditional Journeys
$30,000 over one year for instructors, kayaks and equipment to provide opportunities for First Nations youth to travel between Whitefish River and Serpent River First Nations while learning about plants, medicines, history and life skills from elders.

Province-Wide grant

Mamow Sha-way-gi-kaywin: North-South Partnership for Children
$580,000 over three years for staff to consolidate the operational model of this collaborative of 30 northern First Nations and their southern partners. This will help to establish projects to improve conditions for children in remote communities.

QUICK FACTS

• During the 2009-2010 fiscal year, OTF invested $7,278,700 in 69 grants for the benefit of First Nations, Métis and other Aboriginal populations in Ontario.

• OTF’s total funding announced today across the province totals $35,270,100. The new grants represent $28,305,200 in Community grants to made 477 local charitable and not-for-profit organizations as well as $6,964,900 in Province-Wide grants awarded to 42 umbrella groups.

• In the winter and fall of 2009, OTF took the pulse of Ontario’s NFP sector by connecting with more than 100 organizations to see how they were faring in challenging times

• The Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Government of Ontario, awards $120M annually.

LEARN MORE

For more information, contact:

Renée Ouellet
Ontario Trillium Foundation
1.800.263.2887 ext. 265 or rouellet[at]trilliumfoundation.org 

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GRANTS BENEFITING ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS ONTARIO

Ratified by the Ontario Trillium Foundation Board of Directors on March 4, 2010

1.      COMMUNITY GRANTS

Northwestern Ontario

Grassy Narrows First Nation

$15,000 over one year to install a new heating system in the youth drop-in centre, which will ensure a safer and better maintained facility is provided for youth in this small rural First Nation community.

Kenora Fellowship Centre

$150,000 over three years to hire staff who will help provide more emergency shelter services for people who are homeless in the community. A year-round operation will then be provided and ongoing strategies developed to ensure long-term sustainability.

PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise

$150,000 over two years to increase business leadership, social enterprise and economic opportunities. A mentoring program will connect Aboriginal women in rural and remote Northern communities.

(A Province-wide grant also supports this project. See below.)

Pic Mobert First Nation

$19,300 over one year to renovate the community centre with plumbing and electrical upgrades. This will help to ensure a safer and better-maintained facility for programs and services to benefit people of all ages and abilities in the community.

Algoma, Cochrane, Manitoulin and Sudbury

Algoma Paddlers, Serpent River & Whitefish River First Nation Traditional Journeys c/o Algoma Paddlers Canoe & Kayak Club Inc.

$30,000 over one year for instructors, kayaks and equipment to provide opportunities for First Nations youth to travel between Whitefish River and Serpent River First Nations while learning about plants, medicines, history and life skills from elders.

Kapuskasing Indian Friendship Centre

$58,000 over one year to purchase fitness equipment that will enable this First Nation organization to promote and increase physical activity in Kapuskasing and area.

Moosonee Native Friendship Centre

$15,000 to renovate the kitchen and purchase commercial equipment.  The centre will then be able to continue providing the Aboriginal community in Moosonee with a soup kitchen, programs and events.

Ojibwe Cultural Foundation - M'Chigeeng

$35,000 over one year to purchase new information technology and audiovisual equipment. These tools will enhance the creation and presentation of new exhibits to attract more visitors to this Anishnaabe cultural centre.

Thessalon First Nation

$10,500 over one year to enhance the Thessalon First Nation Library with learning materials, shelves and painting to provide a more welcoming environment for learners.

Wikwemikong Heritage Organization

$14,900 over one year to purchase portable toilets and handwashing stations for use at community events throughout the year on the Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve.

Muskoka, Nipissing, Parry Sound & Timiskaming

Dokis First Nation

$12,500 for accessibility-related renovations to the library. Entrance modifications and the installation of a new washroom will allow people of all abilities to have better access to the library and the services it offers.

Grand River

Active Grand c/o Six Nations of the Grand River

$128,800 over two years to hire a project co-ordinator, produce tool kits and offer training workshops that promote greater physical activity and better health for low-income women and their families in Brantford, Six Nations and Brant County.

Arts After School Kids Inc.

$7,500 over six months to give children in the Eagle Place neighbourhood of Brantford access to music and arts instruction. Funds will enable the program to continue operating while other fundraising supports are developed.

Waterloo, Wellington & Dufferin

The Healing of the Seven Generations

$130,000 over two years to support this Aboriginal healing centre by providing staff, workshop costs and research. This will allow it to maintain services to Aboriginal adults while implementing its long-term sustainability plan.

Hamilton

Today's Family - Caring for Your Child

$15,000 to help this daycare service in Hamilton provide learning materials for children up to age 12 years and expand its library of Aboriginal and French-language reading materials for parents and children.

Grey, Bruce, Huron and Perth

Historic Saugeen Metis

$15,000 over one year to conduct a feasibility study. This will help identify potential renewable energy projects in which the Historic Saugeen Métis might partner with other groups to generate revenue that will support their community services.

Rotary Club of Lions Head

$15,000 over six months to advertise and rent sound equipment for the Country Music Festival in Northern Bruce Peninsula from August 19 to 21. This will increase the participation of youth, seniors and members of the local Aboriginal community.

Essex, Kent and Lambton

Enodmaagejig Social Services c/o Walpole Island First Nation

$65,000 over one year to purchase an 18-to-20-passenger bus. It will be used to transport parents and children to children’s services unit programming, including early-childhood, alternative and continuing-education programs.

Thames Valley

Oneida Nation of the Thames

$44,500 over one year to purchase gear for a revolving hockey-equipment loan program. This will increase sports and recreation opportunities for 50 school-aged children and youth from the Oneida Nation of the Thames, encouraging physical activity and healthy lifestyles.

Halton-Peel

The Mississauga Heritage Foundation

$50,000 over one year to hire a co-ordinator, pay entertainers and market the Maanjidowin: Native Pow Wow and Métis Rendezvous as part of Heritage Mississauga's 50th anniversary in 2010.

Simcoe-York

Chippewas of Georgina Island

$171,000 over four years to research and publish the history of families representing the Tri-Council of Georgina, Rama and Christian Island. First-hand accounts, photos, archival materials and the oral traditions of local band members will be collected and contributed.

Durham, Haliburton, Kawartha and Pine Ridge

Lovesick Lake Native Women's Association

$62,600 over one year to repair two buildings and conduct a needs-assessment study. This will help the organization better meet the needs of existing and potential Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal clients in the city and county of Peterborough.

Toronto

Native Women's Resource Centre of Toronto

$225,000 over three years to fund the executive director's salary, develop a volunteer base and expand the centre’s outreach. This will support sustainable operations so the organization can provide resources and services to more First Nations women.

2. PROVINCE-WIDE GRANTS

Association for Native Development in the Performing & Visual Arts

$120,000 over 18 months to hire staff, organize creative-action circles and facilitate artistic expression by connecting elders, artists and youth in Brantford, Kenora, London, Manitoulin Island, Niagara Falls, Peterborough and Toronto.

DOCS on Demand Collaborative c/o Hot Docs

$57,000 over nine months to build new digital systems and platforms. These will help to educate and coach Aboriginal and culturally diverse producers and presenters and enable them to connect with film and digital-media distributors.

Mamow Sha-way-gi-kay­win: North-South Partnership for Children

$580,000 over three years for staff to consolidate the operational model of this collaborative of 30 northern First Nations and their southern partners.  This will help to establish projects to improve conditions for children in remote communities.

Ontario Visual Heritage Project - Land Between Collaborative c/o Living History Multimedia Association

$145,000 over 18 months to create, produce and edit a documentary film series. First Nations, community groups and students in 14 areas will collaborate to recount the history of the area from the St. Lawrence Lowlands to the Canadian Shield. 

PARO: Centre for Women's Enterprise

$200,000 over two years to increase business leadership, social enterprise and economic opportunities. A mentoring program will connect Aboriginal women in rural and remote Northern communities.

(A Northern Ontario grant also supports this project. See above.)

Right to Play

$150,000 over one year to plan, develop and implement the Promoting Leadership in Aboriginal Play project in two remote Northern Ontario communities. Hockey and other programs will be used to increase physical activity and life skills.

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