FIVE NON profit organizations have received $9,500 in grants from the Terrace Community Foundation which uses interest from investments and direct donations to aid community groups and projects.
Thirteen applications were received for consideration by the foundation’s board in this the foundation’s second distribution.
“We will do this once a year and perhaps twice, but that depends on the interest we earn through our investments,” said foundation chair Joyce Gibson.
“Our commitment is to provide $10,000 at least once a year.”
The foundation will help finance the purchase of assets but does not provide grants for salaries, travel, training and the like.
“With a limited amount of funds available every cycle we take great care in choosing recipients who demonstrate a financial need and represent a broad range of interests in the community,” said Gibson.
The foundation was established by the City of Terrace with $50,000 in seed money then matched by the Northern Development Initiative Trust.
Its capital base now approaches $400,000 and is managed by the Prince George Foundation which does the same for community foundations of other smaller northern communities.
Distribution decisions remain with the local foundation but having its assets managed by a larger foundation maximizes interest earned and reduces expenses, explained Gibson.
The eventual goal is for the city to hand over its annual community grant-giving function, along with money, to the foundation to avoid having council members debate and decide who should receive support and who should not.
Gibson said the foundation was pleased with the 13 applications it received, adding that deciding on the recipients was difficult.
She said the foundation was particularly happy with the $500 grant for materials and supplies given to the Terrace Adult Autism Initiative, a new group which is planning a public awareness event in the spring.
The other recipients are the Terrace & District Community Services Society ($2,000 toward a wheel chair accessible swing), Terrace & District Museum Society ($2,000 to support summer museum workshop camps for young people), Terrace Hospice Society ($2,500 to support volunteer bereavement training) and Volunteer Terrace ($2,500 to support the publication of a seniors resource directory).
The wheel chair accessible swing to be purchased by the Terrace and District Community Services Society will be installed at the daycare centre located at Northwest Community College.
The daycare centre was once administered directly by the college and then by a society of parent volunteers, but now comes under the umbrella of the community services society.
Aside from grants given with interest earned from investments, the foundation will also accept direct donations from groups and individuals which it will then distribute immediately based on the wishes of the donors.
The foundation is also looking for volunteer directors and more information is available by contacting the foundation at terracecommunityfoundation@gmail.com.
Several large donations have added to the foundation’s capital base, including ones from LNG Canada, one of two planned LNG projects at Kitimat.
The Terrace Community Forest has also been a contributor.