2021 Community Recovery Program

The 2021 Community Recovery Program, through the generosity of donors to the Victoria Foundation, provided $3,132,457 to community endeavours throughout Victoria.

Through this venture, 142 community organizations received crucial grants to support vulnerable communities and recover from the economic challenges of the pandemic. Here are a few of the organizations supporting our community.

Running a Tight Ship

The pandemic may have stopped people from coming to the Maritime Museum of British Columbia, but it didn’t stop the museum from coming to the people. “Funding from the Victoria Foundation enabled us to keep our full-time staff and the capacity to rethink our programs as digital offerings,” shared Brittany Vis, executive director. “We’re now in a space where we can operate rotating exhibits as well as a series of programs and workshops. We’ve been able to bring back some of the popular in-person programs, like Museum Tots on Saturday mornings and craft workshops on Saturday afternoons. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the support of grants like the Community Recovery Program.”

Rooted in Community

The Greater Victoria Green Team, part of the Green Teams of Canada charity, builds and empowers diverse communities through hands-on activities that promote health, well-being, and environmental stewardship. While the group focuses on removing invasive species, the true crop is the connection made through the experience. “Since 2021, we’ve engaged 1,400 volunteers in 28 activities to remove 300 cubic metres of invasive plants in Greater Victoria,” shared Amanda Evans, director of programs and partnerships. “The Victoria Foundation provides funding for our full-time staff to do this important work, with operational capacity that enables success and empowers organizations like ours to do the amazing work of building community.”

Focused on the Work

The Existence Project is a grassroots non-profit organization focused on finding and sharing the stories that unite individuals across socioeconomic borders. Funding from the Victoria Foundation supported the planning and implementation of storytelling workshops to connect over 280 residents newly in supportive housing with housed neighbours in their community.

“Funding options like the Community Recovery Program are pivotal for small non-profits because we are so resource dependent,” shared Meera Mathew, director of events. “It takes significant time and energy to ensure we have the funds to support our work and the people we’re working with. This grant gave us financial security, allowing us to put 100% of our effort into the actual initiatives: connecting storytellers with community associations. When we don’t have the background stress of finding the funds, it frees up our capacity to fully do the work.”