City of Barrie Bright Future Barrie Grant Program (Canada)

The Bright Futures Barrie Grant will provide annual grants to stakeholder organizations that provide new and/or enhanced community-based initiatives to support children, young adults, and youth at risk through prevention/intervention of the root causes which encourage violence involving weapons and participation in gangs through activities that strengthen community bonds and employment prospects, support success at school and promote pro-social activities such as sports, arts, culture and more.

Purpose

• Purpose to support organizations within the community of Barrie by providing funding support for programs, speakers, events, workshops, activities, and counselling that focus on preventing and intervening in the root causes of violence involving weapons and/or gang affiliation. This initiative targets children, young adults, and youth at risk aged 6-26 years of age, to foster a safer and more secure community.

Focus Areas

• The awarding of funding to successful applicants through the Bright Futures Barrie Grant is guided by four key principles:
  • Strengthen Community Bonds as identified through the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan, those who participated in the plan described how the pace of growth and change in Barrie is straining the city’s sense of connection and community. Through the Bright Futures Barrie Grant, they encourage organizations submitting grant applications to consider how their proposed initiatives will help strengthen community bonds. This can be achieved through improved access to essential resources such as safe housing, educational programs, mental health services, recreational activities and other efforts that foster a sense of unity and support within the community.
  • Targeted Audience This principle aims to ensure that participating organizations identify their target area/age as it relates to the grant guidelines. For this grant, the target audience is children, youth and young adults at risk between the ages of 6-26.
  • Pro Social Activities The goal through pro social activities is to see an increase in opportunities throughout the organizations that engage those that are 6-26 years of age in positive opportunities. This can range but is not limited to sports, arts and culture, training opportunities, resume support and more. Pro social activities will support skill building to improve opportunities for gainful employment, success at school and serve as an outlet for positive engagement in the community, including mentoring and counselling opportunities.
  • Sustainability The goal of the Bright Futures Barrie Strategy is to support opportunities with sustainability beyond the time-limited grants support. Organizations will be required to provide KPI’s and outcomes that are both qualitative and quantitative in nature and support the sustainability of their project beyond the timeline of grant funding.

Funding Information

• Maximum funding available is $50,000 per organization per year noting that higher amounts may be awarded, on an exceptional basis, to those organizations that have community partners as part of their program for funding.

Eligible Expenses

• Salaries, Wages and Benefits.
• Recruitment and training costs associated with staff and volunteers.
• Conference rooms and meeting room rentals.
• Travel, Accommodation, and related expenses Reasonable travel, accommodation and related expenses in accordance with the National Join Council as well as bus tickets, tokens, and other reasonable participant-related transportation reimbursements.
• Office equipment, supplies and materials.
• Translation and Simultaneous Interpretation Costs.
• Meal and/or Refreshments for participants in activities and workshops directly related to the project, not to exceed the maximum National Joint Committee amount.
• Honoraria defined as a time limited remuneration for a volunteer service or participation in project delivery that is consistent with and essential to the attainment of the project’s objectives. This can include but is not limited to volunteer services and guest speakers, but cannot be provided to individuals whose participation in a project is already being compensated (e.g., by their employer) or is being accrued as part of an in-kind contribution.

Ineligible Expenses

• To replace goods or services currently funded by a government source.
• Existing core activities or operational expenses. Proposed initiatives must be new initiatives or enhancements to existing programs. Funding is not intended to support an organization’s core activities or to maintain pre-existing programs.
• Any costs already supported through existing police service agreements, including costs associated with police service salaries, incremental and general policing services. Police services and authorities are not eligible to receive funding through the Bright Futures Barrie grant.
• Costs required to sustain an organization that do not relate to direct service delivery under the proposed initiative with the Bright Futures Barrie opportunity.

Eligibility Criteria

• Funding is available to organizations that provide services within the City of Barrie boundaries and have a track record of positive impact. Proposed initiatives need to be new and/or enhanced and should be modeled after the four key principles as identified in the guidelines.
• If requesting funding for an existing initiative the organization must describe enhancements that will be provided with the funding. For example: new population served, new delivery model, additional staff support to be able to engage additional participants and more.
• If your request includes working in partnership with another organization (i.e., the school board) please provide a letter of intent from the partner organization. The adjudication panel will be looking to ensure that the program/initiative is able to be implemented as outlined.

For more information, visit City of Barrie.