Community Foundations of Canada announces Healthy Communities Initiative

Deadline: 25-Jun-21

The Community Foundations of Canada has announced the Healthy Communities Initiative to transform public spaces in response to COVID-19.

The Healthy Communities Initiative encourages community-level innovation and improvements in the quality of life for residents. As local communities continue to adapt to COVID-19, local governments and community partners across the country in urban, rural and remote communities are discovering new ways to keep residents safe and healthy, support economic recovery and rebuild communities to be pandemic-resilient.

The Healthy Communities Initiative will provide funding to a broad range of organizations, including local governments, charities, Indigenous communities and nonprofits, for projects, programming and services that help communities:

Create safe and vibrant public spaces: Community projects that create and adapt public spaces, or programming and services for public spaces including parks, commercial main streets, and access to other amenities. Community projects that adapt public spaces to meet public health guidance.
Improved mobility options: Community projects that deliver a range of transportation and mobility options or adaptations that permit physical distancing through solutions that increase safe social connectivity, walkability, bike-ability and access to public transit. Community projects that improve pedestrian and cyclist safety through roadway, sidewalk or crosswalk improvements and adaptations.
Provide innovative digital solutions: Community projects that provide digital solutions that use data and technology in innovative ways to connect people and support healthy communities. Community projects that use digital technologies and solutions to encourage citizen engagement, use open data, online platforms or physical digital devices for public benefit.

Funding Information

The minimum funding amount for projects is $5,000 and the maximum funding amount is $250,000 for each project.

Type of Projects

Healthy Communities Initiative projects will:

respond to identified needs arising from impacts of COVID-19;
create and adapt public spaces, and programming and services for public spaces in the public interest;
demonstrate consideration of and connections with the community;
serve the general public or a community disproportionately impacted by COVID-19; and
fall within the three Healthy Communities Initiative theme areas.

Who does the Healthy Communities Initiative benefit?

The Healthy Communities Initiative benefits all Canadians in urban, rural and remote communities and especially those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
COVID-19 is a threat to everyone. However, the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on certain communities, including historically marginalized communities who were already experiencing vulnerability and marginalization. Public spaces are invaluable to communities who do not have access to green space, space for physical activity and play, art and other activities within their own homes and private spaces. COVID-19 health measures have limited the use of public spaces and are impacting those who use public spaces most.
The impact of projects on communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 is part of how applications are reviewed. Applicants will be asked about their community engagement activities and their own organization’s practices around equity.

Eligibility Criteria

The Healthy Communities Initiative supports communities as they create and adapt public spaces, and programming and services for public spaces to respond to ongoing needs arising from COVID-19.
Eligible organizations include:
- Municipalities and local or regional governments
- Municipally-owned corporations (e.g. water management, public transit, economic development, tourism agencies, etc.);
- Indigenous governing bodies including, but not limited to:
- A band council within the meaning of the Indian Act;
- A First Nation, Inuit or Métis government or authority established under a Self-Government Agreement or a Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement;
- A First Nation, Inuit or Métis government that are established by or under legislation whether federal or provincial or territorial that incorporates a governance structure;
- Tribal councils, provincial/territorial bodies.
A provincial or territorial organization delivering municipal services (e.g., public utilities (electricity, water, telecoms, broadband, etc.), community health services, economic development bodies, local service districts, etc.)
Federally or provincially incorporated not for profits, including:
- local economic development groups including business improvement associations/areas;
- relevant not-for-profit professional associations (e.g. urban planners, architects);
- federally or provincially incorporated not for profits/local community, non-profit, voluntary organizations;
- registered charities;
- Indigenous organizations and organizations whose central mandate is to improve Indigenous outcomes on or off-reserve;
- research institutes;
- not-for-profit residents associations;
- post-secondary educational institutions; and,
- Indigenous development corporations.