2021 Community Enhancement Fund and Pay It Forward Grant Recipients Announced!

We are excited to share the list of successful grant applicants and projects through the Community Enhancement Fund and Pay It Forward!

Successful applicants and projects can be viewed in the table below.

Another big shout out to all of the 2021 community grant applicants! Our grant review committee was thrilled to see the resiliency of individuals and groups such as yourself, who, despite current challenges related to COVID-19, can pull together to innovate and support our most vulnerable populations during this time.

Thank you for all that you do!

Recipients through the Pay It Forward Grant Program:

Recipient	Project Description	Grant Funding
Muskoka Indigenous Friendship Community	Providing program supplies to support the local Indigenous groups in culture and community building activities.	$2,500
Cameron of Lochiel Pipes and Drums	Providing instruments for the band, which provides free music lessons, supports the local long-term care homes, as well as the Legion.	$2,500
Klahanie Community Gardens	Providing new tools the Community Garden, which is a community building and food security effort.	$1,115
Free Stuff for Daily Needs	Providing essential items to people in need throughout Muskoka.	$2,500

Recipients through the Community Enhancement Grant Program:

Recipient	Project Description	Grant Funding
Muskoka Shoebox Project	Providing essential items for women and non-binary people in need during the holiday season.	$2,500
Ryde Community Co-operative	A community lunch project will involve preparing and sharing a healthy community meal for people facing food insecurity.	$1,600
Muskoka North Good Food Co-operative	Providing food literacy workshops including topics such as food rescue, kitchen skills, gardening, and sustenance.	$9,000
Muskoka Pride Community	For the purchase of six rainbow pride benches to be placed in each Town and Township within the District.	$10,000
Knox Presbyterian Church Bracebridge	A community garden project to provide food and community building in the neighbourhood. Funding will also support the ongoing food box program that provides food to people facing food insecurity.	$10,000
Ryde Community Co-operative	Free drive-by family events for neighbours. Families pick up an "event goody bag" monthly. Provides entertainment and community building in an area with few options for families.	$2,500
Alzheimer's Society of Muskoka	Providing a "Dementia Friendly Community Education Training" program to organizations and businesses across the District of Muskoka to enhance inclusion and support of people living with dementia across the District.	$6,200
Community YWCA of Muskoka	Providing support for the "Circles" program in the Town of Gravenhurst, which is a follow-up to the "Getting Ahead" program. This program provides wrap-around support with the goal of moving individuals out of poverty.	$5,550
Georgian Bay Mnidoo Gamii Biosphere	The "Growing Together" program engages individuals in preparing vegetable planters through a series of workshops. Growing together will continue to encourage the community to think about growing more of its own food and support people who want to start gardening.	$4,120
Big Brothers Big Sisters Muskoka	Providing a "Matches out in Muskoka" program that will allow Big Brothers/Sisters to take their mentees out to explore our local attractions and businesses.	$3,800
Enliven Cancer Care, Muskoka	Providing a mindfulness based stress-reduction program, as well as yoga classes to people impacted by cancer.	$10,000
Gravenhurst Against Poverty	Providing slow-cookers to people living with poverty and cooking classes with a trained chef about how to use them to increase food security.	$2,030
Hospice Muskoka (Andy's House)	Supporting Hospice Muskoka to provide a complex grief counselling program.	$5,000
Lake Country Legal Clinic	Creating a renters support and advocacy resource for people experiencing eviction or housing insecurity.	$5,000
Gravenhurst Against Poverty	To support with volunteer training and tracking for Gravenhurst Against Poverty's expanding organization.	$7,000
Community Living Huntsville	Providing support for the "Pathways" program, which helps young adults and youth with developmental support needs develop skills and build connections in the community.	$2,000