2024 Grant Recipients Announced

July 15, 2024 (Muskoka, ON) – The District of Muskoka launched the 2024 Muskoka Community Grant Program in March of this year which offered grant opportunities through the Pay it Forward Grant Program and Community Enhancement Fund.

Pay It Forward (PIF) Grants offer up to $2500 to projects that fulfill one or more of PIF’s strategic goals including:

Supporting a healthy, vibrant community

Building community capacity and leadership

Creatively problem-solve to fill a community need

Fostering volunteerism and encouraging community engagement

Community Enhancement (CE) Grants offer up to $10,000 to non-profit organizations. Grants are awarded for projects that address one or more of the CE grants’ strategic needs such as:

Poverty reduction

Food security

Housing and living conditions

Education and training opportunities

Volunteer and job development

Citizen engagement

Staff were pleased to see a similar number of applications as last year, confirming that the numbers have bounced back after lower numbers during the pandemic. Community Grants received 48 applications in 2024. Of the 2024 applications, 71% were for the Community Enhancement Grant, and 29% were for the Pay It Forward Grant.

The key themes that emerged this year were food security, basic needs, community support, well-being, and transportation. Staff noted that the needs in the community have continued to increase, which is why they brought two options to the Community and Planning Services Committee. Option 1, proceed with awarding the funds in the approved budget, or Option 2 seek more funds which would allow an increase in the number of organizations receiving funds and increase partial funding amounts for many of the successful applicants. Council approved Option 2.

Grant Recipients Announced

A total of 25 applications were awarded funding this year, amounting to grants of $97,525 being distributed to successful applicants.

Organization	Area	Funding Allocated	Project Description
Pay It Forward (PIF) Grant
Building 2SLGBTQ+ Community in Muskoka	Bracebridge Gravenhurst Huntsville Georgian Bay Lake of Bays Muskoka Lakes	$855	Monthly meetings for young adults aged 18-29 who are connected to the 2SLGBTQ+ community hosted by a therapist/community facilitator.
Family Council, Muskoka Landing	Huntsville	$1,000	An indoor 1-day celebration of cultural diversity and inclusion including a festival of music, dance and food to showcase cultural diversity.
Free Stuff 4 Daily Needs	Bracebridge Gravenhurst Huntsville Georgian Bay Lake of Bays Muskoka Lakes	$1,250	A humanitarian aid service providing ordinary household items to individuals and families in need.
Friends of the Mactier Library	Georgian Bay	$765	Graphic Novel and Writing Boot Camp aimed at children and teens.
Mamas on Missions (M.O.M)	Bracebridge Huntsville	$2,300	Monthly or weekly supportive community for mothers to come together, connect, and recharge with activities, networking and guest speakers. Child care is provided to lessen the barriers.
Muskoka Purseveres	Bracebridge Gravenhurst Huntsville Georgian Bay Lake of Bays Muskoka Lakes	$1,000	Purses are filled with essential items and toiletries and distributed to those in the community.
MYVoice: Muskoka Youth Voice	Bracebridge Gravenhurst Huntsville Georgian Bay Lake of Bays Muskoka Lakes	$1,500	MyVoice is a youth-led committee under the guidance of MiND AID. Striving to give youth within Muskoka a voice that will be heard, generating real change in the mental wellness systems that serve them.
Sewing Camp	Huntsville	$1,480	Sewing programs offered free of charge to children and adults in Muskoka.

Community Enhancement (CE) Grant
Alzheimer Society of Muskoka	Bracebridge Gravenhurst Huntsville Georgian Bay Lake of Bays Muskoka Lakes	$2,500	Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Initiative is an effort to increase and retain much needed volunteers for the increased programs offered throughout Muskoka.
Canadian Red Cross	Gravenhurst	$6,223	Kits for Tents supports displaced individuals in Muskoka by providing them with essential hygiene kits, care packages to improve situation while residing in tents over summer months.
Community YWCA of Muskoka	Bracebridge Gravenhurst Huntsville Lake of Bays Muskoka Lakes	$2,900	Girlz Unplugged is a 12 week school based program for girls and those identifying as female in grades 5 to 8 at participating Muskoka schools.
Enliven Cancer Care	Bracebridge Huntsville Gravenhurst	$2,520	Allowing Nia program to expand service area. Nia is a form of movement that those with cancer find truly healing.
FaithWorks Ministries	Gravenhurst	$2,955	Addressing chronic loneliness amongst older senior population by providing routine visits of 20-30 minutes. Volunteers will bring prearranged beverages etc.
Food4Kids Muskoka	Bracebridge Gravenhurst Lake of Bays Muskoka Lakes	$4,800	Expanding distribution sites, from our current site in Huntsville to a sites in Bracebridge and Gravenhurst. $60/mth - 20 kids.
Gravenhurst Against Poverty (G.A.P.)	Gravenhurst	$5,000	Funds toward 100+ families registered in transportation program. Household can receive up to $100/mth taxi cards.
Knox Presbyterian Church, Bracebridge	Bracebridge	$2,500	Emergency Food Box Program continues as food insecurity has remained heightened by increased costs of food, housing, utilities, mental health issues.
Manna Food Bank of Bracebridge Inc.	Bracebridge Gravenhurst Huntsville Lake of Bays Muskoka Lakes	$10,000	Providing personal care products and supporting the purchase of personal care products.
March of Dimes Canada	Bracebridge Huntsville	$1,765	Deliver Hospital Peer Connections Program to new stroke survivors in hospital, providing support, hope, education, and connection to real experiences as early as possible in patients’ recovery after stroke.
MiND-AID	Bracebridge Gravenhurst Huntsville Georgian Bay Lake of Bays Muskoka Lakes	$10,000	Assessing clients who need therapeutic support, determine needs, professional recommendations of psychological or psychiatric assessments, suitability for publicly funded options, access to benefits or funding programs they may qualify for.
Muskoka Indigenous Friendship Centre	Bracebridge Gravenhurst Huntsville Muskoka Lakes	$4,298	Improving the quality of life for urban Indigenous living in Muskoka through community directed programming and services in 5 locations.
Ontario SPCA and Humane Society – Muskoka Region	Bracebridge	$4,915	Mobile Animal Sterilization Hospital (MASH) clinics. Pet owners who would not be able to afford spay/neuter services will be the focus of these services.
Rotary Club of Bracebridge	Bracebridge	$5,000	Providing good, home cooked meals to the Manna Food Bank.
Simcoe/Muskoka Family Connexions	Bracebridge Gravenhurst Huntsville Georgian Bay Lake of Bays Muskoka Lakes	$10,000	Beds for Muskoka Kids program will provide beds, mattresses, and bedding ensuring they have a comfortable and dignified environment to sleep in.
The Meeting Place, Centre for Growth and Healing	Bracebridge Gravenhurst	$2,000	12-weeks of programing facilitated by professional therapists and volunteers; including psychoeducational, art-led and therapeutic engagement. Nutritious meal offered. Geared towards women and trauma and starts with a nutritious meal
The Salvation Army Huntsville Food Bank & Family Services	Huntsville Lake of Bays	$10,000	Grant will be used to purchase non-perishables, fresh vegetables, and healthy proteins to be distributed through food bank to those less fortunate in the community.