ERIN – An additional $10,000 in grant funding will be available to local community organizations in 2025.
Approved during a council meeting Thursday evening, the township's 2025 Community Grant Program funding has been increased to $30,000 from $20,500 after councillors asked for a staff report on the feasibility of updating the program during a council meeting last month.
The man behind the motion, Coun. Jamie Cheyne said the increase is necessary to accommodate the cost of living, new events and the town's increasing population.
With a maximum of $30,000 available to local organizations beginning in 2025, staff said each applicant can be allocated up to $3,000.
"The additional funds will come in handy as we move into the next years and more people will be coming forward I'm sure," said Cheyne, during the meeting.
The town's annual community grant budget has been $20,500 for the last five years.
In 2024, the town received 21 community grant applications requesting $42,650.
The program's maximum will be reviewed annually during the town's operating and capital budget process.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.