NDI Trust Expands Grant Writing Support Program
By 250 News
PRINCE GEORGE, BC – Northern Development Initiative Trust will be broadening its Grant Writing Support program to include 85 First Nations from central and northern BC. “The Grant Writing Support program ensures that communities and First Nations will be able to hire a grant writer to access programs and dollars from any funding source to provide needed investments in community infrastructure and services. This program has the highest return on investment of any program offered by Northern Development,” said Northern Development Chair Bruce Sutherland.
Over the past two years since the beginning of the program in 2007, 36 communities utilized $451,500 in Northern Development grants to hire 61 grant writers for four months each. These grant writers applied for a total of $27.9 million in grants for small communities. Communities are achieving success rates of up to 91% in terms of grant applications made to the provincial and federal governments, charitable organizations, and other funders. For every $1 invested in the program, there is a potential of $62 to flow back to the community using the current program results that we have seen.
A pool of $405,000 will be available on a first come, first serve basis each year for communities and First Nations that hire a four month grant writer in the local area to write at least $200,000 in applications that will benefit community projects. So far in 2009, 28 communities and First Nations have committed to hiring 28 grant writers and rebates for 26 more community and First Nations positions are still available..jpg)
(at right,Members of the Xeni Gwet'in First Nations visit the winter earth lodge at the traditional village they constructed with grants.)
At the end of the four month term, after communities and First Nations demonstrate that the applications to various funders were made and that they paid at least $10,000 to the grant writer, Northern Development will issue a cheque for $7,500 to the local government or band council. These jobs are ideal for university or college students returning home for the summer, as well as retired community members who want to continue to take an active role in the well being of the community.
Another benefit will be a strengthening of teamwork and relationships between community economic development managers and First Nations as they work together on growing the regional economy. Grant writing support is available from Northern Development and a wealth of funding resource information can be accessed at www.northerndevelopment.bc.ca/community-funding/resources-2.
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Posted by: foxtrapper on July 6 2009 7:47 PM
(1) Northern Development Initiative Trust gets money from the Provincial Government, who got the money from the sale of BC Rail, which was a Government owned Railway.
(2) NDIT gives money to Communities, and First Nations, to hire a **Grant Writer** to apply to various Governments for Grants.
(3) Various Government grant programs give communities approx $25 Million in grants.
It looks to me like we are just kiting the money from one Government department to another and some how pretending that we are accomplishing something.
One would think that these communities could make application for these grants direct, or have their MLA or MP let them know what is available, rather than paying **Grant Writers** huge dollars to request the money. Why do we have elected representatives????
This is another prime example of just how **screwed** up our Government is.