Northern Health’s IMAGINE Community Grants now open to applications

Community partners across northern BC can apply for up to $5,000 through Northern Health’s IMAGINE Community Grants program.

Since it’s inception in 2009, it has supported 822 projects totaling $2.3 million dollars.

Northern Health is always striving for ways to improve the initiative.

“We want to hear back from the groups and how the project went and what was successful, what were some of the barriers and the majority of them have come back and said they would not have been able to get the project going in their community without the funding,” says Mandy Levesque, Healthy Community Development Lead.

“Our maximum amount of funding is $5,000 per project and that might not sound like a lot but you would be really surprised by the amount of work people would do in their community.”

Organizations, schools, regional districts, and municipalities have until March 31st to sign up.

The most recent cycle saw 45 projects in 28 different communities received funding including Prince George, Vanderhoof, Houston, and Telkwa.

Here are some recent recipients from Prince George.

• Autism Society of BC- Supporting Children of Siblings with Autism $3,400.00
•  Schizophrenia Society PG Branch- Reducing for Health $5,000.00
• Canadian Red Cross- HELP North: Walkers & Wheelchairs for Seniors $5,000.00
• Carney Hill Neighbourhood Centre Society- Wellbriety Support Project $5,000.00
• CFUR Radio Society- Get Up Stand Up: Don’t Give Up Your Health $1,500.00
• Hart Highlands Winter Club- Learn to Ski Safely $5,000.00
• PG Air Improvement Roundtable- Wood Stove and Wood Smoke Education Portal Workshop for Coordinators $1,845.00
• Polaris Montessori Elementary School & PAC- Polaris Natural Playscape and Community Gardens $5,000.00
• YMCA of Northern BC- PG Youth Action Team- Sharing Stories and Stomping Stigma $5,000.00

Projects should focus on chronic disease and injury or promote health in areas such as:

• Healthy eating and food security
• Physical activity and active living
• Injury prevention
• Tobacco-free communities
• Positive mental health
• Prevention of substance harms
• Healthy early childhood development
• Healthy aging