December 2023 Recipients

1) $2750 to Coastal Queer Alliance in Tofino

Name of your group: Coastal Queer Alliance

Name of umbrella organization (if applicable):

Website (if applicable): http://www.coastalqueeralliance.ca

Tell us a bit about your group and its purposes/projects. Please include bit about its history. : Coastal Queer Alliance is based in Tofino, in the unceded and traditional territory of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, and has been active since the spring of 2021. We are dedicated to fostering representation, resources, and collaborative opportunities for the local queer community. Our mission prioritizes accessibility and education, ensuring inclusivity is at the core of our events. CQA began and still exists as a largely under-resourced initiative, created by a volunteer team of three. Throughout the past two and a half years, many have come to depend on our organization as it provides a space for queer folks to gather, and resources for queer connections in a community where queerness otherwise lacks visibility. Some of our past and ongoing projects include Queer Surf, regular community events, the creation of regional specific healthcare resources, workplace queer competency educational training, and a queer youth connections program.

Is there a specific project that this new money would be applied to, or would it be used for your ongoing work? Please describe. : This grant would help to sustain and bolster our operational foundation, a facet often overshadowed by program-specific funding. While our programs are funded through grant streams, our growth in team size, scope, and community impact has outpaced our operational budget. Acquiring organizational capacity funding would ensure that essential ongoing expenses can be sustained. This includes compensating our indispensable bookkeeper—a critical component for maintaining financial compliance and positioning ourselves for government grants. Additionally, it would help cover essential software costs such as our website, a hub for community resources, and Zoom, which serves as a connective tool in our rural setting where in-person interaction is not always feasible. Many other expenses, such as filing annual reports, filing T2 tax returns, and payroll software expenses, are not covered through program funding but create a substantial financial burden that grant funding would help to support.

Our ability to deliver and expand our programs relies on our organizational capacity matching pace. As we’ve continued to operate, our programs have grown at a pace that our organizational capacity has not been able to keep up with. Acquiring this funding would ensure that we can continue to do the work we do, while keeping on top of our organizational and legal responsibilities.

Please elaborate on how your work or project will benefit the Queer community and how it enhances the community in two or more of these critical dimensions: Inclusion, Diversity, Accessibility and Equality.: Coastal Queer Alliance (CQA) stands as a vital force in the Tofino, Ucluelet, and surrounding communities up to Port Alberni, where it fulfills a critical gap as one of the few queer organizations in the region. Our consistent, accessible, and advocacy-driven approach has positioned us as a lifeline for many queer individuals, addressing a substantial void in visibility for both newcomers and lifelong residents. As the sole organizer of regular event programming exclusively for the queer community, CQA recognizes and actively addresses diverse barriers beyond queer identity.

Understanding the challenges that impact our local queer community’s ability to show up and participate in events, two primary obstacles being finances and transportation, most of our events are free, and we provide transportation support whenever possible. This commitment enhances inclusion, diversity, and accessibility within our community, making our organization an indispensable source of connection and support for queer individuals in the region.

What is the estimated budget for the project that you are proposing or working on?: We are looking to secure $2,500 from Island Queers for ongoing operational expenses, but would be appreciative of any amount of full or partial funding.

What are your other funding sources for this project (if applicable) ? Include approximate amounts if possible.: We write operational expenses into grant applications where it is allowed within the eligible expenses. We have confirmed $1000 from a project funded by BC Association of Community Response Networks, and are pending $500 from the District of Ucluelet Grant in Aid stream.

Do you have a question for us?: No questions - just gratitude for the work you do!

2) $2745 to Cowichan Valley Pride Society

Name of your group: Cowichan Valley Pride

Name of umbrella organization (if applicable):

Website (if applicable): https://m.facebook.com/CowichanPride

Tell us a bit about your group and its purposes/projects. Please include bit about its history. : Cowichan Pride was resurrected after several dormant years and has a new board. We held our first parade this past summer to great success and have a new robust board. We have held one social event since that was well attended. We have dreams of more events during the year and will also do another parade in 2024 to keep visibility strong here in the Cowichan Valley.

Is there a specific project that this new money would be applied to, or would it be used for your ongoing work? Please describe. : This would help fund more year round events and support our next parade. In turn this supports the building of connections within the greater community and better visibility.

Please elaborate on how your work or project will benefit the Queer community and how it enhances the community in two or more of these critical dimensions: Inclusion, Diversity, Accessibility and Equality.:Bringing larger numbers of the community together encourages others who may be afraid to come out as well as reduces feelings of isolation and a lack of support which can allay mental health issues. It shows the diversity within our community and brings the entire community together to celebrate this beautiful difference.

What is the estimated budget for the project that you are proposing or working on?: Social events through the year: estimated cost is $1500. We would like to do a dance event but need funds for a space and hiring a DJ. We also always need funds for our parade which costs about 4-5K each year.

What are your other funding sources for this project (if applicable) ? Include approximate amounts if possible.: We hope to continue to get donations from business and individuals but this is easier for the parade than social events. However the social events help keep the queer community together in the between times and offer a supportive environment.

Do you have a question for us?: What are the requirements of receiving money from your organization other than reporting back about how the money is used?