With just over a month left to go, Fraser Health has yet to receive any applications for a $25,000 macro health grant for Hope and the Fraser Canyon.
The health authority is now appealing to residents and service providers who have innovative ideas for health promotion and are looking for seed funding, to apply by the Oct. 19 deadline.
“The intention for the macro health grant is to look for a greater community impact. So you start with some seed money, but it’s really to support a greater opportunity than the twenty-five thousand would provide you,” said Petra Pardy, executive director of the Chilliwack, Hope and Agassiz areas for the health authority.
Other important goals of the grant are to build partnerships and to be a sustainable project.
Fraser Health began disbursing grants in 2016, with a goal of improving the health and well-being of people in Hope after a 2014 survey showed poor health indicators compared to the region. For example, Hope had a significantly higher rate of some chronic conditions, food insecurity and smoking than the Fraser Valley average.
Hope's 2014 health indicators by Ingrid Peacock on Scribd
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So far, the health authority has seeded 22 micro grant projects to a total of over $100,000, and two macro grants for $50,000. The macro health grant went to two Hope organizations over the past two years- the first to AdvantageHOPE who created a master plan with a focus of creating pedestrian and cycling networks in Hope’s neighbourhoods, the second to the Hope and Area Transition Society for architectural drawings to kick off a planned youth centre.
Both projects seeded so far did or are in the process of doing this — the AdvantageHOPE master plan became part of a successful application for a $500,000 rural dividend grant. Architectural drawings for the youth centre are being completed, with a next step to get funding to develop the centre.
RELATED: Fraser Health commits to improving health in Hope
Projects that could be eligible include those which “improve physical activity, healthy eating, promote social inclusion and positive mental health, reduce smoking and/or substance use” according to fraserhealth.ca.
The deadline to apply for the macro grant is Oct. 19, applications can be found at fraserhealth.ca. For those who have questions or need assistance with the grant process can contact community health specialist Anne Todd at anne.todd@fraserhealth.ca.
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