Suitable “projects need to be capital in nature … or they can be a sustainable project,” she added. “It’s all important things for keeping these communities vibrant and viable places where people want to live and work.”
Projects that FCC funded this year across the country include additional storage for a food bank in Saskatchewan, improvements to a fire department in Alberta, handwashing stations for an outdoor recreational space in Quebec, and wheelchair accessible ramps in a skating rink in Prince Edward Island.
In Ontario, over 20 projects received a cumulative total of $340,000 of funding, including an updated irrigation system for Ignatius Farm in Guelph, and purchasing a new van for Chatham-Kent Community Health to help deliver in-home care.
“We see such a wide range” of projects, said Warnyca. The AgriSpirit Fund has been ongoing for 17 years and will continue in 2021.
“We’re planning to put another $1.5 million in next year. … Applications are open for the whole month of March,” Warnyca explained. Applicants should “know what the project is going to be and what costs will be associated with it, and then who’s going to benefit. The application form is really pretty easy, we’ve tried really hard not to make it a huge onerous process.”
More information on how to apply for the AgriSpirit Fund and a complete list of past projects is available here.
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