PRINCE GEORGE, BC | VANCOUVER, BC – and the New Relationship Trust are expanding their partnership to further increase the capacity of First Nations throughout BC to access funding for priority projects within their communities through Northern Development’s Grant Writing Support program.
Northern Development provides a total program of $405,000 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. Grants of $7,500 are available for each community and are available on a first come, first served basis.
In January 2010, the New Relationship Trust invested $125,000 to support an expansion of the program to the eighty-eight First Nations communities within Northern Development Initiative Trust’s Region. The New Relationship Trust has partnered with Northern Development once again to provide an additional $125,000 to make the program available to First Nations communities throughout British Columbia in 2010 with $7,500 grants on a first come, first served basis.
“Our funding partnership announcement in January has generated a lot of interest from First Nations communities outside of the Northern Development region who would like to be able to access the program,” stated Cliff Fregin, Chief Executive Officer, New Relationship Trust. “This additional funding support will increase the capacity of First Nations communities throughout BC to source the funding required to move important community projects forward.” First Nations communities from the Southern Interior, the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island are among those who have already expressed an interest in accessing the program as soon as it becomes available.”
Since the inception of the Grant Writing Support program in 2007, it has demonstrated the highest return on investment of any of Northern Development’s community funding programs with up to $90 flowing back to communities for every $1 invested. The success to date has resulted in a significant increase in applications to the program.
“In the first three months of 2009, we received twelve applications for grant writing support,” said Northern Development Chief Executive Officer Janine North. “Through the first three months of 2010, we have already approved forty-six applications, with twenty-three coming from First Nations communities in central and northern British Columbia. We are very happy to be partnering with the New Relationship Trust to further expand this program to other First Nations communities in BC.”
How to Apply
First Nations bands from outside of the Northern Development region can access the application form and guide posted on the New Relationship Trust website. Applications will be reviewed on a first come, first served basis.
Media Contacts:
Dean McKinley
Economic Development Manager
Northern Development Initiative Trust
Telephone: 250.561.2525
Email: info@northerndevelopment.bc.ca
Cliff Fregin
Chief Executive Officer
New Relationship Trust
Telephone: 604.925.3338
Toll-free: 1.877.922.3338
Email: cfregin@nrtf.ca
About Northern Development Initiative Trust
Northern Development Initiative Trust is an independent regional economic development corporation, originally funded by the Province of British Columbia, and is focused on stimulating economic growth and job creation in central and northern British Columbia. Over $95.6 million in funding has been committed to 489 projects with a total project value of over $897.6 million.
To learn more about Northern Development Initiative Trust, visit:
About the New Relationship Trust
The New Relationship Trust (NRT) is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening First Nations in BC through capacity building.
NRT was created in 2006 as a response to the vision of a new relationship in the province, one based on “respect, recognition, and accommodation of aboriginal title and rights.” This vision was jointly agreed to in the spring of 2005 by leaders from the First Nations Summit, the BC Assembly of First Nations, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs and the Province of BC.
Today, NRT supports Nation Building by assisting First Nations and their communities in five key areas: education, capacity, language and culture, youth and elders, and economic development.
To learn more about New Relationship Trust, visit: www.newrelationshiptrust.ca
