The County Foundation is pleased to announce this year’s Vital Impact Fund grant recipients. More than $180,000 in Vital Impact Fund grants will support five local initiatives, with funded activities rolling out over the next year.
Receiving grants this year are Alternatives for Women’s Caring Dads Program, The Department of Illumination’s Art Kitchen 2.0, Youth Inclusion Program (YIP), Operational support for Reaching for Rainbows, and a collaborative project focused on addressing the County’s urgent childcare needs spearheaded by Prince Edward County.
The Vital Impact Fund was established by The County Foundation as our signature fund that unites the work of our Vital Signs data with our grants to better serve the needs of Prince Edward County. Vital Signs® data is an ongoing consolidated snapshot of the trends and most vital community well–being issues in Prince Edward County.
This year’s grant recipients reflect a clear and powerful theme: investing in people, programs, and ideas that support an evolving community.
As communities evolve, so do their needs. Vital Signs has highlighted that Prince Edward County has gone through a period of accelerated change. As demographics have shifted, we have seen increased strain on services and supports for youth and young families, and this year’s grants seem to reflect on that theme.
“The Vital Impact Fund responds directly to the trends, challenges, and opportunities highlighted by the local data in Vital Signs. The grants this year prioritized initiatives that strengthen families, support children and youth, and help members of our community feel connected, supported, and empowered. Funding like this supports inclusive communities with an aim to benefit all generations, and to respond to change and population shifts,” Dominique Jones, Executive Director of The County Foundation.
“The Department of Illumination is thrilled and incredibly grateful to the County Foundation for their support of our program Art Kitchen 2.0 through their Vital Impact Fund granting stream. Art Kitchen 2.0 is a reimagining of the Art Kitchen program we have been offering in The Macaulay Village Park over the past three years. Thanks to the Vital Impact Fund’s support, our expanded program will now run year round, and through partnerships with The County, The Macaulay Village Neighbourhood Group, PELC, TheROC, County Kids Read, and Victoria Taylor Landscape Architect, the program will offer a holistic range of services and activities rooted in a community–centred approach to serving the needs of this important Prince Edward County neighbourhood.” Hri Neil, Project Coordinator, Department of Illumination.
“We’re proud to be working together on the Child Care Pilot Program, a partnership that reflects our shared commitment to strengthening childcare availability in Prince Edward County. This funding enables the municipality and Reaching for Rainbows to build on each other’s strengths and explore initiatives that respond to the needs of local families. With support from the Vital Impact Fund, we’re able to take innovative steps towards improving the childcare system in the County and we’re excited about the positive impact this collaboration will have on children, caregivers and the community as a whole.” Emily Cowan, Director of Community Services, Programs and Initiatives for the County of Prince Edward, and Beth Lafay, Executive Director of Reaching for Rainbows.
