For many charities and not-for-profit community organizations, finding money right now is a tough go.
Many people are still paying off bills from the holidays and don’t have the extra cash charities rely on to keep their programs going. Others, not sure of what the future may hold, are holding on to their cash, just in case.
Fortunately, for a dozen or so organizations in Essa Township, the municipality continues to offer general assistance grants to organizations that are making an impact on the community.
“Each year, the municipality provides an opportunity for non-profit and/or charitable organizations to submit an application for the consideration of council to receive tax exemptions and/or financial grants as part of its general assistance grant program,” Lisa Lehr, the township's clerk and manager of legislative services, wrote in her report to council that recommends grant recipients this year, which will be presented at today's council meeting.
“The purpose of the program is to assist in providing support to organizations whose initiatives add to the quality of life for residents of Essa Township," Lehr added.
According to her report, the application period for the grants is open for about three months — from the beginning of November to the end of January, the following year.
To be eligible, applicants must be a not-for-profit or registered charity; operated by a volunteer base, and provide accessible, needed and worthwhile service prove to benefit Essa residents.
The township approved $9,000 in the 2024 operating assistance budget for the program.
Seventeen organizations applied for funding. Staff are recommending the following organizations be approved:
- Angus & District Lions Club — $1,000 for Canada Day celebrations
- Angus Legion & Angus Lions — $500 for the Santa Claus parade
- CLASS — $750 to purchase two safe park benches (CLASS supports people with developmental disabilities)
- Essa and District Agricultural Society — $300 for advertising for the second annual Spring Showdown, a truck and tractor pull at Essa Agriplex
- Friends of the Utopia Mill & Park — $1,000 for the exterior restoration of Utopia Gristmill
- Friends of the Utopia Mill & Park — $500 tax exemption assists in the retention of the Utopia Conservation Area
- Museum on the Boyne — $300 to assist with the purchase of proper archival boxes to store items from a large donation from the family of Essa Township resident Walter Ball, a cartoonist popular for the Rural Route comic strip
- Next Step Literacy Council of South Simcoe — $400 to assist with client transportation costs
- Nottawasaga Pines Secondary School — $200 for graduating student bursaries
- South Simcoe Streams Network — $950 for purchase of trees, shrubs and materials for spring planting along Nottawasaga River in Essa
- Simcoe County Plowmen’s Association — $300 for advertising, prizes and to pay judges
- South Simcoe 4H Association — $500 to subsidize membership fee and help with costs of youth camp
- Thornton and area Action Committee — $1,500 for flowers, banner and special event supplies
- Thornton Horticultural Society — $350 for planting flowers at Thornton gazebo.
Four other applications — from the Alliston Food Bank, Canadian Christian Police Ministry, the Renegade Derby Dames Roller Derby League and Victim Services of Simcoe County — were denied funding because they were not located in Essa Township, were for-profit organizations or were supported by other agencies.
Seven organizations that received funding through the program last year did not submit applications this year.
