Community Grants
Grants of up to $5,000 are available to support community engagement sessions across the province.
The BC Museums Association is partnering with the Province of BC to offer communities, organizations, and grassroots initiatives opportunities to imagine the future of a new museum/cultural centre that will highlight the histories, cultures, and contributions of Canadians of South Asian heritages in BC.
We acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia for this program.
Quick Links
About the Community Grants
Key Information:
- Grants of up to $5,000 available to support community conversations
- Additional funds available to support accessibility and inclusion (community translation services, Indigenous honoraria, ASL translation)
- Applications open on April 8 and funds will be administered on a rolling basis
- Grants are available to host community engagement sessions throughout the province
- Organizations, community groups, and registered societies are eligible to apply
Community Grants hope to support ideas and input from communities who share diverse histories and cultures, and whose stories and contributions will be reflected in this initiative. Community engagement sessions will focus on the following key themes:
- The purpose of this space and how it could be used
- Who it will serve
- How it will support communities
- What its impact might be for BC
- Considerations for where the space might be located
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for a grant, applications must meet the following criteria:
- Recipients must be a legal entity or registered society (if you are an unincorporated group of individuals or a grassroots organization and wish to apply, please contact the BCMA and we can attempt to connect you with an eligible organization in your area)
- Ability to deliver engagement session(s) and provide report back within 20 days of the occurrence of engagement session(s)
- If this timeline is a barrier, please reach out to us to discuss.
- Ability to address engagement questions outlined in the Engagement Framework
- Ability to provide report in English
Grant Process
A key pathway for engaging communities will be through smaller-scale conversations held in communities, led by organizations embedded in those communities. To support organizations wishing to host engagement sessions with community members, grants of up to $5,000 will be available to help cover costs associated with hosting sessions.
Successful applicants will be provided with guiding resources to help them prepare for hosting and fulfilling grant requirements. Engagements may be hosted in any language; however, the summary report must be provided to the Province in English. Additional honoraria funding is available to support translation and accessibility.
Prepare your Application
You may wish to prepare your answers in advance and cut-and-paste them into the online form, as you will not be able to save the online form. You can reference the application checklist and/or prepare your answers in this Word Document.
Application Assessment
Applications will be accepted until June 2024. Once reviewed, notification will be provided to applicants via email from BCMA@museum.bc.ca.
In assessing grant applications, consideration will be given to ensuring balanced representation in terms of:
- Geographic location
- Canadians of South Asian heritages communities (ethnocultural, language, and faith-based)
- Other population demographics (e.g. age, socioeconomic, LGBTQ2S+, gender, etc.)
- Type of organizations (e.g. academic vs. community-based)
Reporting Requirements
Grant recipients will need to submit a report on how the funds were used and the results of the engagement.
This will include:
- Details on the number of participants, their general geographic location, as well as other demographic data
- A high-level summary of the overall session process
- Provide the responses to questions asked during the engagement session
- If there were changes to the proposed budget, provide 2-4 bullet points about these changes
Grant recipients will be provided with note-taking and reporting templates to support them in meeting these requirements.
Other Ways to Engage
Online Submissions
All British Columbians can help to imagine the future of a new museum/cultural centre, even if they cannot attend a community engagement session.
Individuals and organizations are also able to submit online submissions. This will allow interested individuals and organizations to provide more in-depth input on the engagement questions, within a timeframe that works best for them. Submissions are accepted in written, video, and audio form.
Public Survey
The Province has launched a public engagement to inform the vision for a new museum or cultural centre in BC. This museum or cultural centre will highlight the histories, cultures, and contributions to British Columbia from Canadians of diverse South Asian heritages.
Anonymous feedback from engagement activities, such as this survey, will be compiled and analyzed to identify themes to form a public What We Heard report.
Visit EngageBC to access the survey.
About the BC Museums Association
The BCMA is excited to work with the Province of BC and communities across the province to help imagine the future of a new museum/cultural centre. Since 1957, the BCMA has worked with more than 450 museums, galleries, heritage sites, and Indigenous cultural centres in every single community in the lands now known as British Columbia. We support the professionals and volunteers who work in BC’s cultural sector and aim to improve the cultural literacy of all British Columbians. The BCMA collaborates with arts, culture, and heritage partners to engage with all levels of government to share stories and make them aware of the true impact our sector has in communities large and small across the province.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can the community grants be used for?
The goal of this program is to provide opportunities for community-led conversations to help shape the future of a new museum/cultural centre that will highlight the histories, cultures, and contributions of Canadians of South Asian heritages in BC. Community Grant funds can be used to cover costs associated with hosting these conversations, including but not limited to:
- Venue rentals
- Food and beverage
- Promotion
- Honoraria
- Translation services
- Facilitator fees
If you have any questions about what grant funds can be used for, please contact the BCMA.
Who can apply?
Organizations, community groups, and registered societies are eligible to apply. This includes but is not limited to:
- Umbrella service providers
- Community-based organizations
- Arts, culture, and heritage organizations
- Indigenous organizations/communities
- Post-secondary institutions
- Schools
- Religious organizations
- Businesses and the private sector
- Sport organizations
Unincorporated grassroots organizations or groups of individuals who wish to apply should contact the BCMA and we may be able to connect you with an eligible organization in your community.
How long will applications take to be processed?
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with a goal of adjudicating and confirming funding within one month of the application being received by the BCMA. Funds will be delivered to successful applicants via electronic fund transfer (EFT). Organizations that wish to expedite the funding process are encouraged to complete the following direct deposit form and include it in their application.
How are applications being reviewed?
Applications are being reviewed by a peer review panel made up of a diverse and geographically representative group of individuals who are passionate about and connected to the histories, cultures, and contributions of Canadians of South Asian heritages in BC.
When can community engagement sessions be held?
Community engagement sessions can be held any time between April and June 2024. Grants will be awarded as funding permits; if funds are still remaining in June the Community Grant Program may be extended into the summer.
Can these funds be applied retroactively?
The Community Grant Program can support events that have already been held between April and June if event organizers can share community feedback that responds to the questions in the Community Engagement form. If you are unsure if your event is eligible for retroactive funding or have questions about the Community Engagement Survey, please contact the BCMA.
Where can community engagement sessions be held?
Community engagement sessions can be held in any community in British Columbia and we encourage communities outside of the Lower Mainland and Capital Region to participate. Engagement sessions may also be held online.
What support is available for translation and accessibility?
In addition to the $5,000 Community Grants, funding is available to support the translation of materials in multiple languages and actively address the language barriers that exist within the program. These funds can support translating survey questions or materials, ASL translation at events, other accessibility services, and honoraria for Indigenous welcomes and knowledge holders.
What happens with community feedback?
This phase of the engagement process is intended to fund opportunities for diverse South Asian communities to candidly share their ideas and perspectives on a vision for the museum. Any major decision-making for exact location, curatorial and thematic plans, exhibits, etc. will occur after community feedback has been reviewed and will include additional engagement with communities.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us at bcma@museum.bc.ca.
Credits
The photos used throughout this page are linked and credited below:
Paldi Jor Mela/ 100th Anniversary
Photos of community members and past residents of Paldi gathering for the Jor Mela in July 2023. Taken by Jazmin Hundal.
“Punjabi Garden” Exhibit/ Surrey Art Gallery 1
“Punjabi Garden” Exhibit/ Surrey Art Gallery 2
Photos of Keerat Kaur’s visual representations of the Gurmukhi alphabet, as part of the “Punjabi Garden” exhibit at Surrey Art Gallery. Taken by Jazmin Hundal.
“Punjabi Garden” Exhibit/ Surrey Art Gallery 3
Mural by Keerat Kaur, from her “Punjabi Garden” exhibit at Surrey Art Gallery. Taken by Jazmin Hundal.
“Punjabi Garden” Exhibit/ Surrey Art Gallery 4
Photo of Keerat Kaur’s book, “Punjabi Garden”, from her exhibit at the Surrey Art Gallery. Taken by Jazmin Hundal.
Two Rivers Gallery/ أَمَلَ ਉਮੀਦ امید आशा Hope 1
Photo of a cloth piece with Gurmukhi script stitched to it, part of the أَمَلَ ਉਮੀਦ امید आशा Hope exhibit at Two Rivers Gallery. Taken by Koy Tayler.
Two Rivers Gallery/ أَمَلَ ਉਮੀਦ امید आशा Hope 2
Photo of Lorenda looking at ceramic figures in the أَمَلَ ਉਮੀਦ امید आशा Hope exhibit at Two Rivers Gallery. Taken by Koy Tayler.
