Announcing 2021 Cultural and Responsive Neighbourhood Small Grants!

We are honoured to share nearly 30 grass-roots community projects that will be receiving Neighbourhood Small Grants this year! This time the focus was on culture with a special emphasis on Nuu-chah-nulth Culture. More than half the projects are led by Nuu-chah-nulth community members in their communities. There are also a number of general COVID-responsive projects. 

Another special element to this NSG cycle is that the Tofino-Ucluelet Culinary Guild is supporting food-related projects by providing in-kind grocery items in addition to the cash grants from CBT. As usual, the West Coast Community Resources Society, our community partner for creating the cheques for community members. NSG makes empowering, accessible opportunities for residents from all demographics rise up and make their communities more inclusive, vibrant places to live! It’s a joy to share the projects below. Check them out and reach out to colin@clayoquotbiosphere.org if you want to connect to a project leader and participate!

Fall 2021 Neighbourhood Small Grants

Rising Tide Nuu-chah-nulth Surf Team – Selena Lasoto,  Esowista/Tla-o-qui-aht
A neighbourhood feast on Esowista Beach for members of a Nuu-chah-nulth youth surf group. Learn more about this epic indigenous surfing project here: https://www.risingtidesurf.com/

YFN Culture Practice – Skylene Patrick, Hitacu/Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ
Cultural drumming and singing and dancing has not been happening in Hitacu due to COVID-19 and this grant will help bring it back (safely) during these challenging community times. 

Introduction to Carving – Dennis Hetu, Macoah/Toquaht
Carving workshop from Macoah carver Dennis for community members looking to try carving for the first time. The project will test the waters for Dennis’ dream to run a larger carving mentorship project.

Maaqtusiis Youth Hunting group – Charles Thomas, Ahoushat
This project will provide food and transportation for a cultural hunting trip for Ahousaht youth. Any meat they get will be distributed through the community in good reciprocal ways, but this is as much about being together out on the land as it is about getting food.

Cultural care packages (food) - Pat Charleson, Hot Springs Cove
Another youth hunting project, getting young community members out on the land, intergenerational connection and providing traditional food for the community. 

Pride Cupcakes – Marlo Firme, Ahousaht
Marlo is a teacher at Maaqtusiis High School – this is a youth led project that makes pride cupcakes for all Ahousaht community members on Valentines day. 

Ahousaht Pride Art Show – Nicole Dumas, Ahousaht
The pride club at Maaqtusiis High School wants to gather and create art. They will invite the community to make art too, then have a sweet exhibition around the community and do an art walk. The project has a large reach and great alignment with the other pride cupcake event from the Ahousaht Highschool!

Consent based cultural harvest – Rachel Dickens, Tofino
Rachel is a diabetes dietician with Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council and she plans (on her own time, not for work), to host a traditional foods harvesting workshop with a facilitator focusing on health and consent with the land.

Paddle Project – Darlene Dick, Ahousaht
The goal is to purchase supplies to make as many 3 foot dancing paddles as possible with community members. The paddles are used in cultural dancing. They will be used at potlatches and tribal journeys.

Community Giving – Mena Duncan, Ahousaht
This is a project to create Christmas hampers around the holiday season for Ahousaht families in need. It will provide food and good cheer during what can be a dark time of year. 

Little Music Connections – Rachel Hirst, Tofino
Music workshops for non-verbal children. The instruments would be stored at the community hall and owned by Tofino Parks and Rec during and after the project. This is one of the first NSG projects in our region ever to focus on persons with divergent abilities.

Ahousaht Warriors Volunteerism Unity – Tom Paul, Ahousaht
Field trip for a group of Ahousaht Youth up to Megin River cabin that was recently built to do volunteerism development work. 

Bread and Fried Bread – Annie George, Ty-Histanis/Tla-o-qui-aht
This is Annie’s fifth NSG project and all of her projects have been super successful and creative. She will be teaching community members how to make the comfort foods of bread and friend bread, sharing kinship and togetherness through the process.

Chamaapii (refers to balancing) – Nora Martin, Ty-Histanis/Tla-o-qui-aht
With the sale of the Tofino Botanical Gardens, Tla-o-qui-aht has an opportunity to start running healing initiatives on the property for indigenous community members on the coast. This project will support cultural healing initiatives to start immediately.

Every Child Matters – Elizabeth George, Ty-Histanis/Tla-o-qui-aht
Elizabeth will be organizing a group of people to work together to make gifts for residential school survivors. She’s done this in the past and known it to be a really positive thing for her community.

Sharing Grammas teaching for love of crafting – Lisa Sabbas, Ahousaht/Hesquiaht
This is a knowledge sharing project in a really large extended Nuu-chah-nulth family. The grant will support the creation of epic cultural handicrafts inspired by the family matriarch.

Alley Fest – Kevin Hawker, Tofino
Block party style event where residents whose homes back onto an alley across from Common Loaf in Tofino will gather to have a barbecue and have a critical conversation about the colonial practices of naming places. 

Mentor Apprentice Hours – Janey Thomas, Ahousaht
Opportunity to connect family members who are fluent in the Ahousaht language, and work on her own ability to speak it. She will then share her learnings with community. Janey says, the more she learns, the more she plans to share.

Food Care packages – Tom Campbell, Ahousaht
This project will support Tom in leading a food harvest, likely hunting ducks, and preparing it as a big feast/distributing to community.

Scorpion Queens – Joanna Humphries, Tofino
Women’s body-boarding group focused on bringing together women (especially new mothers) for healthy, empowering physical activity in nature, and connection between women lifting each other up and supporting trying new things. 

Weekly Baby Group for New Moms – Megan Burns, Ucluelet
Vancouver Island Health Authority has not been running its normal Family Ties (new mom group) program due to COVID, so new moms in Ukee have been gathering weekly to build community and support each other. The grant will provide healthy snacks and perhaps thank you gifts for guest speakers. 

Tofino Chess Masters 2022 – Susane Dyrchs
Chess tournament to bring together diverse age and demographics in the region. The Chess boards will be owned by Tofino Rec department after the event is done. 

Shoe Box Project – Kelly Deakin, Ucluelet
This project will help assemble packages for families in need to make fun crafts and gift-making together leading up to the holidays. Names of recipients will come from food bank, senior’s home, and Ukee COOP.

Indego Rodeo Natural Dye Workshop – Tara Warkentin, Tofino
Natural dye workshop hosted by Tara. Tara has been experimenting with different natural dyes and wants to share what she knows about dyeing fabric with natural pigments. The workshops will be done in COVID-responsive ways. 

Cards, Chakras, and Crystals – Loesha Newmyer, Tofino
Loesha will be offering a fun workshop for children to make crafts and play. This is the second time she has applied for an NSG for this in the past he project went really well! 

Youth-led beach cleanups – Kevin Bradshaw, Ucluelet
This is a youth-led project that will see local teenagers organizing and conducting beach cleanups around the Ucluelet area. 

Tofino Hospital Team Building – Emily Thicke, Tofino
Hospital staff have been highly challenged by the pandemic and the project would support an evening event for staff to bond and enjoy each other’s company outside the stressful hospital environment. 

Community Vocal Lessons – Selena Rogalsky, Tofino
Free singing lessons to have one-on one explorations of voice for 8 individuals. 

Ocean Park Holiday Lights – Jody Kirk, Tofino
This grant will support a Christmas light contest in Tofino’s Ocean Park neighbourhood. There’s a trophy from a previous grant and a local business will donate a prize. Money will support hot chocolate and snacks and carafe rental and solar lights, etc.
 

CBT's Youth Intern, Reflects on her Beach Cleanup Experience

August 28, 2023
This summer, CBT's Youth Intern, Janessa, has been supporting us in a wide range of projects across the organization and also participated in initiatives hosted by other local non-profits. One of our goals was to offer her the opportunity to experience diverse types of work as well as acquire skills and knowledge in many different fields. Learn about her time with Surfrider Pacific Rim where she helped remove debris from a local beach.

Join our team as Administrative Assistant

August 18, 2023
PLEASE NOTE: Applications are now closed for this position.  The Administrative Assistant will support the CBT across all program areas. The successful candidate will coordinate the day-to-day administration and operations of the CBT office, creating a welcoming space, updating administrative practices, and maintaining records. They will work closely with the Executive Director to support the Board of Directors, as well as work closely with the Finance Coordinator to assist with bookkeeping processes. The Administrative Assistant will work across the CBT to support our programs and events.

Announcing the Spring 2023 Neighborhood Small Grants!

June 27, 2023
We are excited to share this list of grass-roots community projects that received Neighbourhood Small Grants this past spring cycle. NSG makes empowering, accessible opportunities for residents from all demographics to make their communities more inclusive, and vibrant places to live. Check out the projects below and reach out to marianne@clayoquotbiosphere.org if you want to connect to a project leader and participate.

National Truth and Reconciliation Exhibit

June 13, 2023
Here is a video that was created last year in partnership with the Ucluelet Secondary School, the Legacy of Hope Foundation, and Canadian Heritage to honor the second annual day for Truth and Reconciliation. We have partnered again this year to bring this impactful youth-led learning opportunity for our third annual exhibit.

Hišinq – “All Together”

June 12, 2023
Have you heard that the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust (CBT) is building a Biosphere Center? You might have read about it online or in local print media, maybe you heard it on the radio, or perhaps you joined us for the open house that took place at the current CBT office. However, you might not be aware that the CBT has been working on this project for over a decade and has taken many steps to create a space that will serve and reflect the values held by each community in the region.

We're looking for a new team member! (PDF) 221.42 KB

April 21, 2023
PLEASE NOTE: This position has been filled. The Clayoquot Biosphere Trust is seeking an intern to provide support for a range of projects across the organization. This position will provide opportunities to work alongside and be mentored by different team members, learning about and providing administrative support for projects aligned with the candidate's skills and interests.

Vital Grants - Looking Back & Looking Forward

January 18, 2023
Five years ago, CBT launched Vital Grants: a stream of partnership funding to address regional priorities and complex challenges that influence sustainability in the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Region. Vital Grants were launched in response to grantee feedback that small grants (e.g. $5000) and short timelines make it difficult to address larger issues

Join our team as Director of Partnerships for Conservation

January 9, 2023
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Partnerships for Conservation will build out a new role collaborating with partners on conservation projects, as well as leading research, planning, and engagement activities linked to the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere designation and Canada Target 1. The individual participates in relevant networks and committees aligned with key projects and contributes to the objectives of the Canada Fund Agreement, the MAB Statutory Framework and the MAB Lima Action Plan.

The 2022 Holiday Giving Catalogue is here

December 2, 2022
'Tis the season for giving and standing tall as a region. We're honoured to bring back the Giving Catalogue—an annual collaborative holiday initiative.

Living Building Challenge

October 5, 2022
CBT has committed to achieving the Living Building Challenge! LBC provides a sustainable framework for the design and construction of buildings and cultivates a symbiotic relationship between people, communities, and nature. Living Buildings are regenerative and inspire innovative methods of construction throughout the building!

2022 Discretionary Grants

September 6, 2022
Each year, the CBT provides funding up to $5,000 for small projects that promote the health of individuals, communities and ecosystems throughout the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Region. Each granting stream is overseen by an advisory committee of local volunteers who have an interest and expertise related to the grant.

Announcing Spring 2022 Neighbourhood Small Grants !

June 14, 2022
We are excited to share nearly 20 grass-roots community projects that will be receiving Neighbourhood Small Grants this cycle.  As usual, the West Coast Community Resources Society, our community partner for creating the cheques for community members. NSG makes empowering, accessible opportunities for residents from all demographics rise up and make their communities more inclusive, vibrant places to live. Check out the projects below and reach out to colin@clayoquotbiosphere.org if you want to connect to a project leader and participate. 

Biosphere Centre: moving forward on the land in a good way

June 13, 2022
On June 2nd, the CBT board, staff, and partners gathered at the future site of the Clayoquot Biosphere Centre for a small ceremony led by Tla-o-qui-aht cultural workers Chris and Hayden Seitcher. The intentions were simple yet profound: to reflect with gratitude on the work done to bring the Biosphere Centre initiative where it is today and to envision the next phase of the project.

CBT Granting Update and Equity Pathway

February 22, 2022
We continue to reflect on key learnings from our UNESCO periodic review, our Vital Signs research, and the pandemic. We’ve committed to work with volunteers, First Nations, communities, and partners on making CBT a more equity-driven organization: in our granting program, in our organizational culture, and beyond.

The Coastal Family Resource Coalition is hiring

February 22, 2022
The Coastal Family Resource Coalition (CFRC) is looking to hire a qualified proponent to provide leadership capacity and coordination services for the CFRC, a regional network coordinated and administered by the CBT and guided by the CFRC Executive Committee.