Announcing the Fall 2022 Culture Grants

We are excited to share this list of grass-roots community culture projects that will be receiving Neighbourhood Small Grants this cycle. 

As usual, we want to extend our thanks to 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 to rise up and make their communities more inclusive, and 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. 

2022 Culture NSG Projects

Make Christmas Ornaments – Michelle Curley, Tla-o-qui-aht
Gathering kids and family to the Tyhistanis Health center to make Christmas decorations to brighten their homes for the holiday season. I would like to have snacks or a meal to draw people in and host them well.

Traditional Clam Harvest – Francis Campbell, Ahousaht
Take youth and adults out on the water and teach them the traditional and sustainable methods to harvest clams in our Traditional Territories. It will connect our community by sharing knowledge and learning our traditional harvest place names and just good getting people on the land. Once we harvest the clams we will share with the community- Elders first."

Women Surviving To Thriving Welcome and information Dinner – Karen Frank, Ahousaht
Many women in our community struggle with Domestic, and systemic violence. We want to host a dinner to bring women together to support each other and learn about options and programs available to increase the safety and well-being for Ahousaht women.  

Traditional Food Harvest with Youth – Neil Keitlah, Ahousaht
Continuation of past NSG grants teaching youth to hunt in and process food, building connection, and confidence. They’ll go over protocols, processing, and sustainable harvest. We will have a meal at the sessions at people learn best with food- The goal of this grant is to share knowledge and learn processing skills- we are looking at another larger grant to take the youth hunting- if successful we will share all the harvest with Elders and family in the community.

Community Dinner hosted by the Youth of Ahousat – Shayleann Little
A dinner put on by youth and kids, where they learn how to host and serve their community including invitations, setup, and cleanup. It will also be a forum for the youth to provide us with their concerns, needs, and wants within the community. All ages elders, chiefs, kids, and adults will be attendees.

Small Orange Tshirt Beaded Pin – Elizabeth George, Tla-o-qui-aht
Creation of orange T-shirt pins for gifting to residential school survivors. The goal is to work with the TFN youth group and teach them how to bead and gift to our survivors to help create connections and light in our community. They’ll each make two pins so they get more practice and can keep one for themselves.

Button Blankets - Annie George, Tla-o-qui-aht
Share with youth and interested community members traditional practices of making small shawls for Potlatches. Funding will cover costs for 15 participants to create their own shawl that they can have for cultural practice. 

Ocean Park Holiday Lights – Jody Kirk, Tofino
Using lights to decorate & lighting up the community playground and a few other common areas in the Ocean Park community to lighten up the neighborhood in the dark nights. This will include the "Light up the Dark-Wishing Tree"" event, where community members can gather in the playground Sunday Dec 18th from 3-6pm to enjoy snacks, and hot chocolate and make decorations for the community wishing tree.

Tofino Chess Open – Chris Reitze, Tofino
Public chess tournament with categories for different ages, with a focus on youth. The event will build on the success of last year’s and we will seek lots of local sponsorship to supplement the Neighbourhood Small Grant. 

Winter pride dance – Kira Cameron, Ucluelet
This will be an all-inclusive pride dance for LGBTQ+ members and allies where there will be music, fun decorations, and dinner/snacks will be provided, all ages are welcome.

Baby and Mom Gatherings – Megan Cameron, Ucluelet
When Covid hit, our community lost many resources that support new moms to have connections. This is still something lacking and it's very important that women have a space where we can feel supported by each other.  Again, because of Covid restrictions, it has been hard to connect moms from Hitacu and Ucluelet and this funding will help support the gathering of moms and babies from both communities. 

Food Preservation – Erica Daley, Ucluelet
Teaching food preservation skills to the USS students in a workshop to prepare spreads to use/serve during the breakfast meals. Students will use berries sourced from the TUCG and learn water-bath canning skills and theory in the workshop. This will build community among the students in the workshop working together to create spreads/jams. It will also bring of sense of community to sharing this food with their peers."

Conserving and Preserving Three usable 49 Parallel Plants – Leah Morgan, Tla-o-qui-aht
Create awareness of 3 Indigenous plants all found within a 1-mile radius. The workshops will focus on learning where to find and how to identify the plants, their traditional uses, their importance in the ecosystem, and ways to conserve and preserve them. 
Awareness of 3 indigenous and usable plants in 1-mile radius 

Tuff Pals on Planks – Lillian Tuomi, Tofino
A weekly skate meet-up geared towards creating inclusivity for all genders and levels of skaters throughout the entire year. It will take place outdoors, weather permitting, and indoors (location pending) to ensure a consistent creation of inclusive skate culture in Tofino. We are looking to collaborate with other local organizations that share our values, including Ukee POP and Coastal Queer Alliance. We are applying for this grant to increase capacity and gain resources for the skate community.

 

Clayoquot Biosphere Trust Receives Transformational $1.2M Gift from the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation

February 3, 2025
The Clayoquot Biosphere Trust (CBT) is honored to announce a generous $1.2 million philanthropic investment from the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation, marking a significant milestone in bringing the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Centre (CSBC) to life. This remarkable gift highlights our shared commitment to strengthening communities, advancing reconciliation, and fostering environmental stewardship.

Celebrating Community: Our Most Successful Holiday Giving Campaign Yet!

January 14, 2025
This past December, the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust (CBT) collaborated with 23 local charities to promote our shared giving platform, with the goal of standing together to strengthen local communities and ecosystems. Throughout the month, participating charitable organizations helped amplify the initiative by sharing it through their communication channels. Meanwhile, donors explored causes they cared about and supported the region's diverse needs through the Holiday Giving Catalogue.

Join the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Centre Local Trades Fair! (PDF) 11.38 MB

January 9, 2025
Join the Biosphere Centre Local Trades Fair! We are actively seeking local contractors and tradespeople for various aspects of construction, with a strong emphasis on mass timber construction, sustainable building practices, local material procurement, Indigenous engagement and participation and workforce development and training. Collaborate on this project to make a lasting community impact by contributing to a transformative facility that honors local First Nations and prioritizes sustainable building practices. Click here for more details!

Announcing the Fall 2024 Culture Neighbourhood Small Grants

January 9, 2025
We’re excited to share this list of grass-roots community projects that received a Culture Neighbourhood Small Grants (NSG) this past fall cycle. A total of 19 projects were funded in the region! Read more about the projects below from the Clayoquot Sound NSG program.

Giving Season is Here: Join the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust in Making a Difference

December 9, 2024
As the holiday season draws near, the spirit of generosity and compassion invites us to embrace the timeless tradition of giving. For those of us living on the beautiful west coast, this time of year serves as a reminder of the supportive communities and vibrant ecosystems we cherish. While we often celebrate the visible aspects of our region, we must also recognize the passionate social and environmental charities tirelessly working to uphold the vitality of the local landscapes and communities. 

Ucluelet Co-op and FCL Donate $300,000 to the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Centre

December 3, 2024
Ucluelet Co-op and Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) are pleased to announce a joint donation of $300,000 to the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Centre in Tofino, British Columbia. Ucluelet Co-op and FCL will each contribute $150,000 to this groundbreaking and innovative community project that will see the establishment of the Co-op Community Teaching Kitchen within the Centre.

What does the Living Wage mean to you?

November 19, 2024
With help from Living Wage BC, we’ve calculated the west coast’s living wage for 2024. Across the province and the country, living wages have increased in recent years, mainly because of the costs of rent and food.

Join the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Centre Local Trades Fair! (PDF) 7.72 MB

November 15, 2024
Join the Biosphere Centre Local Trades Fair! We are actively seeking local contractors and tradespeople for various aspects of construction, with a strong emphasis on mass timber construction, sustainable building practices, local material procurement, Indigenous engagement and participation and workforce development and training. Collaborate on this project to make a lasting community impact by contributing to a transformative facility that honors local First Nations and prioritizes sustainable building practices. Click here for more details!

The Clayoquot Biosphere Trust's Regional Forum: Highlights and Insights from October 2024

November 4, 2024
On October 24, 2024, the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust brought together a mix of participants for a gathering on ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ (Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations) territory at TinWis. This gathering was all about fostering connections, sharing knowledge, and building strong, collaborative relationships. Attendees included representatives from First Nations, local governments, and organizations involved in environmental research, stewardship, restoration, and sustainable development.

Fostering Collaboration: BC's UNESCO Biospheres Gather in the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region

October 9, 2024
In early October, the three BC-based UNESCO Biosphere Regions gathered for knowledge sharing within the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region. Each Biosphere Regions works together on shared priorities including biodiversity conservation and climate action. By leveraging our unique strengths and priorities, we are able to collaborate and support each other’s efforts.  

Collaboration and Conservation: Highlights from Our Gathering at the Waterton Biosphere Region

October 9, 2024
Earlier this month, Janessa (Conservation Partnerships Coordinator) and Rebecca (Executive Director), joined colleagues from across Canada’s 19 UNESCO Biosphere Regions for a knowledge-sharing event within the Waterton Biosphere Region. This gathering was made possible thanks to support from Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Canadian Biosphere Regions Association. 

Koyah's Journey: From receiving CBT's Education Award to Studying Science at UBC

October 1, 2024
Koyah Morgan-Banke a Toquaht student who received CBT's Central Region nuučaan̓uł (Nuu-chah-nulth) Education Award in 2023 and is currently studying Sciences at the University of British Columbia to pursue a career in medicine. She has recently gotten in touch to share an update on her academic journey as well as her personal growth since receiving the award. 

Insights from our 2024 Intern: A Summer with the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust

September 25, 2024
This summer, we had the privilege of welcoming Zahur as CBT's 2024 summer intern, where they played a key role in supporting a variety of initiatives across the organization. Zahur brought fresh perspectives and a strong work ethic, making a meaningful impact on numerous projects. We’re incredibly grateful for their hard work and dedication! To learn more about Zahur's experience, read their blog post below.

New Signage: Welcoming You to the Haḥuułi of the Five Central Nuučaan̓uł (Nuu-chah-nulth) Nations

September 9, 2024
If you’ve driven from Port Alberni to the coast recently, you may have noticed a new sign 2km before you arrive at “the junction.” The sign welcomes you to the ḥaḥuułi of the five central region nuučaan̓uł (Nuu-chah-nulth) Nations — hiškʷiiʔatḥ (Hesquiaht), ʕaaḥuusʔatḥ (Ahousaht), ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ (Tla-o-qui-aht) Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ (Ucluelet), and tukʷaaʔatḥ (Toquaht) — where the biosphere region is designated. 

Announcing the 2024 Vital Grants

September 5, 2024
We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024 Vital Grants. This year, the CBT awarded $80,000 in funding to three inspiring projects in the region. These grants focus on addressing regional priorities and complex challenges that influence sustainability in the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Region. They also aim to support meaningful, longer-term collaboration between organizations, communities, and cultures.

Announcing the Community Prosperity Fund Recipients

September 3, 2024
We are pleased to announce that $125,000 in funding was distributed to support three projects in the region through the Government of British Columbia’s Community Prosperity Fund. The Community Prosperity Fund is a $25 million investment from the Government of B.C. that advances poverty reduction and social inclusion. This fund is part of the Government of B.C.’s commitment to supporting the non-profit sector and empowering local communities to make decisions about what would most benefit them and their communities.