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.

 

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. 

We're looking for a new team member

February 15, 2022
We're hiring a Program Coordinator to work 30 hours/week. As part of our goal to be representative of and responsive to the communities we work with, the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust (CBT) is seeking a Nuu-chah-nulth person to join our staff team.

Seeking a contractor to support research and communication for the Indigenous-led Westcoast Stewardship Corridor

February 4, 2022
The CBT is supporting the establishment of an Indigenous-led Stewardship Corridor. We are looking for a contractor (individual or firm) to create an inventory of existing Indigenous-led stewardship and resource management activities and collaborations on the west coast of Vancouver Island (VI) (from T’Sou-ke Nation to the Clayoquot Biosphere Region) and the vision forward for a collaborative stewardship corridor.

Audit Services Invitation to Tender

October 25, 2021
The Clayoquot Biosphere Trust Society (CBT) is requesting tenders from qualified firms of public accountants to audit the financial statements of the CBT for the year ending December 31, 2021, and if a contract is assigned for each fiscal year ending during that period.

Join our team as an At-Large Director

September 24, 2021
The CBT is seeking expressions of interest in a 4-year volunteer term as Alternate At-Large Director. The CBT exists to support research, education and programs that advance conservation, the understanding of natural processes in the marine and terrestrial ecosystems and that promote the health of individuals and communities in the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Region. The CBT relies on the vision and strategic direction of a committed Board of Directors representing a diversity of experience, skills and interests supportive of the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere designation.

2021 Discretionary Grants

August 6, 2021
Every year, the CBT provides small project funding (up to $5,000) in the following four areas: Research and Environment, Community Development, Arts and Culture, and Youth and Education. Each granting stream is built upon different funding priorities and overseen by its own Advisory Committee comprised of 12-15 local volunteers with interest and expertise relevant to the specific grant.

2021 Youth Action Grants

July 21, 2021
Our Youth Action Grants are one of the ways we fulfil our priority of Empowering Youth in the region. This is our 7th year offering youth-led grants and we are always inspired by the creative projects and their beneficial ripple effects in the community.

New Nelly Heyduck Art Collaboration

July 2, 2021
Nelly Heyduck has created a beautiful new print depicting our biosphere region in recognition of the 20th anniversary of the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere designation.

Announcing the 2021 Vital Grant Awards

June 24, 2021
Our Vital Grant program began in 2018 with the goal to address regional priorities and complex challenges influencing sustainability in the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Region. These $15,000-20,000 grants support meaningful collaboration between organizations, communities and cultures and must include a minimum of two project partners. This year, the CBT also reviewed Vital Grant applications with an equity lens by considering whether projects addressed regional social and health inequities.