
Connect to Community Grant
About the grant
The Connect to Community Grant (C2C) offers UBC undergraduate and master’s degree students the opportunity to create and carry out a small-scale project in partnership with a BC-based community partner. The C2C grants are designed to help students work with a community organization to test a new idea and to take the initiative in tackling a social and/or environmental issue in their local community.
Designed as an introduction to the grants experience, students are challenged to learn from the application process until project completion, without the fear of failing. We encourage students and community partners to test new ideas.
Applicants can request funds between $200 to $1,500 CAD. They must complete the project within 4 – 6 months of receiving funds.
Application and Project Timelines
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS! See below for instructions on how to apply. |
Applications Close February 4, 2024 @ 11:59 pm PDT |
Winners Announced in March 2024 for projects to commence in April 2024 |
Watch the recorded information session
During this session, we reviewed how to build a strong project case and put a CCEL grant application together.
Watch the recording, below:
(Passcode: O9e$k4v4)
What the grant can fund: Projects that serve communities based off-campus, and that are in collaboration with a community partner.
Off-campus activities include workshops, community meetings, initiatives, community events, forums, education, health, environmental or cultural-based projects.
Eligible Community partners include nonprofits, public sector organizations, registered charities, societies, cooperatives, First Nations Communities, schools, and municipal, federal, or provincial government offices.
Examples of how you can use the funding:
- A project that you were involved in as part of a course-based or volunteer placement, or with a community organization you are already connected to
- Developing and hosting workshops based on the community’s interests and needs
- Supporting an existing community-directed initiative, such as a communications campaign, program, or an event for a particular community group
Funds can cover the cost of materials, travel, printing costs, space rentals, catering/meals, and other relevant project needs.
Eligibility requirements
UBC undergraduate and master’s students from all faculties are eligible for these grants. Both domestic and international students are eligible. Review the Eligibility Guidelines to ensure your project idea meets the criteria to be considered for funding. If you are unsure about whether you qualify for this grant, reach out to CCEL’s Grants Advisor: Jacquie.kwok@ubc.ca
Writing a successful grant application
A strong grant application has 3 parts:
- A project idea that connects to a broader social issue with an achievable and measurable impact
- A community partnership with clearly outlined roles and responsibilities
- A project plan that includes goals, objectives, a timeline, and budget
Identifying a project idea
When you apply for a grant, you need to clearly describe your project idea, which includes the problem and solutions you plan to work on.
Review the Identifying a Project Idea guide (pdf) for tips on drafting a problem statement. You can also use the brainstorming matrix in the guide to develop a strong project idea.
Find your community partner
Partnerships are best built by fostering a relationship with the community organization.
Learn how to build a partnership with a community organization through the Reaching out to a Community Organization guide (pdf).
Build your project plan
Now that you have a project idea and a community partnership, it’s time to write your application.
The C2C Grant Application Toolkit (pdf) provides a detailed guide for answering each question in the grant application and can support you in developing your project plan.
Seek advising
From developing a project idea to finding a community partner, to building a project plan, the Centre for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) is available in person or online to support you and answer your questions.
Email community.learning@ubc.ca to book an advising session with CCEL staff and brainstorm your project idea or learn more about available grants. For more tips on how to apply for grants, check out our page below:
Apply for the grant
Application Package – Connect to Community Grant (C2C) – Fill out this application document and upload it through the online APPLY NOW link, below.
Application Toolkit – Connect to Community Grant (C2C) – Provides guidance about how to respond to each of the sections within the application. We suggest reviewing the toolkit before starting your application.
CCEL Grants Partnership Agreement (pdf) – Use this document to establish project expectations, needs, and processes with your community partner.
If you’re interested in applying for a grant or curious to learn more, email the Centre for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) at community.learning@ubc.ca to book an advising session with our staff to brainstorm your impact project idea.
The deadline to apply is Sunday, Feb 4, 2024, at 11:59 pm.
Previous Connect to Community Grant Recipients
Grants Project Library: check out project reports from past grant winners for more ideas and inspiration!
List of recent grant recipients:
Alex Williams – Working with Britannia Skateboard Committee (2022/23)
Alex, together with the Britannia Skateboard Committee at Britannia Community Centre in East Vancouver, is facilitating design-build workshops for highschool students at the Britannia Secondary School to construct a beginner-friendly skatepark. This project aims to connect the skateboarding and non-skateboarding community while providing a transformative learning experience for the students.
Taylor Kuo – Flavorful Science (2022/23)
Taylor and Flavorful Science are working together to provide elementary schools in rural communities in British Columbia interactive and educational STEM workshops. This gives these students the opportunity to explore their passions and interests in STEM-related fields in a classroom setting.
Max Eadworthy – Foundry Terrace (2022/23)
Max works with Foundry Terrace to form a network of support for trans youth and provide them access to information, role models, stories and supplies. They will be running a series of activities to foster community and also to build on the 2SLGBTQIA+ library and Trans Gear Exchange at Foundry for long-term use.
Navdeep Binning – Surrey Food Bank’s Tiny Bundle Program (2022/23)
Navi is currently raising funds and donations for Surrey Food Bank’s Tiny Bundle Program which has been experiencing a shortage of supplies. The program is specifically designed for pregnant moms and families with babies to provide them with baby formula and baby food.
Deea Dev – MOSAIC (2022/23)
Deea, together with MOSAIC, will be delivering health literacy workshops for refugee and immigrant children and their families to provide culturally-sensitive and evidence-based scientific education on topics surrounding health. They aim to familiarize them with important health-centered habits and experiences and promote a positive, shared mindset and attitude toward health.
Eleanor Endler – Immigrant Services Society of BC (2022/23)
Eleanor, with the Immigrant Services Society of BC, is working to create an interactive website designed for newcomers’ support on integrative matters. The website functions as an informal English language toolkit which focuses on subjects such as Canadian workplace norms, everyday language, community events and other matters that non-English speaking newcomers may find helpful as they come to Canada.
Jasmandeep Sekhon – SD36 (2022/23)
Jasmandeep and the SD36 welcome center program aim to elucidate the path to post-secondary education for refugee and newcomer youth through a 3-part interactive workshop series. These workshops are focused on life-after secondary school with topics such as maintaining a good GPA, co-op, and part time work. Post-workshop, Jasmandeep and his team will be providing a tour of UBC as well as one-on-one mentorship to the participants to encourage their pursuit of higher education.
Abeera Irfan – Decoda Literacy Solutions (2022/23)
Abeera and Decoda Literacy Solutions, through the pre-existing IPALS (Parents as Literacy Supporters in Immigrant Communities) program, are hosting hands-on food literacy workshops. These workshops are designed to fill the gap between newcomers and nutrition education by facilitating activities such as nutritious school snacks making, cultural community dinners and label reading.
Taylor Bootsma – Vancouver Coastal Health (2022/23)
According to the Community Health Service Area Health Profile of the Downtown Eastside, relative to the average British Columbia resident, a DTES resident is 32.3% more likely to live with depression, 30.8% more likely to live with mood and anxiety disorders, and seven times more likely to live with schizophrenia or other delusional disorders. The Downtown Eastside Art Engagement Project hopes to utilize the scientifically proven benefits of artistic engagement to alleviate these mental health challenges, and contribute to the immediate need for mental health support in the DTES.
Andrew Butt – Friends of Rose Swanson Ecosystem
Andrew is partnered with the Friends of Rose Swanson Ecosystem Stewardship (FORSES) society to promote geospatial knowledge and increase community involvement in local issues requiring the use of spatial data in the area surrounding Rose Swanson Mountain, located near Armstrong B.C. They will do this by creating a workshop template with FORSES to provide local stakeholders with the tools to share technical geospatial skills with their community.
Arian Sadigpour – Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre
Arian is working with the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society and the Skeena House, a supportive housing project in the Downtown Eastside community, to develop a myriad of events designed to address mental and physical health disparities and provide residents with the tools to succeed in their personal and professional goals. They will do this by:
- Collaborating with volunteers and community leaders to develop informed programming;
- Organizing, administering, and facilitating bimonthly events;
- Continually adapting event programming to incorporate feedback.
Deyvika Srinivasa – Gordon Neighbourhood House
Deyvika has partnered with the Gordon Neighbourhood house to develop a digital literacy and employment support program for seniors across Vancouver. Deyvika’s team seeks to provide their participants with the tools necessary to independently and confidently engage with the digital world. They will achieve this through hour-long, one-on-one sessions that have been personally adapted to meet the unique needs of elderly adults experiencing digital barriers.
Sohat Sharma and Yaksh Shah – Surrey Schools
Sohat and Yaksh work with the Surrey School District’s Welcome Centre to develop a series of interactive workshops designed to introduce refugee and newcomer youth to Canada’s post-secondary education system. The workshops will have a specific emphasis on STEM education, life during a post-secondary education, and practical career development skills. They plan to continue their impact after the workshops conclude by providing a tour of the UBC campus and pairing each participant with a UBC student mentor.
Anneke Dressulhuis – Unique Get Together Society
Anneke Dresselhuis, Kate MacLeod, Anna Shubina, and Madeline Carson-Thornill are collaborating with Unique Get Together Society (UGTS) to develop a robust social media campaign. Anneke’s team seeks to:
- Scale up their current promotional campaign developed during their INFO 250 course to a multi-month campaign;
- Support the development of new donor relationships and raise funds for the organization’s Walk for Trauma event;
- Apply theoretical concepts of social media and community development to promote UTGS’ provision of trauma services for BIPOC children and families.
Sue Rim Baek – Canadian Centre For Men & Families
Sue Rim is working with the Canadian Centre for Men and Families to expand the organization’s capacity to support men’s mental health. They are developing a coaching program that seeks to:
- Guide men through difficult situations using a solution-oriented approach in one-on-one sessions over the course of three months;
- Train ten volunteer coaches to provide ethical, effective, and equitable support to clients;
- Support men in the Vancouver community in a personal and practical manner.
William Canero – Kathara Pilipino Indigenous Arts Collective Society
William is working with the Kathara Pilipino Indigenous Arts Collective Society (Kathara Society) to develop an annual event that seeks to address a lack of existing communication channels for Pilipino community organizing efforts. They will achieve this by:
- Providing a platform for existing Pilipino non-profits and academic researchers with a focus on the Pilipino-Canadian Community to share resources and knowledge;
- Organizing a venue and monetary compensation for speakers;
- Fostering dialogue between participant organizations to further the development of community networks following the event.
Makenna Vanegas – James Cameron School
Makenna is working with the James Cameron School, which specializes in educating neurodiverse children, to inaugurate the school’s new Equity and Diversity Resource Centre with a 5-week educational program that aims to:
- Engage students in classroom dialogue and hands-on activities;
- Provide experiential learning through multicultural literature, a library field trip and an Indigenous speaker visit;
- Foster a space of acceptance and understanding through literature.
Questions?
Contact the Centre for Community Engaged Learning about community-based opportunities, programs, and resources.