The City of Victoria announced on Friday that it will be offering a new $100,000 grant to groups who offer support to homeless individuals.
Council voted on Thursday to allocate a portion of the City’s federal-provincial COVID-19 restart money to “help fund solutions that will move people indoors,” while also voting to end 24/7 camping by March 31.
The Emergency Social Services Provision Grant is the recipient of that allocation, a one-time grant program aimed at delivering mobile hygiene and other social services to people sheltering outdoors.
“What’s become clear in these past few weeks is that despite the fact that organizations that provide direct services to unhoused people have been awarded $464,952 through the federal Reaching Home program administered by the CRD…there is still an unmet need,” Mayor Lisa Helps stated in an email.
Not-for-profit organizations and informal groups are permitted to apply for the grant, however, applications from informal groups must include a letter of support from a registered not-for-profit organization.
Application forms are now open on the City of Victoria website, with an application deadline of November 25, 2020, 4 p.m. PST.
Projects will be assessed by Victoria’s city council on November 26 and funding will be distributed shortly after.
