Apply for Funding

Rural Advisory

The Rural Advisory Program, funded by the Province of B.C. and administered by Island Coastal Economic Trust, supports forestry-reliant communities as they adapt to changes resulting from B.C.’s new forest management system. The Program provides financial assistance for temporary employment opportunities to support communities impacted by the policy changes and other economic impacts to the forest sector. This includes support for economic diversity and resilience in rural communities. There are two funding streams available:

Community-based Advisors — 15 available grants of up to $70,000 for Indigenous and rural communities to create a new one-year term position that provides community and/or business advisory services; and,
Regional Business Advisors — three available grants of up to $100,000 for non-profit business consulting and/or financial services organizations to create a new one-year term position that provides specialized and/or sectoral business advisory services. Advisor positions will support local businesses and communities in their economic diversification and transition process. Services provided will focus on the impacts from changes in forest policy and other economic impacts on the forest sector.

Eligibility

The program is open to local and regional governments, First Nations, and non-profit organizations in the Trust service region.

Application Deadline

The program is now fully subscribed and a list of projects will be released in the coming weeks.

How to Apply

Please review the Application Guide (PDF) for information on who can apply, funding streams, eligible costs and assessment criteria.
We encourage you to contact Hilary Muth prior to developing your application. Hilary is available to advise on eligibility and provide support on the development of an application to the program.

Hilary Muth
Special and Rural Projects Coordinator
250-871-7797
hilary@islandcoastaltrust.ca

For your application to be considered for review, a fully completed application must be received that includes the following:

Funding Decisions

The Coordinator will conduct an initial review of all applications to ensure completeness of documentation and program eligibility. As part of the due diligence process, applicants may be asked to revisit steps to ensure the completeness and quality of your application. A Program Review Committee will then evaluate against assessment criteria. Applications that best demonstrate that they meet the selection criteria will be prioritized for funding. Applicants will be provided with a final decision by March 31, 2023.

Project Reporting for Approved Projects

Once approved, we will provide applicants with a funding agreement. Successful applicants will receive an initial disbursement (50% of the total grant amount) upon receipt of a signed employment agreement (between the funding recipient and the successful candidate). To request progress disbursements, approved applicants are required to submit progress reports which include a description of activities to date and other receipts for the funded position.

Funding recipients are required to submit progress reports and a final report that outlines the project’s performance and outcomes. Recipients are expected to track metrics throughout the duration of project relating to the objectives listed in the workplan. Metrics include the number of businesses served, description of community or business advisory services provided, description of community or regional diversification initiatives, and resources developed.

All approved projects are to be completed within the term specified in the funding agreement, and no later than August 31st, 2024.

Application Support and Program Enquiries